Rita Walker: Australia (Blog Eleven) by Dan Watt and Taylor Norris

Rita Walker: Australia (Blog Eleven) by Dan Watt and Taylor Norris

Maybe humans did come from the sea.

https://www.nma.gov.au/explore/collection/highlights/yawkyawk-sculptures

https://www.troublemag.com/mermaids-in-folklore-australian-indigenous-culture/

Later that day Rita is invited to eat supper with the Martins. 

“Hope you like meat pies,” Aurora says passing her a steaming plate.

“I do,” Rita replies.  She glances down at her new clothes.  “Thank you for everything and I’ll pay you back as soon my term starts at the University.”

“We’re going to watch, What We Do In The Shadows, tonight,” Oliver says.  “You’re more than welcome to watch it with us.”

“I’d love to,” Rita replies, realising she would like to, “but I’m meeting up with Iluka tonight.”

“Ask her to show you her paintings,” Oliver suggests.

“I will,” Rita promises.

Inside Iluka’s hallway is a painting of Uluru in the foreground with Luna in front of the Earth behind it.   Iluka tells her the painting is based off pictures of Uluru by a famous photographer named Peter Samuel and of Luna and the Earth taken from space by NASA’s Deep Space Climate Observatory.

“It’s strange to see a place on Earth looking at Luna and the Earth,” Rita says.

“It tries to explain an aspect of Dreamtime,” Iluka says as she leads Rita to a side door attached between the hall and her kitchen.  The door opens to the garage where Rita sees a dark green Super Soco electric motorcycle.  “Neither of us can fly so we’ll ride to the harbour.”

At the harbour front Iluka parks on a dock near a bluebird yacht.  An older gentleman with indigenous features is fishing off the boat.

“Can I leave my bike by your boat Liam?” she hears Iluka ask the man.

“Those things will kill you,” Liam replies with a guffaw tinged with humour.

“Does that mean you don’t want to take it for a spin,” Iluka throws in.

“Maybe but not tell I see you’re off doing whatever you’re doing.  Wouldn’t want you to know.”

“I’ll leave my keys in the ignition than since there’s no worries you will.”

“How much ump is in it?”

“Enough for us to get back is someone were to take a short spin, and I mean no longer than half an hour.”

“I’m getting old.  My half an hour is about an hour or two in your time.”

“Leave your boat open then.”

Iluka takes Rita to the base of the dock.  “He throws whatever he catches back in.  The water’s oily here but here we must enter.  I’ll be in my truest form but I suggest you change to a platypus if you can.  That way you can communicate by moving your paws.  The messages will travel faster if you’re submerged.”

“What will you be protecting me from?”  Rita asks as she steps into the warm salt water.

“Maybe bull sharks but that’s rare.”

“I think I’ll just turn into my aquatic self.”  Rita’s eye turn yellow to see better, and gills grow at the back of her jaws.

Iluka climbs into the water beside her.  Rita is taken back when she sees Iluka’s upper body turn into an indigenous woman of Northern Australia and a fish below.  “If you feel a strong sound wave it’s me telling you to get out of the water.”

Rita nods and submerges.

Based on a picture of Uluru, Australia by Peter Samuel, and Luna in front of Earth by NASA’s Deep Space Climate Observatory

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

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Rita Walker: Australia (Blog Ten) by Dan Watt and Taylor Norris

Rita Walker: Australia (Blog Ten) by Dan Watt and Taylor Norris

“If you believe your culture is shattered and scattered and finished, or your language is gone, then you are a dead man walking. But if you believe you can reconnect to your language and your culture, you become empowered.” – Ezzard Flowers in No Longer a Wandering Spirit.

https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/aboriginal-voices-in-the-afterlife-of-photographs

Rita blinks her eyes and rubs them.  From inside the Martin’s car she sees a tall woman lightly tanned and with European features wearing a mini skirt with rainbow coloured snakes intermingled with tan coloured circles containing three more circles.  What is confusing to Rita is that the woman appears as European one moment and Australian indigenous the next.  Shaking head Rita climbs into the back seat to be polite.  She also wonders what’s in the Australian latte.

