I've been in Western Australia for a week now and I've already managed to turn the Outback into a classroom of religious studies! The organization that I work for buys former bush that's been damaged by farming and then re-vegetates it with native plants, converting it back to its natural state so that all of the endangered animals and plants that live here have a larger habitat. I've been lucky enough to participate in a cultural mapping survey of one of the newly acquired properties this week with an archaeologist and a local Noongar elder.(Noongar is the broad term for the indigenous people of this region, encompassing many smaller clans). We looked for (and found!) artifacts indicating ancient activity all over the place!
I've actually gotten a lot of uncomfortable looks so far upon telling people that I majored in religion, so when Eugene, our Noongar guide, asked me about my interests, I was relieved to find someone so excited to share his traditions with me! I have not begun to grasp Noongar spirituality. It's impossibly intricate and many aspects of the “Dreamtime” can only be revealed to insiders. However, I can confidently say that nature and “religion” are deeply connected, making knowledge of indigenous spirituality crucial in forwarding the environmentalist objective. The Noongar have an intimate relationship with the earth and see themselves as the protectors of their land. Ideally, the Noongar and naturalists should be working together, but this isn't always the case. Fortunately, Gondwana Link, my sponsors, are really great about accepting indigenous input when restoring the bush. I'm really looking forward to furthering my understanding of this spiritually rich culture.
P.S. SUPER excited about this: The Noongar creation myth features a serpent creator-god! COMPS NEVER ENDS!
Love and miss you all!
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