Mapuru 2005 Report by Diane Moon
There were six participants
in the weaving workshops held at Mapuru, northeast Arnhem
Land, in
August 2005.
Akio TANAKA
Is a highly-successful Japanese, Sydney-based, interior designer,
with a self-confessed passion for Aboriginal basketry. She
also attended the Mapuru weaving workshop in 2004 and this
experience, together with her involvement with the Garma Festival,
have given her a thirst to increase her knowledge of Australian
Aboriginal culture and language. With a little less pressure
from her own professional demands she is now committed to introducing
Arnhem Land women’s work to a Japanese audience through
exhibiting it with a supporting publication.
Andrea FISHER
‘I am a descendant of the Birri-gubba and Wakka Wakka
peoples. I am a Project Officer in the Exhibitions section
at the Queensland Art Gallery and a practising artist and member
of the (Brisbane-based) artists collective ‘proppaNOW’. I
found the Mapuru experience very inspiring. The people
of Mapuru have so much to teach, and from my own time learning
I have evoked feelings and thoughts of how my own people would
have once lived in their ancestral land. I know that
it, too, would have been as rich in culture and lore. My
Mapuru experience has also inspired me to expand on my own
art practice. I feel grateful to have shared such an
experience and I would like to thank the homeland for their
generosity.’
Diane MOON
I took great joy in accompanying two young Indigenous Australian
women on their initial visit to Arnhem Land, Krystle Sutherland
and Andrea Fisher. I was filled with pride at their gracious
responses to all the joys and challenges that such a trip can
bring and sharing with them everlasting memories of their time
at Mapuru. The effect this will have on their personal and
professional lives is profound. As Curator of Indigenous
Fibre Art at the Queensland Art Gallery I was pleased to renew
my experience of weaving processes and practices through the
tireless generosity of the Mapuru women. For me, experiencing
the space, light and texture of my Ngulurr (peaked roof bush
shelter) was the ultimate in comfort and pleasure.
Dianne JOHNSON
‘My visit to Mapuru, at the invitation and on the terms
of the Mapuru women, will always be remembered with fondness. Our
time together was relaxed and fruitful; the enlightening trips
gathering materials and food, then the pleasure of witnessing
the women’s feel for the fibre and the rhythm of their
weaving. They converted their skills into simple steps
for us to follow, and through their warm, caring and constant
encouragement we were able to produce some (basic) pieces. Thankyou
to the women of Mapuru for the wonderful experience.’
Suzan SHADE
‘I am an artist interested in natural fibres and dyes,
found objects and sculpture. I also enjoy collaborating
with artists using other media. I have a strong connection
with the natural environment, which greatly influences my work. I
enjoy looking at how I/we relate to such environments. The
experience of going to Mapuru leaves me lost for words. The
generosity of the women to allow us to come to their country
and create was incredible. The workshop provided not
only knowledge of techniques, but much more in the way of culture,
community and a sense of belonging. I miss the women,
the sharing, and know that this experience has profoundly changed
me.’
Krystle SUTHERLAND
‘I am an undergraduate student at the University of
Queensland, undertaking a double major in Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander Studies. Increasingly, as I move along
in my studies, I feel that I get more enjoyment and stimulation
in learning through direct participation. Mapuru was
one of those experiences. Being involved in every aspect
of basket-making, from the collecting to the dyeing and weaving
was exciting. When I think about what I treasured most,
I would have to say it was the friendship of the women and
the privilege of being accepted onto Ritharrngu country. The
women were gracious hosts and are expert teachers in many fields.’
Gradually, during the week, students were assigned a Yolngu
language, name and malk (sub-section classification).
