To Maningrida and Back (A Pictorial Journey)

In Transit

Catching another plane. I do get bored in these tubes of flight.

Especially when the entertainment system is broken and cost-cutting means 

that someone of my stature is fed a thimble full of orange juice and 
a small muffin for breakfast.

Somewhere over central Queensland, the effects of the recent rains is everywhere. 

Not once did I see land without hints of green in between the entire way from Brisbane to Darwin. 

Maningrida

The Air North 3.30pm flight into town from Darwin. Make sure you've got all 

your bags before they fly on to the next community (I learnt this the hard way).

 A beautiful giant moth, as big as the palm of my hand.

 Going to the bathroom in the morning must be done with care, as these 

guys were always hanging around in the toilet bowl and needed to be 

moved before I could attend to personal functions.

Green tree ants frantically gathering supplies before another 

monsoon storm hits town.

This little guy catches some rays whilst I return to the airport to try and 

find the things that didn't arrive with me (three more visits later, and my

inventory was finally delivered and complete).

The mud brick factory. The amazing, highly textured red bricks produced here 

are featured in many of the buildings around town.

 The local petrol / diesel station.

 This crazy spider leapt from an awning and went directly down the camera 

operator's shirt. Despite it's not so happy appearance in this photo, about 20mins 

later the spider eventually totally perked up and went back to climbing around the 

employment services building as though nothing had happened.

Our crew car. Someone (sigh, me) had to stay with it at all times.

 This is where the gear went when travelling around in the crew car.

 Many of the roads leading out of town looked like this.

Such beautiful country. Extremely peaceful and hardly anyone around!

 Not to mention the unbelievable sunsets (thunderheads backlit by gold, unreal).

 Every morning trip to the loo, and a new species of frog would be there to greet you.

 Just after sunrise down by the Arafura Sea. No swimming though, 

the crocs around here are apparently dinosaurs!

 Down at the barge ramp (supplies are shipped in from Darwin during wet season).

Entrance Island lies on the horizon.

 It was so hot and humid. Such a tease not to be able to swim.

 The fishing around these parts is supposed to be truly unparalleled. Bring your rod!

Maningrida has an amazing Arts Centre, where the Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation turns over something like $22 million each year to re-invest into its own, self managed community. There are some amazing pieces on display and for sale. The craftsmanship is exquisite. I could not more highly recommend a place to visit. I've taken a few pictures of the details within these compositions to share with you below.

The whole reason we went up to Manigrida was to film a forum with a lot of local community leaders and elders about the government initiative called "Stronger Futures". Now it has a positive title, but it is linked to the "Intervention", first implemented by the Howard government in 2007. Whilst protecting children and communities from the ravages of alcohol, pornography, drug abuse, and domestic violence are very important things - there is also a lot of Government endorsed disrespect for local laws and customs - which in turn undermine remote community values. Maningrida is a self governed semi-dry community (you can only buy alcohol from the local police station), and during my stay I saw nothing but positivity and people being able to live freely and proudly.

The "Stronger Futures" legislation is currently before the Australian Senate - and a lot of Northern Territory communities strongly feel that they have not been consulted at all during the implementation of this ruling, and are extremely worried that their powers to self manage their communities will be utterly eroded. I was able to see a lot of this frustration first hand and could understand why it is hard for these people to accept policies generated by academics down in Canberra. I hope that the Government can develop a sensitivity towards these good folk and develop a productive dialogue with those who choose to live in their own way. Arnhem Land is another world compared to the one that most Australians live in, and after visiting - I feel like our government has forgotten this.

The camera overlords shortly before the forum took place.

 Resting off a chicken schnitzel and a meat pie that I had for lunch.

The Crew  - what a great bunch of good folk! [photo courtesy of NITV]
Back row (Left to Right): Susan, Chris, The Almighty James, Jeff, Mags
Front Row (Left to Right): Yours truly, Brandon, Angela

 The Maningrida Community Centre (with "thunderheads" in the background)

Camp dogs rule the town, and they are everywhere - sometimes in large packs. 

These representatives came to the airport to search for snacks. 

In a way, I felt as though they were seeing us off.

Darwin

 From a world where you live by natures rules to a world where 

rules are on big signs. I guessed that men's volleyball practise would 

not be welcome.

 Sunset in Darwin. Repeatedly one of the most beautiful places 

(of the many I have in my list) to visit, even if just for one night.

Heading Home

Bye bye, Thunderheads. I have never first-hand seen your beauty before,

 and I can only hope I will be back for more.

Back at HQ

The more I travel throughout this land, I am reminded of my place amongst things. Amongst the amazing people I meet and the weath of history I begin to learn, I realise that it right and is my place to ask questions based on what I know about this reality. No matter how complex and frightening things may initially be perceived, progress needs to be actively initiated and engaged. It takes every single one of us to start upon a quest for knowledge and share these learnings however we can. There is no right or wrong, yet we all need to take a leap of faith and dedicate ourselves on a self progress to the next level of thought. Some of you may think I am being whimsical and aloof, however the depth of what I'm trying to talk about could inhibited by projections and expectations that are forced upon us by the remarkably complex world in which we live. Let's not make decisions for things we cannot understand. Let's just simply try to discern right from wrong.