Sydney, my final destination..

         At first I decided to spend more time in Sydney, but I stood too many time on Nitmiluk. So, I had just one day to visit this city, before taking my plane.
        It was a shock to come in a big city like Sydney after my days spent in the bush. It is real that Australia is a country of differences.

      Then, I decided to visit things which illustrated for me this city. I spend time on the Bondi Beach, the favorite beach of the surfers, to meet them. It was so cool to find water after my days spent on the desert ! I learnt that is is many sharks on bondi beach, thens I decided to leave to find a quieter place : the Chinese Garden of Frienship ! What an amazing garden ! Obviously isn't this Garden an australian particularity but for me it represent the diversity of Australia. 

     I spent my last hours to walk on the downtown, and I eat an amazing burger, sorry ! 

The Dreamtime

       On the Aboriginal culture, it is beliefs. These beliefs have a particular origin : for the Aborigines, all things on Earth have their origins in Mother Natur. For them, it is a natural explenation for all, and these explenations come of tales. The Dreamtime is the period when the earth was no create and when it was just spiritual and immaterial. For the Aborigines, all actions have consequences and things take place in the continuation. The Aborigines decided to tell their histories about the creation of the Earth by Mother Nature with paintings. All forms represent a thing about Mother Nature.

           It is an aboriginal village where live many artists : Papunya, but I coun't visit it. One of the most important painters live here : Long Jack. 

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Nimbin, the kingdom of the peace

Nimbin, the kingdom of the peace

      The multicolored streets, the excitement, the madness of the people, but the peace and the wisdom too. Nimbin. In Nimbin, the drug is the center of the attention. Me, the little angel who hates to smoke no anything, was very surprised by arriving there. Many dealers, and the people who made the praise of the cannabis ☠! 

          Nimbin, the hippy community, where we can found cannabis's shops with psychedelic shops fronts, paints, photos... 

I decided to visit the Nimbin Museum to understand how this little country became the capital of drugs and hippies. I learned about the history of this village which was just a festival place at first. It's like Woodstock, but in Australia said a man. The culture of the rebellion, and the self expression, with art. On the Museum, it said that people have to leave in peace with Mother Nature (like the Aborigines) and people can just use the Nature (animals, plants) when it is necessary. I learned too that it is all year new inhabitants and artists who are coming in Nimbin. But the regulations are strict : the new inhabitants have to make a test of one year to see if they are in capacity to live on the hippy community. 

the most : we don't need to smoke to understand the atmosphere of the city !

the Stolen Generation

     On the small aboriginal village of Ngukurr, I noticed a strange fresco on the wall. I questioned an old man of the signification of this fresco. He told me it is a memory to the Stolen Generation. I had already heard the story of it, but I asked him of what it represented for his community. He said that many people he knew were children of the Stolen Generation. From 1869 to 1969, the australian's white government decided to remove (or kidnap) the aboriginal children to placce them on white occidental's families of Australia, to make of them good citizens and australians. The government wanted to destroy the aboriginal culture. For many times this comportment was not recognize by the australian government but in 1997, he decided to make public excuses. But a big part of the aboriginal community is today in gap, and many are misfit, because of the settlers who wanted to make of them the lowest form of scum. The elder spoke to me of the first aboriginal children of the Stolen Generation, Bruce Trevorrow, who was the first one to claim compensations. 

A small movie to understand :

Stolen Generations - First Australians from Blackfella Films on Vimeo.

Ngukurr

    My way guided me to Ngukurr, a little village. Here, no white people, but just a gang of aboriginal kids who played with us, took photos. It was no parents, where were they ? I moved forward on the street, and discover ed small wooden sheds. I understood that here was not like Katherine, like Canberra. They have nothing but are amazing, all smiles. I was lights-years away of the australian's cities. I discovered here a new image of the Aborigines, not the same like in Katherine. I decided to stay here for one night. 

    At sunset, I met the parents, the elders, who were not less smiling as their children. And after, an amazing show started : I saw dancers, singers, with their typical music instruments. I was amazed by this spectacular demonstration. Then, I discovered the really aboriginal community. 

The National Park of Nitmiluk

      After the 2 days spent in Barunga, I decided to return to Katherine to begin an excursion on the Katherine River, knew for the gorges. I wanted to go canoeing. We advance in the gorges, and we discover an atypic nature, and many animals. 

Barunga

 

     When I arrived in Barunga, I was surprised by the atmosphere. Indeed I arrived on the Barunga Festival ! I stood there during 2 days, so I met many Aborigines who told me their histories and their faiths. On this festival it is many sport. I discovered a lot of music instruments, and I ate a lot of delicious things. It was danses, sports, paints... I was fascinating by the effervescence of the place !