Students: |
Name |
Language |
Malk |
Akiyo TANAKA |
Bepi |
Ritharrngu |
Bangaditjan |
Andrea FISHER |
Bonba |
Liya-dhalinymirr |
Galikali |
Diane MOON
(dating from 1982) |
Dirrpu |
Ganalbingu |
Bangaditjan |
Dianne JOHNSON |
Bininydji |
Bulanydjan
Binipini |
Ganalbingu |
Suzan SHADE |
Larratjpingu |
Ritharrngu |
Bulanydj |
Krystle SUTHERLAND |
Galiwurr |
Ganalbingu |
Gutjan |
Teachers: |
|
|
|
Margaret BAMBALARRA |
|
Ritharrngu |
Bangaditjan |
Linda MARATHAWARR |
|
Ritharrngu |
Bangaditjan |
Roslyn MALNGUMBA |
|
Liya-dhalinymirr |
Galikali |
MAPURU - 2005 REPORT
Krystle Sutherland, Documentation Assistant, Registration,
became aware of the Arnhem Weavers project at Mapuru through
contacts at University of Queensland. She saw it as a
once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for anyone interested in furthering
their knowledge of Aboriginal culture and fibre arts and of
particular significance for Indigenous Australians. After
discussion and consideration by QAG Indigenous Australian staff
members, Tony Albert, Exhibitions Project Officer & Indigenous
Trainee Coordinator, approached QAG senior management
on their behalf seeking Gallery support for several of their
group to join the trip to Mapuru. It was decided that
Krystle Sutherland and Andrea Fisher, Exhibitions Project Officer,
would participate in 2005, accompanied by Diane Moon, Curator,
Indigenous Fibre Art. This is the third year these workshops
have been held and to date have only been offered to female
participants.
Description of project
John Greatorex was the contact person based in Darwin. He
has lived over twenty-five years in Arnhem Land, much of that
time spent in the north eastern region where Mapuru is situated
and currently teaches in the Yolngu language linguistic and
culture program at Charles Darwin University. He offers
his time and energy voluntarily to ensure the success of the
workshops both for the participants and the Aboriginal weavers
of Mapuru. The workshops were held from 15 to 19 August
(plus travel days), timed to follow on from the 22nd Telstra
NATSIA Awards in Darwin.
Mapuru residents and John Greatorex have collaborated to evolve
the concept of the fibre workshops. This follows the success
of the community coop, which was running very successfully
during our visit. It is believed that the workshops can:
• offer the Yolngu
of Mapuru homeland an opportunity to be meaningfully and gainfully
employed
• assist Mapuru
residents to earn an income by their own expertise and effort
• increase access
to western culture and knowledge and thereby foster independence
• offer to participants
personal, meaningful access to an Indigenous Australian culture
QAG participants prepared a budget which included essentials
for bush travel such as mosquito-proof dome tent, multi-purpose
plastic tarpaulins, knives and weaving needles, course costs,
4WD hire and fuel and these were approved.
QAG participation
On this occasion there were six participants: Akiyo
Tanaka; Dianne Johnson; Susan Shade; and from the Queensland
Art Gallery: Krystle Sutherland; Andrea Fisher and Diane Moon. This
is felt to be the optimum number that can be accommodated. They
were people of varying interests and backgrounds, mostly involved
professionally with art and design. On Saturday 13 August participants
met in a class room at Charles Darwin University where John
Greatorex introduced the group to the locality, history and
culture of Mapuru and its residents. Each was presented
with a word list (by long- time linguist Michael Christie),
of Gupapuyngu language which is widely used and understood
in North Eastern Arnhem Land.
The teaching and discussions by John on the Yolngu kinship
system were an important aspect of the Mapuru experience. (Yolngu
is the term used by North east Aboriginal people when referring
to themselves.) This began on a theoretical level and
was continued to become more real as participants were given
their malk (skin), language groups and Yolngu names and learned
to use these in relating to each other and people of Mapuru. Thus
they were absorbed into the Yolngu world view and found their
place along with everything there.
The group then gathered at the home of John to discuss food
needs, finances, utensils and equipment to be shared. This
was followed by a food shopping excursion to the supermarket
at Casuarina leaving the group free in the afternoon to explore
the many Indigenous art exhibitions and events held in Darwin
at that time. John would pick up the hired 4WD troop
carrier.
The journey
6.30 am start on Sunday, helping to pack the vehicle with
food and equipment and making secure an additional trailer-load
of food which we would deliver to Mapuru for their community
store. With many visitors attending a funeral taking place
there extra supplies would be needed. The vehicle comfortably
seated three in front and four in the back (sitting on long
benches opposite each other), with the air-conditioning being
used during dusty conditions. John had arranged all necessary
permits for travelling through Arnhem Land, camping in transit
(if necessary) and staying at Mapuru.
