WE BRING OUR OWN SUN: Indigenous Sights Tour

Saturday we went with our St. Mary's community on an Indigenous Sights Tour near the Sunshine Coast. We were excited to see new parts of Australia and learn some cultural facts about early Aboriginal settlers. First we met at Norman Park to get on the charter bus. We made a few stop picking up other members and were on our way to St. Michael's Abbey. They had set up tea and snacks for us because it was early in the morning. I ate two small scones with jelly and whipped cream on them. Daniel ate about seventeen of them! We sat in the grass letting the sunshine warm us and visiting with new people.
Twenty seven kilometers northeast of Brisbane in Talobilla Park we saw our first Kippa Ring. It is a place where young men -or boys even- aged 11 and 12 were initiated into adulthood. The Kippa ring is connected to a Bora Ring and if you entered the Kippa Ring before you were initiated, you would be speared. They are considered sacred places and were only constructed in the southeast of Queensland and northeast of New South Wales. They had to be close to water of some kind and were very specific in size. The ground was slightly dug out eight metres in diameter and long pathways connected it to other rings where the ceremonies took place. The boys were cut on their chests and backs with designs pertaining to which class they would be in. There were signs for Kangaroo, Wombats, and other native animals. Then they were rubbed with charcoal and oil to clean the cuts while also making a permanent tattoo.
Some of the most common initiations involved standing in leech infested swamp water up to your neck for twenty four to forty eight hours, or laying on huge ant nests. If at any time a boy made a cry of pain he would be speared. At this time in their lives they were also taken away from their mothers and to be isolated from anything feminine until a wife was chosen for them. If a marriage was never arranged for a boy, he would be without that contact for the duration of his life.

This Kippa Ring is obviously very over grown.

Me and Carolyn listening to our guide, Maurice.

With the Aussie accent his name was pronounced like Morris.

Next we visited Godwin Beach near Bribie Island. I was thrilled to finally see the ocean! To be honest, neither Daniel nor myself understood the significance of seeing this place pertaining to the Indigenous Sights Tour. We may not have been listening too well. There were trails next to the park that our group did not have time to explore. Maurice did say they were spiritual paths and recommended going back at a later time to explore for ourselves.

I got off the bus and ran directly to the water.

I cannot recall the name of this whale. Maurice said it's closest relative is an elephant.

Carolyn took this photo for us. I wanted it to smell more like salt water than it did.

We made another stop around the Sunshine Coast, and again, we don't know why. While Maurice was a very pleasant man, I found his role as a guide somewhat confusing. Most of his answers to our questions began, "I don't know. . .". I took a shell from this spot and it might be the only thing I bring back from my days living in Australia.

Back at the Abbey for lunch we peeled the meat off our plates and enjoyed tomatoes, lettuce, bread, butter, potato and cole slaw salads. They also gave us desserts. Daniel ate a slice of apple pie sitting in custard and I chose a profiterole also swimming in custard. We then decided to walk around the grounds to snap some photos.

The chapel was tiny. In the back the doors were open so we let ourselves in. It was very quiet and dark, we looked around quickly, snapped a shot of the glass brought over from England and hustled out.

This rock was perfectly shaped for having a lie down. Daniel is modeling with a saint.

Shhh

Daniel giving me a cheesy smile because taking a photo next to Jesus on the cross is interesting.

He's a great guide, too.

After a bit of exploring we made it back to the bus just as everyone was getting on. We were off to our next sight. This next Bora ring was large and easier to see. Around the back were huge fields of pineapple and our first glimpse of The Glass Mountains.

This Bora Ring is more clearly defined.

Pineapple as far as the eye can see. Glass Mountains in background.

Baby pineapple. They take at least two years to fully grow.

Then you take tops off and plant them so they grow again.

The Glass Mountains.

The Glass House Mountains were named by Captain James Cook in 1770. He said the shapes reminded him of huge glass furnaces from his home in Yorkshire. The mountains are volcanic plugs that formed twenty seven million years ago.

I had to take this shot from the bus. This is Mt. Beerburrum and you can see that there is a face on the top.

This was the closest we were going to get and the outlined face was amazing.

Daniel posing in front of Mt. Tibrogargan. When I took this photo two elder ladies from our church said, "Oh my, isn't he handsome!"

Here you're looking at Mt. Coonowrin, Mt. Beerwah, Mt. Coochin & Mt. Tibberoowuccum

Sometimes we forgot we were in Australia.

We had five minutes to explore a trail into the wooded area, so Daniel, Carolyn and myself went to silently be with nature. The edge is very steep and the trees were so tall and amazing.

Our final stop was at a Creek. It was extremely peaceful and while Maurice shared information about the significance, Daniel and I wondered to a secluded place to have a look around.

We spent about twenty minutes just being silent in this spot. I did hear Maurice say that he comes here every once in a while with his family to meditate. There was something magical about area. When we rejoined our group, a member set up an amp and played a couple songs on his guitar for us. It was lovely and neat.