Pitjanjatjara lands trip .....

Day 1:
Dad & I had intended to leave Adelaide on Easter Sunday, straight from picking Dad up from the Airport, but with the cancellation of his earlier flight by Ansett, and the long drive I had made that afternoon from Mildura, there was no way we could leave that night, so at 5am in the morning, we set off for Port Augusta. We stopped for a Mc Brekky at Port Pirie, but arrived at the Port Augusta only just on 9am, due to driving slowly through roadworks and thick fog from Port Wakefield onwards. I introduced Dad to the rest of the convoy, including Clara and Muriel, two ladies who hailed from the lands we were to visit, who were travelling with Paul. We found out that, due to mechanical problems with Fred's vehicle, we would delay our departure until 11am. So I suggested a visit to Wadlata Outback Heritage Centre, a really excellent museum and interpretive Centre. Dad loved it! Leading Fred to catch up, the rest of the convoy headed for Woomera, where we stopped for lunch, and waited for Fred, who arrived at 3pm. We looked briefly at Lake Hart along the way, and further on, were each pulled over by the local police, who issued as with about two to have a coffee at Glendambo, which we all enjoyed. We finally arrived at Riba's camp ground at 7:30pm, and set up camp, had a quick dinner and went to bed, very tired after a really long day.

Day 2.
With daylight came the opportunity to check out our very unorthodox accommodation Ribas is a former opal mine, with sites cut out here and there, a friendly goat, and the most spick and span oblution facilities is I have ever seen. The owner led us on a tour of the mine, with excellent explanations of digging, explosives, dowsing and everything you could ever want to know. After refuelling, the convoy headed off to visit the breakaways. I have failed to visit this area on previous visits to this area, and now, after having been there, I will never make the mistake of missing them again, the whole area was utterly spectacular, such colours, and such a striking landscape, with mounds, cliffs, and hillsides, was clifftop viewpoints offering views to drive for. Driving onto Marla, we stopped up, water T-shirts and had the jerky incident which I can explain in person! A little further on, we turned off the highway, and camped near the railway, on the other side of which was the commencement of the aboriginal lands.

Day 3.
We headed into the Pitjanjatjara lands, reaching Indulkana first. Soon after we arrived and had a look around ourselves, the boss man of the settlement arrived, saying that a few elders had notified human of our presence, and could we explain ourselves? This Paul duly did, and the chap went on his way. It served to show us how the system works, with all people looking out for the security of the township. The appearance of the settlements was a bit of culture shock, but easily understood, with a bit of a mind shift, away from our city expectations. There were a lot of dogs. We reached Mimili, they took the opportunity provided by the shade of our cars to sit under them in the cooler air, which made for some cautious driving off, when we were ready to leave. Some of the residents offered a lovely handwoven bowl, with bead decoration around the edge, for sale, which Dad delightedly purchased. It now takes pride of place on mum and Dad's sideboard. We also met Paul's guide, Teddy, whose quiet but generous manner of cultural sharing touched us all. Driving to Carmeena waterhole, we passed through some of the most spectacular scenery, primary flatland, surrounded on all sides by a rough, red escarpments of the same red conglomerate which forms Uluru. We reached the waterhole at the 1pm, and after setting up camp, I decided to go for a clamber, eventually reaching the top of a hill which dominated the camp. The scenery kept getting better, and each hummock over the hill beckoned to me on further. After three of these, I figured I should head back, and reached the top of the what, during rains, is a waterfall, then climbed down to camp.

Day 4.
Our tasks were to fill the chicken wired frame roof of two shelters with spinifex clumps, to dig a fire pit, and to build some benches with materials provided by the Mimili community. Our group started with collecting spinifex. No matter how carefully one does this, one's arms end up looking like a giant pincushion, with squillions of red prick marks all over. The clumps were thrown on top of the shade frame, with it eventually looking like it had a big head of hair. No matter, the shade it provided was nice. The second, the larger frame looked a little less radical when finished. In the afternoon, we went for a drive, visiting more of the magnificent land. It's no wonder that, having been born here, its people cannot get the land out of their hearts. We saw what looked like a small seat in the rocks, which, upon closer examination, revealed an enormous cavern, which had housed several families at times. We visited Teeter Bore, and drove around an unusual, dark escarpment, which seemed foreign to the surrounding country. The legend was that in nearby collection of upright rocks formed the bones of the people and Eagle had killed. When the Eagle was mortally wounded, he flew to the other outcrop, and his blood was the source of the rocks unusual colouring. This was considered a bad place, not to be visited, the danger being death. After dinner, we gathered around the new fire pit to talk. Clara and Muriel talked of their experiences of being taken from their families, very sad stories. They explained many things, and answered questions with great understanding. An interesting question from Bill Saunders pertained to whether the aboriginal people enjoyed better health because of the intervention of the white people. Muriel's answer was that the aboriginal people suffered poorer health because of the addition of non-native food to their diet, with the intolerance of these systems to such things as large quantities of sugar. The result was such health problems as diabetes. Aboriginal people living and native lifestyle must work far harder for their food, giving greater exercise, and the introduction of alcohol has had a profound detrimental effect on the people. Thus Muriel's response was that the people, as a whole, were less healthy as a result of contact with white man. It was the conclusion that I found interesting, and logical in an unexpected way. We all really appreciated the insight offered by these two most interesting ladies.