We drove south down the Stuart Highway and then turned east
toward Arnhem Land through Kakadu National Park. First
stop was at South Alligator for refuelling and refreshments. First
crocodile was spotted camouflaged in the brown East Alligator
River. We travelled further east through dramatic escarpment
country into Arnhem Land, passed the turnoff into Gunbalanya
(Oenpelli), crossed major rivers Liverpool and Mann which were
predominantly dry. We drove through Yawkyawk (fresh-water mermaid),
Mimih and Ngalyod sites and the country of important Maningrida
artists Ivan Namirrkki, Owen Yalandja, John Mawurndjul and
James Iyuna. We kept driving to the crossroads and, rather
than turning towards Maningrida, took the right hand turn towards
Ramingining. We stop to assist a family group who had
run out of fuel at Nimirrili crossing on the Blyth River and
managed to squeeze several extra people into the back of the
truck. They enjoyed looking at a book of Donald Thomson (anthropologist)
photographs from the 1930s and identifying family members.
We stopped in the late afternoon at Ramingining for refreshments
and to refuel with the assistance of the school principal. We
then detoured to avoid the Goyder River and the Arafura swamp,
which meant taking a rough track south past Mulgurrum and Murwangi
turnoff, with Ngalyindi and Mirrngatja further on to the left. Further
to the south we turned east onto the Arnhem Highway and crossed
the Goyder River. Donydji and Ngilipidji lie to the south
east. We then took a left turn, again on a rough bush track,
north toward Mapuru where we arrived late at night after a
16 hour trip. We travelled through (to name a few) the
country of Kuninjku, Kune, Rembarrnga, Djinang, Wurlaki, Djardawitjibi,
Djinba, Ganalbingu and Ritharrngu people.
Mapuru
On arrival at Mapuru we were greeted warmly by the women,
who had prepared four traditional shelters and cleared and
raked the area where we are to stay and work. Each of
the participants selected accommodation suitable to their needs
and set up camp.
In Ritharrngu language the shelters are called:
Ngulurr (with a peaked roof)
Gathawudu (elevated) and
Liya-damala (a mosquito-proof dome which would be built later)
The main teachers were two elderly, very experienced, women
weavers, sisters Margaret Bambalarra and Linda Marathuwarr
of the Ritharrngu people. They were assisted by their
daughter, Roslyn Malngumba of the Liya-dhalinymirr people,
Clara Wubugwubuk and other family members. The women
are experienced in using a variety of seasonal materials and
techniques and have travelled and exhibited widely over many
years.
Gathering and processing materials
On the first day we travelled by truck to country about 15
minutes drive from Mapuru to gather essential weaving materials,
the women carrying sacks, axes and hooked iron sticks. After
locating suitable gunga (Pandanus spiralis) trees, they first
hooked down the central bunch of about six young leaves. As
gunga leaves are edged with lethal prickles, the women gripped
firmly the less prickly tips and these were released from the
tree with one or two sharp pulls and then fell to the ground. It
is recommended that students wear gloves for this process. For
very high trees the women used an axe to fell the whole tree
to make the leaves more accessible. Leaves (with prickles
attached) were stashed in vegetable sacks of hessian and synthetic
materials (with improvised rope handle attached) which the
women slung over their shoulders as they selected the next
likely tree. They collected relentlessly, taking advantage
of having the truck available, and only stopped to sit and
start processing the leaves preparatory to weaving. They
quickly removed the edges and spines with strong thumbnails
and then discarded the unusable material so that the heavy
sacks were less unwieldy to carry. A couple of large
bunches of mature leaves and the hearts of pandanus palms were
put aside and loaded onto the trailer to bring back to camp. The
fleshy leaf bases and palm heart will later be chopped and
boiled, with ashes added from the burnt discarded material,
to colour dried and processed gunga leaves a green colour. Andrea
and Krystle both learned the daunting process of grasping and
removing the gunga leaves. At this late dry season the
brilliant orange pandanus fruits were ripe and we were able
to taste them in small amounts.
For weavers, a trip to the bush always includes the search
for dye stuffs. One of the most important dyes in Arnhem
Land is the strong yellow obtained from djundum (Pogonolobus
reticulatus). Djundum is a small, straggly, tree which
to around a meter and has coarse, slightly rough leaves. We
went to a site where dry-season fires had recently cleared
the land of leaf litter. The fires have the effect of
turning the normally green leaves a bright yellow, so that
the bushes are easily identifiable; the yellow in the leaves
reflecting the rich colour of the inner bark of the shallow
roots. To harvest the roots, the soft, sandy soil around
the base of the tree was loosened with a crowbar and it was
then inserted in and under the small roots to prise them out. They
were shaken free of sand and put aside and the larger, more
deeply-embedded root attacked until it, too, was freed. Extraneous
material was trimmed off the roots and they were then cut into
sections ready to transport back to camp. Djundum is
prized for its strong, fast colour and versatility. By
a chemical process discovered by Aboriginal people yellow can
be changed to shades of orange and rich tan by the addition
of ashes from a number of eucalypt trees to the dye bath or
rubbing the ashes into dampened bark fibres already coloured
yellow. Roslyn Malngumba commented that these women don’t
normally use the guninyi (Morinda citrifolia) which yields
a much paler yellow colour and is not so frequently found here
as in other parts of Arnhem Land.
