Hello All
Fifteen years ago while camping on the banks of the East Alligator River
I counted a dozen cats. Some Aboriginal outstations have them too,
children seeing white people with these cute, cuddly creatures wanted
them as well. But pigs and buffalo are a bigger environmental problem
here than cats. Then there are cane toads. As goannas and snakes hold
much meaning for my relatives, the ramification of having these animals
in Arnhemland scare them silly.
On publicity for bird-watching. For a few years I ran birdwatching walks
at the sewage ponds for the power authority during National Water Week,
and as a consequence organised two birdwatching soirees for national
television at which 60-70 turned up all wearing evening dress, and
gumboots or running shoes. Kate Fischer presented one; Noel Kearney the
other. The power authority put on live music, champagne and food, a
local Supreme Court judge read her 'Ode to a Sewage Pond' and a singer
'performed his own work, 'The Sludge Song'.
I also organised a blessing of native animals at the Anglican cathedral
which attracted much publicity. The NT News ran a photo article two days
running, the first shot of the Dean in his robes with a huge Huntsman
spider on one sleeve and a crocodile in his other hand; in the second he
was blessing cockatiels. This was also written up in the national
Anglican magazine. Unfortunately neither the parks authority nor the
local environment centre, nor any local wildlife enthusiasts turned up.
Many, both locals and visitors, interested in birds also want to share
information rather than just listen to 'experts' (for more information
read papers of vocational education methodology), and to identify with a
place or local people in some way (quite a few sociological papers exist
on this topic). Such people may also see in nature (and in indigenous
and also local people) values which they learnt as children, but which
they believe the wider society is in danger of losing (again there are
sociological papers on this issue). Unfortunately experts may not be
the best communicators. Some of the complaints I've heard are that such
people are 'uncaring, insensitive, humourless.' I remember one guide who
ran a bushwalking trip as if it were a race. It simply did not register
with him that none of the Americans in the group were acclimatised to Top
End heat, and that a few were quite sick with the flu. That trip nearly
ended in a punch-up.
There are ways and means of involving people with animals while engaging
them at the same time, humour being one. Without it and the capacity to
relate to others, little social glue may develop capable of holding
clubs together.
Denise
Denise Goodfellow (Lawungkurr Maralngurra)
Specialist Guide
Ph/fax 08 89818492
PO Box 39373
WINNELLIE NT 0821, AUSTRALIA
www.earthfoot.org
Parap Bookshop
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08 89813922
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