“This is Iluka,” Aurora tells her.  To Rita’s surprise Iluka climbs into the back to sit beside her.

Aurora drives to a store with summer clothing and sandals displayed inside the window.  “I’ll be back shortly,” she says.

Iluka nods at her with light blue eyes and a warm smile.  Rita’s eyes get larger as she sees Iluka’s eyes turn dark brown and her lean nose flatten.  Her long auburn hair turns raven black.  “We are similar in many ways,” Iluka says with a thick Australian accent.  “See me as a child of Cook’s for now but remember how I truly am.  Also, if someone takes my picture they will be forgiven.”

“What happens if someone takes a picture of you in your true form?” Rita asks as she looks deeper into Iluka’s eyes.

“Taking a picture of my true form would steal some of my essence and allow certain individuals in the Dreamtime to hinder or even possibly control me.”

“Would pictures of Bamapana and Julana help us stop them from manipulating others?” Rita asks.

“No,” Iluka replies.  “They encourage the picture taking of Australia’s First People, to control them.  What you should seek to do is satiate people’s desires so they no longer listen to those two.  Replace the coal and the plastic with something equivalent in convenience but that doesn’t destroy the environment.”

Rita feels a vibration in her short’s pocket.  “Excuse me,” she says and pulls out Oliver’s phone.  Zsofia has messaged that she is on her way.  “My friend Zsofia is coming to Australia.  Tomorrow I hope she can get work at the University.”

“What does she do?” Iluka asks.  Rita notices Iluka’s appearance is completely European now, reminding her of someone from the British Isles.

“She specializes in medicinal herbs.”

“When she arrives tell her she can stay with me,” Iluka says.  “Is she like you, or me?”

“Not in the ability to change but she is in touch with Mother Earth.  I need to contact my partner, Marlo today.”

Rita sees a look of concentration on Iluka’s face and her eyes dim as though she is somewhere else.

Iluka’s eyes brighten with lucidity.  “A child of Rán?” she asks.

“Yes,” Rita replies.  “A water elemental.”

“I will change when you do and watch over you when you go to the harbour,” Iluka assures her.

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

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Book Review of Cixin Lui’s “Death’s End”

Book Review of Cixin Lui’s “Death’s End” (translated by Ken Liu), the third book in the Three Body Problem.

* In Chinese the surname is placed first

Cixin Lui has written the next evolution in Science Fiction.  Whereas Star Trek asks how will we react to certain circumstances, Cixin Lui suggests what could happen.

How Cixin Lui was able to combine known physics with theoretical physics and display it on a universal scale, is mind boggling.  For those of us who grew up in the Western Hemisphere, he also introduces Eastern history and philosophy.  Furthermore, he combines all of this by including individuals throughout the Earth’s history, bringing us all together.

The creators of Game of Thrones are now going to turn Cixin Lui’s book into a Netflix’s series.

I will try to say this in a vague way that only those who have read the series will grasp.  If I could ask Cixin Lui directly, my questions for him would be:

Why destroy landscape if it’s limited?

What happens when two dimensions meets four dimensions?

The Three Body Problem is a fascinating and important series.

I highly recommend it.

D.W.     

Rita Walker: Australia (Blog Nine) by Dan Watt and Taylor Norris

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

Rita finds both the Martins sitting outside on their covered porch sipping coffee.  She can hear them talking in whispers as they stare into the sunrise.  In the distance she can just see the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge.  “There’s an espresso machine on the counter, and milk in the fridge if you want to make a latte,” Aurora tells her.

Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge by Peter Samuel

“That sounds divine,” Rita replies.  “Could I also use your phone or laptop to contact my friend Zsofia?”

“Certainly,” Oliver says.  He passes her his cellphone.  “I can use my laptop for messages today so why don’t you hang onto it.  It will vibrate when there’s a call or message.  Just say the name of your friend and vibrate only if she calls.” 