Another important dye source is yiringaning (Haemodorum coccineum)
the small, tuberous roots of which yield a brown/purple colour. Because
of the dry-season fires only a small, green shoot of the grass-like
plant was showing close to the ground to announce its presence. The
root clusters were loosened carefully to keep them intact,
shaken free of sand and stashed in the trailer for processing
later.
On the way back to Mapuru our group stopped at a source of
fresh running springwater, where the women cooled off after
they had first and stroked each of the visitors with the precious
water, and called to their ancestors and the spirits of that
place so that the women we felt welcomed and visitors would
be recognised and welcomed by their country and no harm would
come to us.
In the afternoon, back at the weaving camp, all the gunga
was processed. The spine and the prickles were stripped off
by inserting the right thumbnail through the leaf and slicing
through to the end and this material was then tied and discarded
to distinguish it from leaves waiting for further processing.
The leaves to be used were then split in half by bending them
over at the tip, firmly pressing thumb and index finger together
and gently sliding them so that the leaves separated. Then
taking a leaf section in each hand they were gently but firmly
divided, laid out to dry, then bundled and hung up out of the
dust.
Students had at that stage learned to collect, leaves, strip
them of their prickles and spine, separate (split) each leaf
into two halves and bundle them and lay them out in the sun
to dry ready for weaving or dyeing.
Mapuru community
We saw the community shop in action which is going from strength
to strength. Since the advent of the shop Mapuru is able
to conduct major ceremonies there, such as funerals, with the
ability to provide food for hundreds of singers, dancers and
visitors. This has certainly been the case with the assistance
of the trailer-load we were able to deliver. Jackie Nguluwidi
and his family have developed numeracy, literacy, financial,
banking and planning skills through their involvement with
the community co-operative store, as well as positively affecting
the health of their homeland people. Luckily John Greatorex
was able to assist with a minor problem with the paper in the
Eftpos machine.
In the evening the group was invited to attend the public
dancing for the funeral ceremony of a young man from Gapuwiyak,
to the south east, who had died suddenly. It would take about
a week in all and would finish during the time of our visit.
The sound of the ceremonial singing and dancing could be heard
from our camp well into the night.
Processing weaving materials
The focus on day two (Tuesday) was on colouring the prepared
pandanus with bush dyes. The root pieces of djundum (Pogonolobus
reticulatus) were laid out on cloth on the ground. Students
helped to scrape the residual surface dirt and outer layer
of bark off the roots with discarded food cans which had been
cleaned out by fire and become rusted. After scraping,
the yellow roots were broken and chopped ready for boiling. Yellow
chips were placed in a clean (not rusty) food drum with cold
water. Prepared pandanus leaves were added and weighted
down with pieces of dharpa (wood), which were the larger, cleaned
roots of djundum. This was done to ensure that, as the
liquid comes to the boil, the leaves stay at the bottom of
the vessel where there is a concentration of colour so that
they are able to absorb as much as possible of the available
pigment. The whole was then boiled for around half an hour,
the timing depending on the intensity of colour desired. The
richly coloured gunga (pandanus) leaves were then hung on the
roof supports of the studio/kitchen shelter to dry.
A soft, paler yellow colour was achieved from djundum using
the exhaust dye bath which was cooled before adding prepared
gunga leaves. The mix was again brought to the boil and
simmered for around 10 minutes.
The red, tuberous roots of yiringaning (Haemodorum coccineum)
were pounded between two stones and the resulting mash placed
in a clean food drum of cold water with the prepared pandanus
leaves. We also observed the dried pandanus leaves rubbed together
with the mashed root material before being immersed in cool
water. The liquid was brought to the boil and simmered
for 30 minutes then left to stand and cool and the purple/brown
strands of dyed pandanus removed from the dye pot and hung
to dry.
