"Standing
Up Alive" Men's Gathering-
.......The Power Of Spirit.......
PAGE
2
Through
the foundation of SUA, and the likes of Harry and others, Yolngu
elders
saw
the openness and receptiveness, normally so missing.
They
felt
a drawing to come and share, to share things never shared before, and
empower
us folk to learn what sacredness is, and to empower us to be part of
building
a bridge between our cultures. This wasn't something that just
happened
day one and
continued throughout. This was something we all
worked
upon over the days. There were moments when
as two mobs the camps
were
split
as stuff came up and we realized how easily we misunderstand
each
other, we realized how easily it is for white folk to be insensitive.
There
were some fellas that found the white leadership lacking as there own
stuff
came up around that insensitivity. Some wanted stronger leadership,
some
found themselves too much on the sea not knowing
or understanding the
journey,
finding it difficult to surrender to the white and black elders.
For
every person that struggled there were most that trusted and respected
those
darker moments, the challenges and their gift. As someone commented
strongly
in the circle,
as with other gatherings , its generally after a
strong
conflict, drama or feeling unfolding that the gathering moves to
a
more
centred and powerful place.
After one
phase where something that
white
folk intitiated, that triggered feelings in the Yolnga mob; then with
some
sharing it led to a powerful
sharing of this process, whereby the
Yolnga
mob saw the power in our white fella ritual.
Each
challenge somehow took us to a greater sense of connectedness as a mob
and
as two cultures sharing and finding our way.
So
with commitment to the journey and respect, the way was found.
The
time
flowed in Koori time and the days slowly passed and the week felt
like
a month. As a mob we had broken up into clan groups of about
8-10 and
daily
at different times we'd meet together, to share our process, have some
fun
or
work in the camp kitchen, collect firewood, whatever was needed. As
a
whole mob we'd gather at least daily in
the big sharing circle that
involved
housekeeping business, processing and unfolding leadership and
direction.
Often magical moments and unfoldings came out of the big circle.
Men
would stand up to themselves, so to speak, and share strongly, whether
their
journey, a challenge, their struggles or a strong vision or gift of
knowledge.
This
would
often take on,
a life of its own until somehow,
the
mood of the circle was fulfilled and spoken for. At circles end,
another
step
was taken as to the journey we were on. Then onto the day and
handing
ourselves over. The circle was the chance to integrate what was
going
on, but as soon as it was over, it was time to surrender again to the
unknown.
I
thought I held strong a choice
to honour elders, but the time with the
Yolnga
men dug up the holdings in me, where my culture has eroded this and I
realized
in a whole new way what respect for elders means. Being around
these
fellas who spoke their lingo most of the time and struggled with
English
meant that in communicating, a greater depth of listening was
required.
Listening to the words, the tone, the body language and feeling
deeply.
In western culture our elders are sent to homes with their own age
kin
and given little forum to share their wisdom. Being with the Yolngu
elders
we learnt to look out for them, care for their needs and give them
the
physical ease to help support what they worked with best which is spirit
-
wisdom.
In
some ways I've been taught to look out for myself and
getting my dinner
before
the elders one night, I felt
the shame and the sadness as to my
relationship
with myself in that place.
As well,
early in the piece a
young
Yolngu man probably younger than me asked me to do something for me. I
noticed
for a couple of days my
difficulty with that, but as my perspective
shifted
,I saw him
differently and I acknowledged the strength he offered
and
my willingness to humble myself shifted. By putting them first or anyone
for
that matter I felt the resistance at first, then in acting anyway,
I
felt
the joy of giving.
I
feel to be a giving person but I got to know the parts of myself that
isn't.
As I
felt this awareness and clearing unfold, I looked out
more for
where
I could be of service.
Watching the young white men who were asked
to
wait on the elders, or
others who wanted to and looked for the
opportunity,
I felt that magnet draw me
in. Just being of service in some
way
was freeing.
