Ladies Day Out!

Camping on the Gregory river (still in QLD, up near the Gulf), a dessert oasis that flows all year round. A welcome relief after driving from Cairns across the Savanah way for the last few days. I mostly had the place to myself bar a few quiet campers further downstream. What a dream. I was set for a day of doing nothing but reading, eating, swimming and napping. At about 11am a little Corolla rocked up. Out jumped 6 Aboriginal girls and they were on! Horn tooting, loud rap music, twerking, yelling, swearing and carrying on. Anyone else probably would have jumped in their car windows up, doors locked, cya later, get me out of here!

Not me. I saw that they were girls all around my ages just having a good time. I continue going about my business, no more peace and quiet, trying to read with a party roaring in the background. One of the girls (Faraleesha) gets curious and comes over to sus me out. I chat to everyone and anyone. It’s my favourite thing about travelling alone. I am always up for a yarn. So we get chatting…

I discovered the purpose of their party. A few of the girl have kids back in their nearby community and organised babysitters for the day. They were having a much needed girl’s day out! A sacred outing essential for all women. Though, there were no linen jumpsuits, Mimco crap and cocktails here. This is a long way from the Sunshine Coast. Footy shorts, baggy tees and rum. Forget white girl wasted. The youngest girl was 17 oldest 27. All single, strong, independent ladies who don’t need no man. This was my kind of partaaay!

The girls thought I must have had a boyfriend sleeping in the Troopy. After Faraleesha uncovers that I’m on my own she calls the other girls over. The Corolla gets backed in, cans of rum are being thrown around, the music and twerking migrate to my campsite, it is on! I don’t like rum or rap music but sometimes y’all got to put your differences aside and loosen up a little. I tell them my story. I get swarmed with questions. “Aren’t you lonely by yourself?” “Aren’t you scared” “Where’s your family?”. The girls admire my courage and attitude. They would come with me on my adventure if they didn’t have babies to look after.

I listen to their stories of their country and how the Rainbow Serpent came through here and all the way into Lawn Hill gorge. I hear of who owns this land and how they are connected to it. Faraleesha is 27 and her oldest kid is 13. Her kids grew up by this river and they try to visit as often as possible. I also hear stories of hardships. Loss, teen pregnancies, violence, depression, poor health. Through all these stories one thing that is clear among these ladies and that is love. The love these girls have for each other, their families and their country is immense. The love they showed me in just a few hours was beautiful. They speak openly about their heart and they have so much trust in the spiritual world. They knew it wasn’t a coincidence that I happened to be camping on river on this exact day.

It’s a shame that most people don’t get to see this side of Aboriginal people, except for maybe on TV. Fear and uncertainty build walls that prevents more people from having experiences like this. Indigneous rights and BLM are all the rage at the moment, which is awesome! I hope it’s more than a trend. It’s easy to post insta stories that support reconciliation or even write uni essays about it. However, it’s another step to actually get out there and make REAL connections with Indigenous Australians. It’s also easy to say “we are all one race” and sound like an all inclusive being you think you are BUT its another thing to actually show this. Actions speak louder than words and insta reposts. Unfortunately, many are still unwilling to let go of fear and judgements and embrace people who are perceived as different. We have a long way to go. I hope to lead by example.

Before I get too consumed in a self-righteous rant, I need to remind myself that not everyone is a crazy extraverted activist like me, (see first blog) willing to put themselves in potentially risky and uncomfortable situations. To me this is the most important thing in the world and everyone should be doing it. However, I don’t want people to read my work and feel shame. I want people to read and feel inspired. I know it’s unrealistic to believe that everyone cares for or is interested Indigenous rights or race matters. I do believe everyone is doing his or her bit to make the world a better place somehow. Whether that be raising curious kids, adopting stray dogs, going plastic free, planting trees, feeding the homeless, or even as simple as choosing to smile over a frown. Everyone is doing their best. Sometimes this is a difficult belief to hold but it’s one that keeps me hopeful about humanity.

In the 4 hours the girls were with me I only had 3-4 drinks (big for me these days). None of them were written off, just a little tipsy making them extra chatty! This is a day I will remember for a long time. It’s amazing the experiences you can have when you CHOSE to stay open rather than letting fear close walls around you. The greatest things in life happen outside your comfort zone.

Jess

27/12/2020