To make a rich orange/red the exhaust pot of yellow dye was
removed from the fire and let rest to cool for approximately
an hour. A handful of white ashes from a burnt gudirri,
(Eucalyptus concertifolia) tree were stirred in and the previously
yellow-dyed material added. The mix was brought to the
boil and simmered until the desired colour was reached. This
process is effective on both pandanus and bark fibre.
To make a green colour the fleshy leaf base of gunga (pandanus)
leaves was chopped and placed in cool water and a handful of
white eucalyptus tree ashes added. The mixture was brought
to the boil, simmered for around thirty minutes and steeped. This
mix coloured the leaves a bright green when a rusty container
was used.
To make dark olive green to black the small, shiny green
leaves of the dhumumu, quinine tree, (Petalostigma pubescens)
and their berries were placed in a rusty container with fresh
water and prepared pandanus leaves. The mix was slowly brought
to the boil and simmered, then moved to a hotter fire when
it was boiled rapidly and cooled in the dye pot. A solid
black colour can be obtained by steeping this mix for up to
2 weeks.
A colour experiment involved boiling prepared pandanus leaves
with chopped yiringaning roots and later adding the exhaust
bath of the dhumumu (quinine), white ashes and charcoal. This
mix yielded a subtle brown/green colour very useful for the
weavers to contrast with brighter, clearer colours.
All participants were involved in the dyeing process, scraping,
chopping, overseeing the fire and pots and removing and drying
the dyed material.
Weaving instruction begins
In the afternoon, instruction in coil bundle weaving was begun.
This is a technique which was introduced into northern Australia
through missionary influence, but has now been embraced by
many Aboriginal women as their technique of choice. It
allows for building up bold patterns in strongly contrasting
colours and lends itself to forming innovative shapes and structures.
We had brought with us a number of packets of wool stitching
needles (obtained from a Spotlight haberdashery store) with
both rounded and pointed ends.
For this technique five or so strands of dyed and dried leaves
are taken, around which a buttonhole stitch is commenced. After
a few stitches this is then turned back on itself to form the
basis of the weaving. Strands of pandanus are added in
as needed to maintain the bulk of the bundle and the stitching
continues with extra rows being added by inserting the needle
into an appropriate stitch of the previous row. When
necessary a new pandanus stitching ‘thread’ is
inserted by drawing it backwards through the latest stitch.
In the evening, participants joined in dancing and entertainment
for a dhapi (circumcision ceremony). They saw the two boys
prepared for the ritual with Warramirri clan designs painted
on their torsos signifying their entitlement to land. The presence
of visitors enlivened proceedings and was appreciated by all.
Day three: weaving continues
By day three most participants had been assigned their malk
(skin group) according to earlier relationships and new friendships
with the women they were working with. They were becoming
accustomed to using the correct terms in addressing their kin
and determining their relationship with people as they were introduced
to. They also learned common greetings and Yolngu matha words
for objects. John Greatorex constantly reinforced teaching
malk and kinship relationships and commented on the songs and
dances of particular language groups involved in the funeral
ceremony, making the proceedings more accessible and memorable
for the group.
All participants continued with coil-weaving projects with
very little instruction now required. Some students began
to learn the more difficult weft-face, twining process to make
mindirr (conical baskets). The twining technique is the
traditional method used for ceremonial and personal baskets,
woven fish traps and drag nets, etc.
There were also demonstrations and participation in spinning
and plying prepared balgurr, kurrajong (Brachychiton paradoxum),
bark fibre. Balgurr is easily identified in the bush at this
season by its distinctive waxy red flower. It is one of the
most versatile and easily available of the various tree barks
used to make string for all manner of purposes such as weaving,
tying, trussing and making handles. Gay’wu is the local
term for looped string bags and students were able to learn
the technique by adding onto works in progress. Collecting
balgurr for processing was to be observed later in the bush
where bark was stripped from the branches of immature trees
and softened by beating with a smooth implement in preparation
for spinning and plying.
In the afternoon the entire group and some of the Mapuru women
took the truck to the mangroves and salt plains for hunting. A
small group was left at a suitable point to walk through the
mangroves to collect milka (teredo sp), the succulent wood-eating
mangrove worm, a prized delicacy for many Aboriginal people. The
women cut through the rotted wood of a suitable log with an
axe to expose and collect the worms inside. These same
worms notoriously eat away wooden boats and jetties. The
rest of the group went fishing in a typically inviting, pale,
milky-green creek, keenly focussed on the log floating near
the opposite bank which developed two eyes and a nasty attitude
in the heat haze. One of the older women chanted softly
to introduce us to country and bring us luck in hunting as
we stood in the sticky soft grey mud with our lines. A
few matpuna (bream), wedu (catfish) and a blue swimmer crab
were caught before the tide turned and it was time to go, mourning
the loss of a large mud crab that took the line and then had
a change of mind. The younger, more limber members of
the group rode on top of the truck across the salt plains where
we rejoined the happy milka (worm) hunters.
