Karlwekarlwe

Written on July 30, 2017 in the Ngikalikarra media website

Another sacred Aboriginal meeting place and yet another example of the catastrophe that western civilisation has inflicted on another otherwise spectacular work of nature, belief, tradition and Law desecrated.

I often find myself grinning at my own silly prose but in some circumstances such as today I find myself oscillating in abject cynicism as what we witnessed today could well be a horror show, perhaps a dystopic science fiction movie and at best a modern day drama with all the hallmarks of a war crime.

I understand that we are a nation, a humanity of children raising children and so on by as an old Jewish man said to me last night our role as teachers is full of suffering as we recoil in horror at what others do to our environment and to each other. We have to try and bring people along and help them understand things, not get angry.

Home to the Kaytetye, Warumungu, Anmatyerr and the Alyawarr people of this area, Karlu Karlu these scared stones are in many areas desecrated with graffiti, the carparks filled with over-filled Winnebago’s, Maui motor homes and 4WD after 4WD laden with Crispy Creme donuts and tomato sauce. Generators blaring, air mattress inflators whining, diesel motors dragging every know contraption from home, in a motor home, to another place to sit in dribbling shit to each other over campfires they burn their plastic trash in.

There is nothing that resembles “devils marbles” to me in this area nor was it the same for me when I visited “gins leap”. Why the fuck does western lack-of-civilisation name to shame every natural beauty on this country? Another question….

How is it that the National Parks service of Australia could establish, allow and support roads literally within metres of these rocks, install a pit toilet on the only stream of water here (besides the fresh water pockets when it rains on the rocks) and install didactic panels for every god damned thing there is to look at?

The paradox is that one culture describes another with written panels literally on top of what is a sacred space and tells people to respect that traditional culture and yet by doing is desecrating that space in the first place.

On a better note I was greeted with a rabble of Aboriginal kids running around the base of the rocks and their carer, Ben Mack from Alice Springs in tow. 

I learned he also has a firm NO to fracking of any sort on any country of Australia, quick to observe that he doesn’t speak for this country here but is unified also with the idea that a uranium dump of any level anywhere on Australia is an absolute NO NO. As was his colleague, Cheona Lehnert from ITEC and Safe Pathways NT, bringing these kids back on country, away from certain incarceration, marginalisation and yet with incredibly positive prospects due to the amazing work of these programs.

The camper vans continued to pile in and with Barrow Creek Bar firmly in the rear view mirror I reckon we are going to get to Tenant Creek, fuel up and avoid these tourist shit tips. What a god damned tragedy and how disappointed I am to continually come across this genocide each part of the way here where these westerner and international detritus congregate.

I did not climb the rocks and the photos I did take are about preserving the sheer beauty, speaking of the importance of protecting country. I called out my name as I entered this area and that I was coming in peace and with respect for that country as I entered into it. 

It’s about acknowledging those who own this country and the fact they are always present on it, not the five tonne GMC running an eight inch exhaust and Spinifex caravan complete stuffed full with “I’ve been everywhere” stickers all over it.

So we drove on and away up towards Mataranka and Katherine.

Camped roadside and ate spaghetti carbonara, two parts over cooked. Liam chased down an eagle and it curiously engaged with him with interest. This young man is an exceptional photographer and his images below are testament of his seeing eye and his developing ear.

You can see more of his photography at https://500px.com/liam_wille