12th
Talk about once-in-a-lifetime.
The field trip for my Aboriginal culture module was possibly the best 6 hours of my trip so far. After meeting at the huge fountain in Hyde Park, my Aboriginal teacher, Jennifer Newman, led the class to the Art Gallery of New South Wales to view two exhibits on Aboriginal art. We then walked to the Royal Botanic Gardens to see an exhibit which contained plants that the Aboriginals would have been using for food and medicine at the time of the first British settlement. After lunch at Circular Quay, we boarded an Aboriginal boat and cruised out to Clark Island, a part of Sydney Harbour National Park. The Deerubbun is the only vessel with permission to dock at Clark Island, so only people who participate in this cultural tour are allowed to go ashore!
Our Aboriginal guide, Terry, led a walking tour of the island. He’s a great storyteller, and explained why the oysters that cover the surrounding rocks can’t be eaten (the Harbour water is too dirty) and why the returning boomerang was invented (to train and entertain Aboriginal children). He then allowed us to watch as he painted himself with white ochre and danced some of the traditional dances of his clan, including a welcome dance and the dance of the kangaroo. (The videos of those dances can be viewed below.)
Only the students in my module went on this trip, which means only 1/3 of the program had the chance to see what I saw. I consider myself pretty lucky!
