February 27 - Aborigine Culture

Last night our ship left its anchorage in the harbour and made its way to the Circular Quay to dock for the second day of our stay in Sydney.  From our bed we had a wonderful view of Sydney at night.

Sydney, as do most cities, has an old section of town that has been converted into the entertainment district.  The Rocks was an area next to the harbour that housed many warehouses.  These are now shops, pubs and restaurants.  We decided to a walking tour of the Rocks, but what made this excursion unique was that it was presented from an Aborigine point of view.  What we got had nothing to do with the Rocks, but it was far more interesting.

Our guide, whose English name was Margaret, gave a very detailed explanation of Aborigine family culture.  It started by her saying that her family was defined the location of the rivers and the ocean.  Hence the reason there were seven distinct Aborigine tribes in the area that now defines Sydney.  She then told us that she did not have just one mother and father, but what we call aunts and uncles were considered to also be her mothers and fathers with parental responsibilities. I guess it would be the equivalent of our saying that it takes a village to raise a child.

She told us how an Aborigine forms a family bond with nature.  For example, when a child is born there is a connection to a plant, tree or shrub that is in bloom.  Then they will connect with animals that feed off that plant, and it expands from there.  A child is taught that these non-human family members must be protected and nourished. This is reflected in their art, which is centered around multiple expanding circles and stars. I found it fascinating the concept of the merging of family and environment.  

The only time she got political was in response to a question I asked after her presentation had finished.  She told us that Aborigine, were not considered as Australian citizens until the 1960s and therefore denied many rights that we would take for granted.  Thankfully there is a more enlightened view in place now.

In the afternoon we took the ferry to Barangaroo, which is a waterfront area that contains condos, hotels, shops and multiple restaurants and cafes. On our way to Barangaroo, we enjoyed the parade of sailing yachts who are in Sydney this weekend for a Grand Prix regatta.  These boats are so slick looking, they look super fast when they’re just floating along at a leisurely pace. We didn’t notice any boats flying the Canadian flag. 

We then went into a small exhibit dedicated to indigenous animals that was put on by the Sydney zoo.  We got to see the koala bears, kangaroos, crocodiles, wallabies, emus and a Tasmanian devil.  It was a nice relaxing way to spend part of the afternoon.

On our way back to the ship, we stopped off at cell phone store to sign up for an Australian service for duration of our stay.  Unfortunately, I needed my passport.  So, I had to go back to ship to get my passport and return.  At first glance, it seems the service is very fast and includes 25mg of data and unlimited international calling to Canada at a rate very much cheaper than what I would pay in Canada.  Unfortunately, they charge seventy five cents for each international text.  So, we’ll continue to Facebook Messenger.