Top Didj Cultural Experience

What a valuable experience. Today we meet Manuel, an Aboriginal Elder who was born and lived in the bush around Katherine until he was in his early 20s ( he thinks as he does not know when his birthday is or he exact age). His tribe originated in Central Arnhem Land, he is able to speak 3 different Aboriginal languages and now English.

Manuel started off by playing the digareedoo for us, then he told us many stories about his childhood and growing up in the bush. Brett and I found the stories fascinating and very insightful into the Aboriginal culture.

Manuel spoke about:

- Artefacts they used in day to day life and compared them with what we use now. For instance, cups, plates, bowls, baby carriers we made from paperbark. They often only lasted a week or two, then they were burnt or thrown in the bush to decompose. Today, we have cups that last until we want a new one, or we break it.

- remembering how he always felt hungry and cried a lot when he was younger, often going to bed hungry. In between wet and dry season there are lots of fruits and berries, but in the dry season there is only meat available, if you can find it.

- the sharing ways of their culture. That when they hunt or gather the food for the day they would take what they found back and share with the whole family. He explained how this is still happening within the culture today and also with their money. There pay goes in, they take the whole lot out and share it amongst the family, therefor their money is gone in one day.

- being cold and uncomfortable when he slept, often have broken nights sleep due to being woken by bugs and insects crawling on him or having to relight the fire to stay warm.

- how they gathered enough food for that day, they would cook, prepare and eat the food often having none left. Then they would repeat this process the next day.

- the lack of concept of time, they spent the day as needed, hunting, washing, cooking ect. They did not have three meals a day, often only one or they ate when hungry. He told how each process for hunting and gathering was very lengthy and the whole time you would be hungry, but would have to wait and share the goods.

- he was happy and content living in the bush, but when his parent passed he decided to come live in the settlement ( town). He had to learn a new language, routines, eating habits, how to manage his money. He now lives in a 2 bedroom flat, which is very comfortable and has all the furnishings. He now wakes up happy and well rested each day as he has a comfy bed and aircon for when it is hot. Not like when he use to have a log as a pillow.

So many interesting tales.

We then got to have a art lesson using tradition painting techniques. We each choose a picture to paint, and then using reeds from the billabong which had been stripped down to a fine point we painted using a range of different types of lines. The main section of the art was created using diagonal lines and three different colours of ochre.

Manuel then taught us how to light a fire using sticks, sand and dried grass. We all got to have a turn at rubbing the sticks together in a fast motion to try and create friction in the sand. Once the sand started smoking, he tipped the hot coals into the dried grass, creating fire.

The final activity, the one the kids had been hanging for was spear throwing at a giant red kangaroo. We got a lesson on using the spear and Woomera. Brett and Lachie both got the spear into the kangaroo, Brax knocked his out cold and I completely missed 😂.

Great fun and learning was had by all. Brax even said it was one of the best things he had done on this trip.Read more