This morning we were up all bright and in our Sunday best, and headed for Yirrkala and the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander church in 'Bridget', where we had been invited to attend a few days earlier for the ordination of a new minister. We sat around waiting, and were soon informed that time in this area is approximate... so the 9am start we had been told about, really was optimistic! So we sat on the grass and watched the goings on around us, and this random dog that was very friendly, came and sat next to Matt. first thing i knew it had its large head over my shoulder sniffing my face, While we were waiting, an Indigenous fellow carrying a ukulele and guitar walked over and started talking to us. He mentioned something about tuning the guitar, so I nudged Matt to help, which he did, as we started walking to the church with him. Matt then went with this fellow and was roped into playing for the service, and the rest of us chose a pew and sat and waited to see what would happen. The church had been decorated with local flowers and palm fronds, and Christian messages on fabric posters. The sides were all open mesh, to allow for breezes. We watched Matt being taken up the hill to practice and then he seemed to disappear from view, and we joked that they had abducted him. Some time later, we noticed that a group of Indigenous men and women, the kin of the Indigenous woman being ordained at the church service today, had gathered. They had white face point across their foreheads and through the centre of the top of their heads, and amongst the men was Matt, all painted up too!
The group then walked to the church door singing and with clap sticks beating, they then walked up the aisle and surrounded the woman to be ordained, and then sat down in the church and the service began. Lots of ministers from Darwin and the Moderator for Northern Territory and many women from other areas across the NT participated in the service, with dancing and bible readings and prayers. It was a privilege to attend this service and be witness to this first, as this new Reverend is also an elder of the Yirrkala community. Being able to share in faith with these first peoples, and sharing God's word together was awesome and so encouraging and inspiring to see God work in these peoples lives. The service went on for a couple of hours, and the locals came and went often, so did the local dogs ... but the church was full. At the end, Matt got his chance to play guitar as they sang 'Bind Us together' but sang a very slow version, as they have twice the amount of words to fit in when they sang in language. The celebrations were to continue after the service, but we were tired and keen to head back, and as we left, we met the support worker that Matt and I had met a few days ago, and she was showing her visiting parents 'Bridget'. So we got talking with them, and then were all glad to finally get into 'Bridget' and enjoy a chocolate ice block to refresh us.
a bit of background on the fella that roped me into it, he was an elder in the community, lived there since 1960. he is related to the founder of the band Yothu Yindi who came from this community of Yirrkala. his mother was previously a minister there, and his father Gary Waninya (Wanyubi) Marika is a highly respected Yolngu elder from the RirratjiĊu clan in East Arnhem Land, recognized for his services to Indigenous health and cultural preservation. He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his long-standing work as a cultural liaison, interpreter, and educator at the Yirrkala Health Centre.
so it was a bit of an honor i felt to be taken away up to the house on the hill the practice the slowest version of bind us together that i have ever played whilst strumming fast.... more and more family turned up under the house we were practising under, adding to the singers, and making me feel whiter by the minute, yet no one questioned who's the white fella playing with Waninya and his sister inlaw that i later found out was the Lady being ordained , they just painted me up, put me in the precession, and marched on into the church. that entire sequence took an hour and a half i think . was a privilege to be there, and it seems i have to play in church wherever i go to church.
We had a planning afternoon to work out the best way home, as we knew there had been some rain and road closures in Queensland, and the roads are better in NT and SA. Matt's new mates the Cockatoos, came and visited again and were wanting more nuts to eat, so Matt obliged. We had an early dinner, then headed out again, but this time Simon and Elise joined us in 'Bridget' and we went to the 'Hogs Shed', a blues music society music venue in the industrial area. Here locals can jam and perform and they have a BYO alcohol if you have a permit. They also had instruments for people to use to play and a good PA. It wasn't long perform Matt was back up on stage and performing with a drummer and singer/guitarist, and neither had played with each other before, and they pulled off some great music and Matt was in his element. He was given a free shirt, sticker and drink cooler for his efforts. There was about 70 people sitting around listening and chatting and having a nice evening. We got requests for daytime photos to be taken before we leave of the Clippers for the guy running the show. It was another great experience and topped off another wonderful day.
yes i was in my element. the drummer invited me up with him and a guitarist and said we'll just get up and see what happens... he told me later that he knew i'd be fine as soon as he spoke to me and anyone who drives that bus must be able to play bass . as a band our first public rehearsal was pretty good i reckon, the other guys were wrapped with how we played together, and got me up another time to play come together by the beatles, but in a different key. i didnt know it in any particular key anyway, so it was fine! had a blast. would do it again next week if i was here.
David sent a video of me playing to my boss saying id been integrated into nhulunbuy society and i wasnt coming back and he had lost me. to which he replied that i would be back for my fretless bass, which is why he didnt let me take it with me... nice to be wanted
We headed back to the lodge, and we have another early start, as tomorrow we head to Bremer Island.
heres a mix of todays varying music...
