Thursday, April 21, 2011

My Heart's Journey

Where have I been this last year? Following my heart – dancing on the wings of my calling; growing, giving and learning. Here I share a little of that dance.

M L Block, home to my Kimberley Family


Many years ago I taught in Kununurra in the far North of Western Australia; the Kimberley region. In recent years I have come to know, beautiful families in the most remote areas of the East Kimberley and in October last year I went visiting. From the moment my plane left Broome and begun to fly east I danced in my seat, wriggling and smiling like a mad woman – much to the amusement of the business man seated next to me.

By the end of the second day of being constantly warm and feasting my eyes on the country my face ached.

Why?

I wondered too, then I realised it was from constantly smiling. I realised this about the same time I realised the truth of ‘jaw dropping’ – mine dropped open regularly as I cruised open roads with Slim Dusty blasting. Slim’s another story …

The phone box with flour tin seat. In a community where there is no mobile reception and most don't have home phones this is a point of contact for anyone off community.


This isn’t the place to talk about my Kimberley family, I will simply say that I have Jija (sisters), and I am Jaja (Maternal Gran) and Mum to some wonderful young people. I have become theirs and they mine. Aside from my birth family I have been adopted by Djaru people as a Nakamurra woman, and it is a homecoming for this Kartiya (non-aboriginal) woman.
The 'Grandstand' and score board at the B Community football oval.

This trip was everything I didn’t dare dream it could be, and more. The country sings its own stories, red dirt and rocks, desert lakes, brumbies, boab, spinifex and people, special people.

Taken from a moving 4wd as over 100 brumbies circled around us.

My Jija E and Jija D have been to stay here, on my country. We have painted, prayed and laughed.

I have created a little recently. Soon I will share.

Hopefully soon I will return to my desert … it calls …


Post Script: the photo's are a hint of a vast beauty that can not be captured with a camera just in a heart open to all that is around her.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Good-bye Sweet Phantom

It feels odd blogging for the saddest of reasons after so long away, and yet it seemed a disservice to do otherwise. My dear friend, Phantom, celebrated his eighth birthday last week, and celebrated in fine style with a choice of kangaroo, chicken or tuna. He ate them all. He was loved, and happy.`
Phantom passed to his forever home on Saturday morning, in his usual style - no fuss - no complaints, and yet it appears he was bitten by a snake or poisoned - his end was not nice.
I was Phantoms third mother, and he snurred (purred and snored) at my feet for five lovely years. Never flustered, never fussy he let me carry him around when I needed the comfort and never complained when I was busy or distracted.

This was the easiest of purr babies taking any medication with a noisy purr and an affectionate head butt.

I long to take this beautiful boy in my arms and give him a cuddle one more time, to bury my face in his fur or rub noses with him.


Phantom delighted in the existing family when he came to us, and welcomed Archer and Harvey as they joined the family.
I am inarticulate, it is hard to accept he is gone. We miss Phantom.