In fact, my work year ends sooner than most of yours, as I will be returning to the UK to see my beloved children on December 9th. I haven’t seen Annalie, Ben, Sam and my Indian princess Natasha for far too long and I have missed them terribly. Just can’t wait to see them again! Thank you, my special lady Linda.
The highlight of my work year has to have been my trip to the Northern Territory in May/June. I joined up in Darwin with a Cultural Tour organised by Pip Gordon and Nicole Kinnaird for Miriam Rose Ungunmerr Baumann.
We spent nearly a week in the remote Daly River Aboriginal community of Nauiyu with the most amazing people. I experienced something I can only describe as very spiritual when I first came over the hill to the crossing on the Daly River. I felt an inner peace whenever I visited the river. My memories remain undimmed today.
I then spent some days in Katherine with Pip, Johnathan, Caleb and Erin Gordon, where I met two very special women, traditional healer Milliwanga Wurrben and Professor Judy Atkinson. Judy is the person who inspired me to work in this field with her Trauma Trails book, which focuses on healing intergenerational trauma. I hung out with this crowd, and others from the Cultural Tour, at the Barunga Festival, which again was very special.
At the airport in Darwin, I received the most amazing phone call from Miliwanga. She told me that I was being adopted by her Rembarrgna family. I now had an Aboriginal Yappa (sister)! I was just humbled and excited by this incredible news. And I still feel deeply honoured. And through my Yappa, I am connected to senior Jawoyn Elder Margaret Katherine and Julian Silburn (nephew), a sound healer from Perth.
My major aim for the coming year is to make a film with these beautiful people, and tell the Stories of Aboriginal people and their culture, as requested by Miliwanga.
Please spend a little time reading my six web pages describing my trip and check out the short film clips of Ash Dargan below.
And if you want to take a very special trip, why not consider joining up to one of the coming year’s Cultural Tours. Check out flyer and accompanying letter.