Earlier this year our Indigenous people demonstrated great leadership in being proactive re the appalling state of the Murray and Darling River systems. Over allocation of irrigation water, questionable water management practices and prolonged severe drought had combined to threaten entire eco systems along the length and breadth of the two great rivers and their tributaries.
For more information on the plight of the wetlands at the mouth of the Murray River see www.lakesneedwater.org
While farmers went broke, or sold their water licences to foreign investors to pay off the bank, whole communities along the rivers were dying. Everyone waited for politicians of all persuasions, or any persuasion, to demonstrate leadership.
Then up to the plate stepped some Indigenous leaders who called for ceremonies the entire length of the catchments. And boy did they ever hit a home run! The results speak for themselves. Both the Murray and the Darling Rivers have been in flood in recent weeks. The wonderful website www.murrundi.org explains the need for ceremony and is a great source of information.
Do you recall the theme of the New Zealand film Whale Rider? The leaders we are seeking are already among us. Ain't that the truth.
Our Indigenous people have a sixty thousand year wisdom tradition and understand well that good science backs the power of ceremony and sacred song. (See blog Feb 13 2009 for more on the power of Indigenous ceremony.)
So I am very grateful for their leadership which has guaranteed a joyful return to health for these river systems, the lifeblood of this ancient country.
Bring on the ceremonies. Bring on the songs. Bring on the stories. Our beautiful planet and all her peoples needs all the help they can get.
From little things big things grow...
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
RAINMAKER MEETS FILMMAKER
On 26th January, in response to my cultural cringe at white Australians driving round in cars with Australian flags stuck on the window, I took myself to the movies to see Bran Nue Dae. It was just the tonic this white chick needed. A couple of weeks later I returned with friends to see it again and enjoyed it just as much the second time around.
The Australian box office reflected this, a credit to the vision of director, Rachel Perkins, the producers, cast and crew. This week I was absolutely delighted to find a fantastic review in the LA Times.
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/Sep/10/entertainment/la-et-bran-nue-dae-20100910
It is great to see an Australian film that travels well. What was even better was that the reviewer understood the context, which is more than could be said for the reviewer on Triple J.
So why is a rainmaker writing about filmmaking? Because currently, when I'm not rainmaking or eating clouds, I am a filmmaker. A powerful young Indigenous lore woman, Suzanne Thompson, and I are forming Murubakgira Productions to make the feature film Liquid Assets.
I began the screenplay some 15 years ago, thinking it was going to be a mainstream comedy about an art con which takes place in drought stricken, outback Australia. Somewhere along the way I realised the characters and the country itself had taken over and that the screenplay was writing me, as it were. Then I met an Indigenous rainmaker and experienced the miracle of rainmaking and so began the series of amazing “coincidences” which has resulted in Liquid Assets. Both the film and Murubakgira Productions have the blessings of the Central Australian elders who have asked me to walk this journey beside the beautiful Suz. They are the ones who called me the rainmaker some years ago.
Next week I am off to Sydney to take the next step along the road to a successful international feature film. What a privilege. What a magical, mystical journey. Thank you Bran Nue Dae for paving the way.
PS. the DVD of Bran Nue Dae is currently available on http://www.donedirtcheap.com.au/
The Australian box office reflected this, a credit to the vision of director, Rachel Perkins, the producers, cast and crew. This week I was absolutely delighted to find a fantastic review in the LA Times.
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/Sep/10/entertainment/la-et-bran-nue-dae-20100910
It is great to see an Australian film that travels well. What was even better was that the reviewer understood the context, which is more than could be said for the reviewer on Triple J.
So why is a rainmaker writing about filmmaking? Because currently, when I'm not rainmaking or eating clouds, I am a filmmaker. A powerful young Indigenous lore woman, Suzanne Thompson, and I are forming Murubakgira Productions to make the feature film Liquid Assets.
