Tribal Wisdom

I’ve recently been blessed through reading a wonderful book called “Tribal Wisdom” – Copyright Axiom Publishing, 1997 – Author Peter Dunn. The book is about our interconnection with all things and has many wondrous passages about how we really should be looking after this world for the sake of our children.  On reading the book I came to the realisation that we have destroyed so much of this world, and are continuing to do so, when our tribal forefathers new what to take and what to give back to the land.  How terribly sad that we have stolen so much from the earth and its creatures.

One particular passage struck me as so relevant to the St Clair Reserve land swap being proposed by the City of Charles Sturt Council.  I have been told that the ashes of returned servicemen have been scattered on this land, and as such, the land is sacred.  The City of Charles Sturt Council have removed plaques that I understand expressed this fact. Here is the passage I refer to:

The wind that gave our grandfather
his first breath
also receives his last sigh,
and the wind must also give our children
the spirit of life.
We are part of the earth
and it is part of us.
The ashes of our fathers
are sacred
their graves are holy ground
and so these hills,
these trees
and this portion of earth
is consecrated to us.

Chief Seattle

I’d encourage all to read the book, published in South Australia – it’s a great read.

Mark Walker

Note: The above excerpt was reproduced with written permission from the publisher.