Blue Mountain Jenolan Caves background pic by Peter Samuel with Rita Walker body makeup by @amasonart Alannah Mason, model Taylor Norris, picture of model by Dan Watt

Rita Walker: Australia (Blog One) by Dan Watt and Taylor Norris (reference links at bottom)

“We don’t own the land, the land owns us. The land is my mother, my mother is the land. Land is the starting point to where it all began. It’s like picking up a piece of dirt and saying this is where I started and this is where I’ll go. The land is our food, our culture, our spirit and identity.”— S. Knight

Rita detaches herself from Marlo and they both swim to the surface of Camp Creek near the Jenolan Caves.

“You’ve changed,” Marlo says looking at her as she steps out of the water.

Rita stairs down at herself and sees she has acquired some of his water elemental aspects.

“Will you be gone long?” she asks biting her lower lip.

“The Cocos Keeling Islands have beaches covered by plastic waste,” he says in a sombre tone.  “I wish I could stay and learn why Ailbe Rose called you here but I can’t.”

“Be safe,” she calls out as Marlo transforms into water.  She pulls her hair back into a bun so the water will run down her back.  With a sigh she watches the ripples of water that represent Marlo flow out of sight.  The one thing that gives her relief is that the water aspect she now has will allow her to communicate with him through any waterways that connect to the surrounding seas.

Blue Mountain Jenolan Caves background pic by Peter Samuel with Rita Walker body makeup by @amasonart Alannah Mason, model Taylor Norris, picture of model by Dan Watt

 

She is only wearing a black sports bra and cameo shorts; ideal clothes for the temperature in the New South Wales region of Australia.  As she walks towards the Jenolan Caves beads of soil halt her steps by rolling over her feet.  The blues and greens that her skin had changed into during their travel to Australia return to their normal whitish pink.

She closes her eyes and reopens them to see Ailbe Rose before her.

Blue Mountain  Jenolan Caves  Australia by Peter Samuel model Leah Weir as Ailbe Rose, picture by Kimberley Photography https://www.facebook.com/KimberleyleeNI/

“Though there are other names for this place call it Uluru when talking to Dilga,” Ailbe Rose tells her.  “The arrival of Captain Cook has brought the deities of what Europeans call Australia into conflict.  Bamapana now travels in dreamtime throughout Australia causing discord with the likes of Julana.  Now the land is becoming more dessert as the Djunkgao sisters hide in fear.  As long as they do no rain will fall.”

Rita stares back towards Camp Creek and notices the edges of the bank are deep and the water low.  “What the people of Austra—Uluru do will affect the Dreamline?” she asks.

“Dilga will teach you the Dreamline.  You’re here as an outsider, to counter the negative effects Bamapana, Julana and others are having on the land by encouraging technology that works with the environment.  Remember, the Earth curves in all directions and we all belong to the core.  So anything that happens in one place affects what happens elsewhere.”

“Will there be help?   Rán has sent Marlo to the Cocos Keeling Islands.” Rita asks.

“There will be but most are new and naïve,” Ailbe Rose warns her.  “They came after Captain Cook and walk the land but most have not yet fully merged with the land.  As it is on any other continent there are many different groups of people on Uluru.  The original people will be singing and traveling the Dreamline.  That is where the most important work will be done.  You will walk the Dreamline too but focus on encouraging the technology that works with the land.”

Rita blinks and Ailbe Rose is gone.  Now she sees a woman who she senses exists in the present and the past simultaneously.

https://int.sydney.com/destinations/blue-mountains/oberon-area/jenolan-caves/attractions/jenolan-caves

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-43375-4#:~:text=Plastic%20has%20been%20documented%20at,the%20northwest%20coast%20of%20Australia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Australian_Aboriginal_mythological_figures

https://www.australiangeographic.com.au/blogs/on-this-day/2013/11/on-this-day-captain-james-cook-sets-sail/

https://www.creativespirits.info/aboriginalculture/spirituality/what-is-aboriginal-spirituality