Photography by Cathy Olive andAndreas Kofler
Last Saturday, 17th March, we were blessed to have 5 Taungurung men and women share their culture with the local Euroa community.
Gathering on the banks of the Sevens, a small crowd gathered around Aunty Lee, Tanya and Stacey – trying their hand at weaving with materials collected on site. Sprawling on the grass, families chatted comfortably while being gently instructed how to weave.
Meanwhile, Shane and Uncle Frankie had a captive audience down on the creek building a fish trap. Kids splashed about and contributed to the project – placing sticks carefully, although without fish success this time around. Uncle Frankie had some beautiful hand made spears on display, and Aunty Lee had bought her eel trap she had made with her mum 14 years earlier – still looking in mint condition although a little fragile to handle these days.
Such a peaceful, friendly gathering and enriching to the soul. It wasn’t hard to picture similar gatherings occurring pre white settlement.
At days end, Aunty Lee, Tanya and Stacey gathered in the apron of the ‘Shelter Tree’ known in more recent years as the ‘Swaggie Tree’. A cultural heritage assessment had suggested it would have been used by Aboriginal people for centuries as a shelter – given its proximity to the creek and above the main flood zone. After so much disturbance in recent years, it was impossible to discern more detail of its history through an archaeological study. However, on seeing the tree, the Taungurung felt strongly that it was a ‘Birthing Tree’ – a place of cultural significance for women and where they may have retreated when it was time for a birth. I had a strong sense of the tree’s relief to finally have Taungurung women back in its skirts again, and Taungurung people gathered and sharing knowledge and culture back on country.
Cathy Olive