Giving
Djalu a sholder massage at some point, knowing
he wasn't feeling
well
came out of genuinely caring and
I realised deep down it
wasn't just out
of
respect and from me.Its flowing with spirit. Being around Djalu and hearing him share from his
heart,
putting his hand on his heart as he so often did, or playing his
yidaki
with
healing heart purpose, it
was enivitable to be touched deeply
and
feel
my heart opening wider. It was enviitable unless
I blocked this
love
out, to
want to give back to him and the others in any way I could.
Tears
in the eyes was a constant unfolding, listening to Djalu or Ranald
interpreting
or other men sharing from their heart and truth. Tears of joy
was
a constant daily experience.
Those
tears and feelings of joy
came
in so many ways. Sitting next to
Alfred
one day,
as we waited
for a moment, in between a process,
as the
mob
was around , I said to him
breaking the silence. "We're
a big mob". I weas referring to us all there, he thought I was
asking about his people. He
looked to me with a faraway
almost teary look in his eyes and said
"We're
a big
mob.yoh.. very beautiful.... humble people"
When
they
talk,
its
in broken English short and to the point
but carrying strong feeling.
His
description of his
people
as humble carried much feeling and truth. It wasn't big noting, it
was
factual and loving.
Whilst
they were away they got word, that
a couple of family members back
home
had passed over and this troubled them, they knew they weren't there
where
they were needed and they knew there was work to do when they got
home.
Ceremony to support the passing. This coincided with challenges in our
time
together at SUA and that day the old men weren't feeling well.
They
were
troubled.
In
our time there, the healing came , as it does; they taught us constantly
what it was to remain open. There was a man that came and went against the
wishes of the
white and black elders. He brought his anger to the pot and
also the things that we didn't
want to look at. He did it
with intent. As
men we
were confronted with
looking to
whether we were in integrity as a
gathering, he also triggered in some of us, our fear of
fighting and our
desire to fight or
react with anger. This man was an important gift. The
Yolngu elders were amazing examples of acceptance and love in how they
worked with this energy .
I was proud how everyone handled and worked with
what it triggered up.
It could
have gone either way a couple of times, but
the example was set by all the elders and compassion
and personal
responsibility led the way.
Healing
came in song too, yes song, yidaki and bilma supporting
dance. It
was
their lifeblood.
They
shared so much.
One day sitting in a circle learning some yidaki
rhythms
from Djalu,
Samuel
who is 84
joined us
and in a break in our
playing
;
I can't
remember what led to him saying it, but
he looks over
towards
a couple of us and sais with a gleam in his eye, leaning
towards
us
to accentuate it
"maybe..
we dance tonight".
I
decided to treasure that moment, I couldn't
help but treasure that
moment.
His desire to dance was
his desire to embrace fun and
love for
life
. And doing so
in his 80's, he danced like a young man. He spoke of
traditional
dance like a young fella would speak of going out and partying
with
his mates.
There
were various moments when their handle on English would
get across so
powerfully
the essence of what they were trying to say. But there were many
times
when some of the content would go right over our heads. Thankfully
there
was Ranald, a white fella who understood lingo.
He walks as
shaman
in
his own way, facilitating mens groups and trips into the outback
connecting
with
culture and grounding
journeys of power. He would often
explain
the dances, the stories and
the old fellas wisdom and put it in
language
we could understand. He would also embody the emotion of the
journey
we were on and bring it to the surface.
A
lot of what I share may sound cryptic and
not of detail and content. This
is
true of the journey we went on and
even though we experienced detail and
content,
the essence of the journey
and what is meant to come out into the
world
is the essence and the action it
encourages. In sacred rituals,
indigenous
peoples build power and teach wisdom in a way that it is
embodied,
so that when we come back from a
place of spirit, the body finds
itself
renewed and empowered with
energy. The journey is a dreaming
journey,
sacred and held within.
