‘On Country’
A story from several years ago that is typical of ‘On country’ cultural education and how that works.
A proud Noongar Man I respect greatly, and regard as a spiritual brother, invited me to accompany him and his partner for a trip out ‘on country’. As casual as the invitation came I knew it was important and accepted immediately. We travelled way out NE of Perth, past the rabbit proof fence, to the dry and flat, red dirt country that is punctuated by massive Granite Outcrops. Often places of cultural significance and intersections or ‘special places’ on song, story or dreaming lines.
In the isolation and expansiveness of this country, only nature sounds exist and the night sky, free of pollution and artificial light, reveals a star scape of astonishing clarity and magnitude. To be alone in a beauty that stretches infinitely reminds me of my place in the universal interconnected web of existence. I discovered on this journey, there was more for me to to understand about what that had to offer.
It was evening, we had eaten and were sitting around a campfire enjoying the feel and spiritual nature of ‘country’. For more than 60,000 years, wisdom stories had been told, songs had been sung, and ceremony conducted on this land. When invited into sacred places such as this I knew how important it was to ‘show up in the right way,’ to be open to any wisdom or understandings available ‘on country’ that were relevant to me at that time in my life.
As we sat, I was contemplating my brother’s profound 60,000 year ancestral and cultural linage on this land reflected in his eyes in the firelight, and a question came to me which I asked of him. “Do you ever call on your ancestors or Mother Earth for wisdom, guidance or support”? He looked at me quizzically, a look I would often get when I asked a culturally naïve question. There was a lengthy pause, and he then responded with “Brother, we don’t need to, they are always present” and then was silent. I did not want to interrupt the silence as I knew that was as important as his response and stayed present in it.
Held by nature, the star scape above, and the consciousness of this cultural place, I waited not knowing what to expect. After a little while, that seemed a long while, understanding and wisdom flowed into my awareness and began to crystallise.
My brother’s culture, as in so many indigenous cultures, is full of stories of interconnectedness and their belonging to country, nature, culture and community. That they are part of a family that extends beyond bloodline and kinship, to nature and the cosmos itself. There are stories about their worth and value in this belonging, as the ‘careers of everything’ along with their obligation and potential for learning and realisation. The interconnected web of consciousness they exist within, and have an important place in, along with their ancestors, carries knowledge and is always available.
I understood it on that night as a living cultural, spiritual, wisdom and fluid knowledge system that has evolved over thousands and thousands of years. A dynamic powerful system of profound consciousness that they are inextricably linked to and always part of. They did not need anyone’s permission; it was always available to them, including the earth itself and their ancestors, whilst they observed Cultural Law and Lore.
‘Country’ however was not finished with me that night and the understanding continued to flow. It felt like my ancestors were also present in a way I did not immediately understand. I was shown how my ancestral culture had been separated from ‘country’ along with our indigenous origins and our indigenous wisdom traditions, resulting in the isolation, loss of meaning, disconnection and emptiness I had felt in my early adult life. In that separation, our indigenous wisdom stories of belonging and inherent relationship meaning had been replaced with stories and fabricated meaning that served others.
These were stories about our unworthiness, imperfection and un-deservedness. With this came beliefs that we need to work hard and gain the right to connect back into our spiritual existence. More than this, we need special people to teach us, we have to follow their rules and belief systems, that we require some type of permission via judgement from them as to our worthiness, and most debilitating of all we need them to open the doors to this reality. The powerlessness and dependency of these beliefs and stories, left us open to manipulation and exploitation of the worst kind. They were designed to keep us isolated, dependant and disconnected from natural sources of wisdom and the energy that propels our spiritual empowerment and evolution according to the Transformational processes we all have within us.
That night, supported by the wisdom of the land and culture, I intuitively knew I could release these stories into the campfire we sat with, understanding they would be transmuted and no longer part of my reality. From that day on, a new freedom came and I simply accepted that connection was my birthright. My ancestors were always present and the wisdom of the land and its healing capacity were always available to me. No permission, no special complicated techniques or special people. It was as simple as showing up in the right way, being able to listen with my heart and acceptance of what came. I am forever grateful for the spiritual freedom, love, sense of belonging and acceptance of me just as I am, imperfections and all, and the richness this brought to my life.