I began the screenplay some 15 years ago, thinking it was going to be a mainstream comedy about an art con which takes place in drought stricken, outback Australia. Somewhere along the way I realised the characters and the country itself had taken over and that the screenplay was writing me, as it were. Then I met an Indigenous rainmaker and experienced the miracle of rainmaking and so began the series of amazing “coincidences” which has resulted in Liquid Assets. Both the film and Murubakgira Productions have the blessings of the Central Australian elders who have asked me to walk this journey beside the beautiful Suz. They are the ones who called me the rainmaker some years ago.
Next week I am off to Sydney to take the next step along the road to a successful international feature film. What a privilege. What a magical, mystical journey. Thank you Bran Nue Dae for paving the way.
PS. the DVD of Bran Nue Dae is currently available on http://www.donedirtcheap.com.au/
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Eating Clouds
Why would anyone want to eat clouds? Well, I am reliably informed that Canadian Native American women "eat clouds" when the weather is wet and they want to dry their washing. It's that simple. That's their motivation and, amazingly, it guarantees them dry clothes.
I was already a rainmaker when I made this discovery. I just hadn't thought too much about the reverse, so I began trying this technique a few years ago during our wet season. I didn't tell anyone what I was doing so that their doubts couldn't impact on my experiment. I simply walked outside, looked at the washing on the clothes line and pretended to eat clouds. I munched 'em. My intention was that I was eating clouds to dry my washing. The results were amazing. Washing dried on my clothes line, even when it was raining at the end of the street. By the time my technique had worked a few dozen times I felt confident enough to share it with others. Like rainmaking it's all about the organisation of cells, quantum physics by any other name.
Recently I received my first newsletter from www.patricenewell.com.au concerning their forthcoming garlic crop. Now I am love great garlic, both for flavour and for its health benefits, and I can guarantee that Patrice's garlic is one of the very best. The only thing threatening this year's garlic November crop is – wait for it – too much rain, or hail storms. Usually it's not enough rain, but this year it's too much. Such are the joys of being a farmer.
So I dashed off an email to Patrice to share the proven technique I'd learnt from an amazing Native American woman. For garlic's sake, or rather for the sake of my garlic order, I hope someone down on the farm gives it a go! It's so easy.
Have some fun with it yourself. After all, if you usually use a clothes dryer in wet weather eating clouds not only saves you money, it's kinder to the planet as well because it is sustainable. There are no carbon emissions from eating clouds.
And, if you are very lucky, I may save some of my garlic to share with you.
Barbara Carseldine
watertools@gmail.com
www.knowingwater.com
Sept 10th 2010
Why would anyone want to eat clouds? Well, I am reliably informed that Canadian Native American women "eat clouds" when the weather is wet and they want to dry their washing. It's that simple. That's their motivation and, amazingly, it guarantees them dry clothes.
I was already a rainmaker when I made this discovery. I just hadn't thought too much about the reverse, so I began trying this technique a few years ago during our wet season. I didn't tell anyone what I was doing so that their doubts couldn't impact on my experiment. I simply walked outside, looked at the washing on the clothes line and pretended to eat clouds. I munched 'em. My intention was that I was eating clouds to dry my washing. The results were amazing. Washing dried on my clothes line, even when it was raining at the end of the street. By the time my technique had worked a few dozen times I felt confident enough to share it with others. Like rainmaking it's all about the organisation of cells, quantum physics by any other name.
Recently I received my first newsletter from www.patricenewell.com.au concerning their forthcoming garlic crop. Now I am love great garlic, both for flavour and for its health benefits, and I can guarantee that Patrice's garlic is one of the very best. The only thing threatening this year's garlic November crop is – wait for it – too much rain, or hail storms. Usually it's not enough rain, but this year it's too much. Such are the joys of being a farmer.
So I dashed off an email to Patrice to share the proven technique I'd learnt from an amazing Native American woman. For garlic's sake, or rather for the sake of my garlic order, I hope someone down on the farm gives it a go! It's so easy.
Have some fun with it yourself. After all, if you usually use a clothes dryer in wet weather eating clouds not only saves you money, it's kinder to the planet as well because it is sustainable. There are no carbon emissions from eating clouds.
And, if you are very lucky, I may save some of my garlic to share with you.
Barbara Carseldine
watertools@gmail.com
www.knowingwater.com
Sept 10th 2010
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)