The
energy, the essence, is the juice and if you
hear the words and feel
between
the lines and the words the juice is imparted. Djalu often spoke of
the
Yidaki going out into the world and spirit touching people world wide.
If
we play with heart or feel the hearts message in this sharing that
comes
from
Yolngu mob and the land in Australia, from the aboriginal peoples and
the
earth mother, this is the purpose fulfilled. Djalu spoke of feeling our
heart
connection and following this. This is our connection with Spirit. As
Djalu
repeated often, it doesn't matter
whether we black or white. Speak
from
our heart and play from our heart. Sitting in a circle playing didg he
would
occasionally ask each of us to play our song. The essence of sharing
was
more important than learning something practically. He shared technical
playing
tips, for some there was some
practical learning, for some
and
for
all as well, it was simply being with
the man, and feeling the spirit
he
shared. This was the juice, not the techniques.
Yidaki
could be heard at various points in the day or by Djalu in focused
ways
but it was not the priority. For
the amount of didgs there and players
and
folk interested it was just a piece
in the puzzle not the main picture.
As
the week gradually came closer to
completion, there was a feeling of
peace
that built and came over the camp. The week started with settling
rain,
then sunny days unfolded that
brought passion and fire. As healing
and
unity unfolded the sun stayed in the background and a soft cloud
covering
and stillness reflected what was happening for us. With the peace
that
descended there was a lightness and
humour that came with.
As
we sat in a big circle one morning, someone honoured a
Murri fella (
Queensland
aboriginal) 'Peter', whose gift
during the week involved sitting
and
painting a big canvas with a crocodile at the centre. The crocodile is a
central
totem animal for some Yolngu people. He'd also completed a couple of
other
canvases which he brought partly worked on and gifted them to the
Yolngu
elders . In the circle we honoured his genorosity, and a
fella
'Bear'
started an auction of the crocodile painting knowing he
needed
some income for his family for Christmas. Bere was not an
auctioneer
and was just hamming it up , when others took it on as
more than
fun
and before long with Peters quiet approval to run with it, we had
an
auction happening. One fella jumped in with disaproval at money being
involved,
reflecting our distrust for money realities. This brought various
men
forward to share and so a process
clearing this, but it was short and
sweet
and we continued on. As one other fella said, "Yolngu people have
traded
for four centuries since the
Dutch travelled by and
what we
unfolded
was all about gifts of utmost generosity of spirit acknowledged by
money
in as giving way as we could muster. Its all just spirit in action.
Days
earlier Peter had told me had hoped to sell his painting one day for
$1500
if he could. It sold for $2500. He was over whelmed.
Before
the trip south, the Yolngu
fellas had planned to bring some art and
yidakis
to sell but as it turned out they couldn't, so consequently there
was
no plan to sell anything. Djalu had only brought his own didg.
Well
Petes painting being auctioned started something. Samuel the old fella
had been painting
during the week and his piece held incredible power as it
spoke of our gathering. He offered it up. The first bid was $1500, the
second was $6000 and sold. A set of
Bilma (Clapsticks) for $1,000, a spear
and woomera $1300 and it went on. Other spears were sold. Then Djalus didg
.
Starting price $2000, it was sold for $3000 and then gifted back to SUA
for
future gatherings. With each item the artist and creator was honoured and
men stood up to speak for them and honour and respect their work. Another
Murri fella Anthony whose
powerful didg was played by Djalu quite a lot
through the gathering, offered his didg for sale, and
much healing
and
blessings came through the men that shared about Anthony and
the
acknowledgment that came his way. It was bought for $1500 by Mick who
lives on the same community as Anthony. A double blessing for Anthony, is
the type of man that gives much away and it was
beautiful twist that he
both received
income for his family and he will continue to be able to play
the didg. The buyers stretched
and gifted
more than what they could
afford, it was a beautiful unfolding it all happened swiftly and with so
much fun and laughs.
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