On the return journey we stopped in woodland to collect more
supplies of gunga (pandanus) leaves and extra djundum (yellow
root). However, the priority was to gather warraga’,
cycad (Cycas angulata), a locally occurring species which was
in fruit and ready for harvesting. Warraga’ (cycad
nuts) are poisonous when raw, but prized by older Aboriginal
people as a ceremonial and staple food after thorough preparation
through prolonged leaching and cooking into a flat bread. We
were honoured to be with some of the last aficionados who have
the knowledge to process and prepare this food. Though it had
been a demanding trip, weaving materials were processed immediately
on return to camp whilst fresh, with now ‘expert’ assistance
from participants who had learned much already.
Day four
On day four the Mapuru women were divided in their duties,
as they were integral to the conduct of the funeral and were
closely involved both through ceremonial dancing and their
ritual responses to the sadness of their loss. However,
there were plenty of individual projects to continue with and
Mapuru women assisted when they were free, wearing a protective
layer of gamununggu (white clay) splashed over their bodies.
At a certain point in the funeral proceedings, the group was
called to attend the finale of the funeral and we sat in shade
at a distance on the schoolhouse steps. We were close
to the special enclosure where the body was housed which was
a large, rectangular cage-like structure, which was entirely
covered in a thick layer of fresh paper-bark. After the previous
all-night vigil, the singing and dancing were now intensified
preparatory to bringing the body out of the enclosure to transport
by truck to the burial ground. Certain female relatives
of the deceased hit themselves, threw up clouds of dust and
fell heavily to the ground in a dramatic expression of their
grief as the body was brought out of the shelter and placed
on the back of the funeral truck. Multi-coloured synthetic
flower arrangements were placed in the vehicle and relatives
followed closely by foot as it proceeded to the nearby burial
ground.
A mokuy (spirit of the land) dance was then performed by Gumatj
people from the Yirrkala region to the east to clear away any
negative residue from events that surrounded the death and
funeral ceremony. The dancers were heavily painted in
white clay, having the effect of transforming them into likenesses
of mokuy. A spear was thrown with such force that it
travelled through the shelter and pierced its back wall, then
some of the dancers took paper-bark torches and set fire to
the structure. We had previously been intrigued by an
exodus of tents and belongings being dragged along the ground
away from the immediate environs of the funeral shelter and
now understood why when the whole quickly caught fire and a
huge column of flames and jet black smoke rose into the air,
singeing the top leaves of a nearby mango tree. The structure
soon burned to the ground with just a few pieces of metal remaining
as a reminder of the event and the camp then felt clear. The
next day, people attending the funeral who had been closely-involved
with proceedings would be ritually cleansed with running water
as older men chanted over them, washing away the spiritual
residue from the deceased, which would eventually find its
way into the clan waterhole.
In the afternoon, participants continued mastering the twining
technique with the assistance of the Mapuru women. Susan
Shade completed a small, conical basket with a string handle
attached, suitable for hanging around her neck. Large
amounts of raw materials were also processed, including bark
fibre for string, and the Mapuru women made up generous sample
bundles of dyed pandanus fibres for participants to take home. During
the week the weavers had gradually decorated our shelters with
brilliant examples of their works which were offered for sale
to the participants. Prices were negotiated during discussions
and several treasured pieces were acquired as a memento of
the Mapuru experience.
Taking our leave and the return journey
On day five we had to leave by mid-afternoon in order to reach
a mid-way point to camp overnight. By returning the truck on
Saturday we avoided an extra day’s hire charge. Some
participated in a final bush trip to collect more materials
and also additional warraga’ (cycad nuts) whilst others
continued their projects, prepared food for a final meal together
and packed. When all was ready for our departure we sat
quietly together as each individual shared experiences and
said their goodbyes. Andrea and Krystle spoke very movingly
about what they had learned and the friendships they had made. We
left, amidst tears and hugs, for the long journey back to Darwin.
Our overnight camp was very basic set on the edge of a spectacular
escarpment with the full moon overhead. It was a wonderful
way to take a breath and reflect on our time at Mapuru.
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