Leunig cartoon attached to his article Our flagging enthusiasm ~ "The Age" 26.01.08.
Many Australians regard their flag and song and national day, not so much with awe, but rather, a casual, bemused affection, in the way that we may regard an eccentric uncle or a peculiar spinster aunty. They are ours but they are not us.
It is surely the old people who are the fruit of this land — the bitter and the sweet; ripe as they will ever be and soon to drop off the twig. You can meet them and see how life in this country has rendered and ripened their souls and know something profound and otherwise unknowable about our land. It's the character of the elders in any land that says it all and cuts through the delusional propaganda, the inflated ideologies and the ephemeral catchphrases about the national psyche. You may work it out for yourself. Those old people can be full of surprises.
David Mowaljarlai travelled the country and spoke urgently and eloquently of his concern for the wellbeing of white society, which he could see was suffering from a loss of spirit and an incomprehension of the land in which it lived.
His integrity and wisdom often included an important word from his Ngarinyin language: a word that could be very useful to this country in these depressed and anxious times. I use it often.
"Yorro-yorro" is the word — and it means "everything standing up alive" or "the spirit in the land that makes everything stand up alive".
His integrity and wisdom often included an important word from his Ngarinyin language: a word that could be very useful to this country in these depressed and anxious times. I use it often.
"Yorro-yorro" is the word — and it means "everything standing up alive" or "the spirit in the land that makes everything stand up alive".
It's a beautiful Wandjina country word to use on Australia Day — or any other day, for that matter. David Mowaljarlai gave it to us and left us with it.
When you've got yorro-yorro you don't need a flag.
When you've got yorro-yorro you don't need a flag.
~~~
But I have only shaved a little of the skin of the article. To experience the full mystery of its spirit, follow the link above!
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~ In the shadows of the recent passing of "The Bulletin", Leunig seems to be the last voice linking the old literary bush worlds with the parade of modern media. He also walks in the footsteps of more ancient drums!
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When you walk in the footsteps
Of ancient drums
The rhythms
Will live
In you
~
When you see
And protect
The joy of earth
Nature will cool you
In times of heat
And wrap you in warming suns
When the air
Seems cold
~
When you feel
The seasons of the skies
You will always know
The time for planting
The time for
Harvest
The time for dancing
In life-giving rains
~
When you walk in the footsteps
Of ancient drums
The rhythms
Will breathe
Through you
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
