Monday, April 24, 2017

LEGENDS AND OTHER FINE THINGS

'Banumbirr: Morning Star Poles', artists from Galiwin'ku (Elcho Island), NT, Australia
Hello there,
time to look at some more Indigenous Australian art...

Currently on display at GoMA are these unique ceremonial Morning Star Poles,
made by artists from Galiwin'ku (Elcho Island) which is a small island off Arnhem land along the northern shores of Australia.
The poles are beautiful, as is the story which accompanies them.


There are over 70 poles, but several different artists, each series showing different clan designs and features.  Though made for public exhibition, these poles are still held sacred by their makers.

The Yolngu people call the planet Venus 'Banumbirr' and tell how she came across the sea from the east, naming and creating animals and lands as she crossed the shoreline, travelling westwards across the country.

It is told that each day at sunset spirits on Burralku, an island to the east hold a morning star ceremony.  As dancing intensifies the rising dust creates the twilight which gradually becomes darkness.
During the day the star is hidden by an old woman in a special feathered bag, and just before dawn she releases the star on a long string.


First it ascends to the top of a tall pandanus tree to survey all the places it will visit, then flies over Arnhem Land heralding the dawn, pausing over each of the clans related to it.  As the sun rises the old woman reels in Banumbirr by its feathered string to be hidden again until the next evening.

The Yolngu people had observed that Venus never strays far from the Sun, which they explain in terms of the rope binding the two bodies together (gravity).  The Morning Star ceremony has to be planned well in advance since Venus rises a few hours before dawn only at certain times of the year, which vary from year to year.  So we know that the Yolngu people also track the complex motion of Venus well enough to predict when to hold the Morning Star Ceremony.

Raki (string) spiritually central to the Banumbirr story, is made from bark fibres and human hair wrapped around the poles and then painted with clan designs.  Great lengths of feathered strings, pul pul, and feather tufts representing the bright star are attached to achieve the transcendent beauty the Banumbirr poles require.



Meanwhile, the garden is having a great time with the slightly cooler temperatures and managing to produce some blooms...




Our Peace rose is in bud - watch this space....


Cute new Palm Beach basket from a great online store: Ladychatterleysaffair
and Wanda Panda yellow shoes - because I don't have to live in sandals every day, now that Autumn's here...


Happy 91st Birthday to Her Majesty, who sensibly spent the day at The Races.
Doesn't she look wonderfully alert and happy...


Tomorrow is Anzac Day, when we Australians remember those who served our country in times of war..

Google image 
My Grandfather and his two brothers joined the Australian Imperial Forces during World War I, and served in Flanders and The Somme.
En route to Europe, the Australians trained in Egypt and the Australian War Memorial preserves many photos of them, pictured near the Pyramids and the Sphinx.  Young Australian men saw it as a great adventure, but as we know, many did not return.


Fortunately my Grandfather survived his time in the trenches of Flanders and returned to Australia to have a family which included my Dad, who passed away last year at 95.

Lest we Forget.


Sydneysider Son and Little Aussie are coming this weekend.

Yay!!

Have a great week.

XXXXX








    

Wednesday, April 19, 2017

EASTER AT THE BEACH


Well, Easter has come and gone,
 and I hope you all had a blessed and special time.


We two cardinals flew off to a beach for three days...



Do you love the smell of the salt sea air?


the passing boats...and lifeguards?



the gentle roar of the surf...?


the rock pools..




The fish...

Fish art

We dined on fish and chips, and lovely Queensland grilled barramundi..

More fish art


It is possible I had a slice of cherry pie..


My Easter bonnet, er, sun hat.


Our view was gorgeous...



and when we came home, the first pansies of the Autumn have bloomed..
Sunshine is gentle again, and the plants love it.

Our roses are covered in buds after the recent rains.

Life is good.

What did you do over the Easter weekend?  

XXXX

Saturday, April 15, 2017

EASTER BLESSINGS

Giotto 'Resurrection', Scrovegni Chapel, Padua.
On Easter Sunday morning, I wish you all peace and happiness from the Red Cardinals.

We are having a short break by the beach, enjoying the wonders of nature and beautiful weather.

Blogging by iPhone!

Back soon....


Monday, April 10, 2017

HOME MAINTENANCE


Hello - long time no blog!
I've been laid low by the virus of the year, not having received my flu jab because it is late coming to the doctor..
Why is that?

Cyclone Debbie has been and gone, leaving much flooding and other devastation in her wake.  We had a local flood, and some confused wildlife.
Four of these wild turkey chicks were found wandering around our garden...



This is at our local creek, where I walk.  It only lasted one day.
In other areas, people were days cut off from electricity and all services.
It takes a long time for communities to recover from these events.


I went to a High Tea to meet some local Sewists.  Look at those lemon meringue swans, which were mouth-watering.
The ladies were lovely and welcoming, and all wore gorgeous self-made outfits.


I loved the pattern and fabric swap - such fun...



Our garden is finally making an Effort - after all those months of drought.
And the weather has turned a little chilly (big smile)...


In a confluence of events you could not organise if you tried,
carpenters arrived to fix our deck railings which had some dry rot...


the same day Little Aussie arrived to spend a few days of his holidays...
with a broken arm!

He is such a climber, fell out of a tree.
Imagine how excited he was with all the action going on outside:


High decks with railing removed...Danger!


Much carpentry went on down on the lawn...


and we decamped to the local village store - Aussie loves a chocolate milk and croissant... and they have board games to play...


His Lego city construction went on for days...


There now, all better...



I found this little cupboard (the one on top) - drastically reduced floor stock at a local gift shop..  It has improved our laundry room by 150%!


Beautiful lunch with friends on Sunday - that trifle really was the business.

We are all so thrilled with the cooler weather. 
Even put a blanket on our bed...

Stay warm - and dry

XXXX