Module 1 Section One When strangers entered our lands it was customary for us to

Question

Module 1 Section One When strangers entered our lands it was customary for us to sit down with them and exchange stories until we came across a word, or even a story which was common to both parties. Once the connection was made, the friendship could develop, and a relationship established. In the process the newcomer would be able to learn some of our laws, and we would learn some of his or hers. This did not happen when the Europeans arrived, they had no wish to sit down with us and discuss anything. We were regarded as just a little less useful than the strange animals that inhabited This Land. At least the animals could be caten. To use a more modern, populistic But our stories are our history, our science, our way of life. term- our Dreaming We have a saying, which used to be spoken just prior to a story telling. "Elo warrawarra, narrawuay barudi." To live tomorrow we must learn yesterday. Our stories are about what happened yesterday, how we survived, so-that we can use that knowledge to survive again. Although the common term today to use for our stories is The Dreaming" it does not properly describe what it is. The D'harawal term for the Dreaming equivalent is Garuwanga, and it is a description of a process rather than a term for a long time. Garuwanga means to sit down and to learn about the yesterdays. This usually happened at night, around the camp fire, or watching the sunset in the evening. The storytellers would tell the story the men would dance it and the women sing it, and you would go to sleep thinking about the story, the law and its lessons, and perhaps even dream about it which is probably where the term Dreaming originated. The law and the characters of the story cannot be changed, however, the lessons can be added to incorporating local environmental knowledge, if the story is told out of its place. However, when the Europeans wrote down our storics, they left out what they considered to be unnecessary details, these abbreviated versions were then published, and became the "fairy" stories you see today The real stories, the full versions, are still told by the traditional story-tellers, today, but rarely

Explanation / Answer

The stories of survival through past that the Dharwals narrated and discussed with visitors to their land were abbreviated and rewritten in the form of fairy tales by the Europeans. One such story is that of the Gymea lily which is about the warrior Kaimai who guided the youngsters to reside and travel along the river Kaimeeah to fulfil all responsibilities. When the river flooded these people who had refused to obey their elder knowledge holders could safely reach a small Wirrimbirra valley only because of Kaimai's guidance. Just as they were discussing the merits of if they would have gone with the olders, there was another storm due to which some people got trapped. This storm had took a toll on Kaimai's life. Wherever his blood fell, a plant grew with a beautiful nectar filled flower. It is believed that this symbolises his brave spirit in search of the trapped ones and always ready to help the needy passers by.

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