This weeks devastating floods have affected so many people.
We hear about some of the loss but some people just accept the loss, and don't make too much of it.
Yesterday as we went about our normal market at Byron Bay serving Chai to the community,
our dear friend Lewis, calmly replies to Liffy's question, "so how have things Been lately ?" with .......
"Oh I lost my house and 2 jeeps"
Someone rang him during the devastating flood of water that tore thru the Tabulum area, Lewis asked him "How's my place, can you see my place?"
"No says the friend, it's just all water!"
Lewis, tells us that normally the creek is 150 metres below a cliff ! His house was torn off it's stumps, and "went turtle-ing down the creek", he jokes.
My mum Liffy, asks him, were you insured , ....what are you going to do... etc
Lewis smiles and says " Aaaaah... I'll go and live in a cave "
This strong and proud man is Uncle Lewis Walker
The Keeper of Bunjalung Country.
He is the last man to walk through the old song lines and story lines and corrobaree grounds and still doing it today.
He is a warrior who believes in the oneness of All Universal Spirit. He is teacher to those who are willing to learn about the pearly fruits that will heal those who thirst for healing upon the Sacred Land that we walk upon.
He recognizes and lives the truth that we all come from the spiritual enlightenment.
He is a wise storyteller, a cultural reclamation leader, a unifying force between separated peoples, a healer, lover of all beings.
Uncle Lewis teaches us to feel and think with our hearts about the inner sacredness contained within everything.
Uncle Lewis believes that the children and the elders are to be treasured, respected, learned from and taught to be what they really are shining like the morning star.
The First Light People!
He leads groups of people on walkabouts to discover the true wealth of this world, that which is given by the Creator.
If you are interested in having this kind of experience, please feel free to contact Sky at skyhemp.gmail.com
Lewis is an acclaimed artist, with large paintings selling for upwards of $5,000
Some of his
Bunjalung Dreaming Drawings can be viewed here
Lewis spoke 13 languages by the age of 14, when he came out to the white world, and learnt to speak english.
We had a brief first meeting at the market yesterday, to begin organising, the recommencement of the annual dancing of the Rainbow Corroborree.
This corroborree, was meant to be Danced every year, it hasn't happened or many years.
Lewis first heard about it 30 years ago, and is determind for it to be Revived.
A small team will begin to organise 3 events in 2011, in preparation for a large Rainbow Corroborree in Central Australia in 2012
Julinbah Yowarl
Lewis's house was near
Tabulam, which is a rural
village in the far north east of
New South Wales,
Australia, 800km from the state capital,
Sydney. Tabulam is located on the
Bruxner Highway (Highway 44) between
Tenterfield and
Casino and on the
Clarence River.
Tabulam is a picturesque village and its position on the northern catchment of Australia's most voluminous river affords it geographical and environmental significance. According to the 2006 Census, there were 573 people living in Tabulam. Tabulam is locally administered by
Kyogle Council.
Etymology
The name
Tabulam is derived from Bundjalung
Dahbalam..
History
Originally, Tabulam and the surrounding farm and bushland was inhabited by
Bundjalung Aboriginals. The land was first settled by Europeans in 1839.