Day 5.
The day commenced with the construction of the benches around the site. We cleared up around the campfire, burning the straggly spinifex clumps we had been picking our way around previously. In the afternoon, we went for another fabulous drive, visiting Victory Bore, which allowed me to top up with drinking water Kapi Palya -- we learned lots of useful phrases and the words of the Pitjanjatjara language. We also saw our rock formations which looked like a Hawks head, and saw another which was known as the head of the rainbow serpent (Wonambi), spewing up the bodies of the people it had eaten. I could see how is these legends would assist an aboriginal travelling the land to navigate his or her way around, without the benefit of maps. JC's night-time routine of getting ready for bed in his palatial trailer camper had become a source of some amusement to the rest of us, zip, zip, zip, zip, wash feet, climbed up into bed, zip, zip, zip, and then bip-bip, on would go the car alarm. Paul decided to play a bit of a trick on him this evening, and, when JC was in his trailer, he opened one of JC's car doors slightly. We all sat giggling around the campfire as the routine unfolded, and our breathless silence as we held our breath when the time came for the alarm to activate. Sure enough, bip-bip-bip-bip, signalling that the car was unsecured. We all burst out laughing, and zip, zip, zip, out came JC to close the car door. Too much fun!!

Day 6.
We were to go honey ant hunting, but upon arrival at Mimili, we discovered most people had headed to Marla, where the horse races were on. A pity, but Teddy took us a short distance out of town, where we went witchetty-grub hunting. Paul grossed out the rest of the convoy by eating them raw (frankly I think that, raw, they seem like puss in a skin), but after collecting about 12 (I found three!), Teddy made a small fire, and after letting it burned for a short while, he swept it aside, and use the hot sand to toss around the grubs in, cooking them. We each had half a grub, and it was quite tasty. I would mind eating and other, that's for sure. I accompanied Paul's vehicle back to Mimili, where we bade farewell to Teddy. Then we had a fun drive back to camp, where the rest of the group had arrived earlier. We had a few items, preparatory to our departure next morning.

Day 7.
Decamped early, calling into Mimili on our way out. I was delighted to obtain a handwoven factor with emu feathers I had admired on Day 3, on the way in. Next stop was Marla, where Paul didn't hesitate to partake of a refreshing beer or two. From here, we farewell to all but three cars in the convoy, some continuing northwards, Bill and Carol heading towards Oodnadatta. Dad and I were sad to farewell them, as we had shared camp with two of them. My agreement, Carol had done the catering for the four of us, with Dad and my responsibilities being dishwashing duties. The quality of Carroll's cooking left me feeling that Dad and I had the better end of the deal by half, and we remain eternally grateful for the favour, and Bill's excellent bread. The remaining three cars, Pauls, JC and Dad and me, continued on to Cober Pedy, to stay back at Riba's. Paul dropped Clara and Muriel at a friend's house, where they were to have dinner and stay the night. By mutual agreement, the rest of us decided to eat dinner at a local restaurant, rather than self cater. A little indulgence to celebrate a fantastic trip together.

Day 8.
Paul collected the ladies, while Dad and I purchased a few books at the Underground book shop. We left around 9am, and thundered home, with a spectacular sunset farewelling the day as we need Port Wakefield. We had a most incredible trip. Thanks must be given to the open and generous welcome extended to us by all the aboriginal people we met, including Muriel, Clara and Teddy, but the greatest thanks must go to Paul and Barbara Francis. I know they sweated tears of blood getting access for our group, and organising the activities we enjoyed participating in during the trip. I can recommend this sort of liaison to anyone, and sincerely hope I may participate in another such trip sometime soon in the future. The lesson to be learned from this trip is that cultures shared our cultures enriched, and mine is all the better for the experience. Jenny

Disclaimer : please note