You are a Long Time Dead

INTO THE UNKNOWN

7th September 1998 I found myself in the passenger seat of a 4 WD Toyota with the man who was my new co-worker.  We were heading out to Arnhem Land where I was to take up a small one-month contract with a Community Council working in their offices.

I was running from a broken relationship of 8 years after a fourteen-year marriage? I was forty-eight, and deep in my soul I felt lost, sad, and a total failure in life.  My partner had left me to chase a far younger woman and I did not know how I was going

to face life. 

ARNHEM LAND

Stepping into an unknown world I was very reticent about the new job.  It was a friend who had been a police officer in a community years before sat me down and said.

“Go girl, you will love it. Just remember You are a long time dead.”

So here I was heading into the unknown.

To enter Aboriginal Lands in the Northern Territory one  must have a permit. My new Employer had taken care of all necessary paperwork and permits . This was totally foreign to me and was rather daunting. Later in my time there I realised just how honoured I had been to spend time in such a beautiful place, learn so much about Indigenous culture and meet such wonderful people. Not everyone in the world gets this opportunity.

THE TRIP

The Arnhem Highway had been flooded by Wet Season rains. Therefore we travelled 4 hours along the Marrakai Track, in Australia’s Top .  The rising sun had an ethereal effect on the countryside and a deep peace and companionship soon settled upon us as we traversed the red earth road towards Oenpelli. We crossed the South Alligator River and headed across its flood plains following the most picturesque countryside I had ever seen.

My companion pointed out White Lady Lagoon, Red Lily Lagoon interesting and cultural spots along the red escarpment. All of these places I was to become very familiar with in the coming years. On every waterway white Egrets hunted for their morning meals.

MY ADVENTURE BEGINS

Driving into the Community was a real eye-opener for me. Rows of houses and, at that stage, rubbish and plastic bags were everywhere.  Mid morning and we arrived at the Council Chambers, where I was to be working.  My accommodation was acute little house opposite the Chambers. The back of which was one big room enclosed by louver windows. Its floor sloped towards the back of the house. Later I discovered my house had been a cow milking shed for the Community but when that project failed it had hurriedly been turned into staff accommodation.

The large living area was very light and airy, with no curtains, and looked into a very old leaf-strewn garden. Directly to the East of the house was the most magnificent Lagoon/Billabong full of water and edged by the red escarpment.  The scene was breathtaking even in full daylight. It would become my daily ritual to rise early each day to welcome the sun rising over the escarpment. In the evenings, I would sit cup of tea in hand watching the setting sun reflect off the same escarpment.

Directly across the road from my house were the Council Chambers which were painted in off-white and orange. Running completely around the building was a hand-painted line of mud.

It was pointed out that when a person who may have come into the Council Chambers had died, the building was smoked. Then mud was painted around the building to keep the evil spirits and the dead person’s spirit from entering that building again. My first of many Cultural lessons. I did hope the spirits did not decide to set up on my verandah and wait for their relatives.