“It’s going to get blistering hot, so we should get you some clothes before 10 a.m.,” Aurora says.

“That would be wonderful,” Rita says as she turns on the espresso machine.  “And thank you Professor Martin for lending me your phone.”

“Just Oliver,” he tells her.

“We’ll ask Iluka to come along,” Aurora adds as she gets up.  “I better show you how to steam the milk.  You need to pour just enough to make a face.”

Once Rita has her latte she sits at the kitchen table and texts Zsofia:

Dear Zsofia.  I’ve just arrived in Sydney, Australia.  Marlo is busy doing something else so I’m here with an amazing Australian couple.  If I can get you a position at the university will you come here?  The task Albi Rose has given me here is a bit overwhelming.

Please say yes,

Lots of Love!

Rita

Rita notices Aurora staring down at her feet with a frown.

“Let’s get Iluka,” Aurora says, “then while you and her talk in the car I’ll get you a pair of sandals.  Tomorrow Oliver and I will take you to the university.”

“Thank you both so much,” Rita says.  “I don’t know what I would do without your help and such kind hospitality.”

Grimacing against the heat Rita tenderly walks with Aurora to the Martins’ blue Tesla Model 3 electric car. 

“It’s getting old now but still has one of the best ranges of cars in our price range,” Aurora tells her as she pats the hood of the car.  “The tinted glass roof is also a solar panel.  So the car is constantly being recharged.”

As Rita watches Aurora knock on Iluka’s door out the Tesla Model 3 passenger window, she contemplates going to the harbour that night to check on Marlo.

https://www.caradvice.com.au/893403/tesla-model-3-price-australia/

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

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Rita Walker: Australia (Blog Seven) by Dan Watt and Taylor Norris

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

As Australia and the rest of the world learn how to better harness the sun’s power more electricity will come from solar energy and less from other sources.

A woman with frizzly natural blonde hair and devilish green eyes opens the door for Rita.  “Iluka told us you were here,” the woman says in a wonderful New South Wales accent.

Rita is confused.  “Iluka?  You are Professor Aurora Martin aren’t you?”

“Yes, yes come in, and call me Aurora or it will be confusing when you meet my husband Oliver.  It’s too hot to walk during the day so he’s out with Taz right now.  As for Iluka she is a Yawkyawk.”

Rita wants to know who Iluka is and what Aurora means by a Yawkyawk but her feet are killing her so she steps into a hall with silky oak flooring and a carpeted staircase that goes up.  She notices pictures from places around the world line the walls and up on the ceiling a fan blows much appreciated cool air over her.

“We use solar energy for the fan,” Aurora tells her.  “I just made some ice tea, would like some, and have you eaten?”

“I would love some ice tea, and something to eat would be fantastic,” Rita replies as she follows Aurora into a kitchen with lots of Wollemi Pine cupboards and an extensive hung wine rack just underneath.

Aurora gestures for Rita to sit down on one the high back chairs at an square table made of eucalyptus.  Rita places her dilly bag beside her and takes in a long tired but relaxing breath.

“Chicken Parmigiana okay with you?” Aurora asks.

“Anything,” Rita replies with a thankful sigh.  She unintentionally guzzles the ice tea down.

“Is that all the clothing you have?” Aurora asks as she heats up a plate of food in the microwave. 

“Yes,” Rita replies. 

“Well, I think we’ll get you fitted with some clothes tomorrow morning before we bring you over to meet Iluka.” 

As Aurora is talking Rita hears the sound of a man whispering to a dog as it barks excitedly.

“Stay!” the man shouts as she hears the scrapping sound of a dog pulling and getting away.

The next moment a chocolate brown Australian Kelpie is stalking around her sniffing.  Occasionally he looks up at her with cognac brown eyes.

“Hello,” says a man with disheveled dark brown hair with a streak of white on the left side.  Rita notices that Oliver Martin’s eye colour is similar to his wife’s but with more of a thoughtful stare.  “I don’t think Taz quite knows what to make of you,” he says as he kisses his wife.

https://nga.gov.au/exhibition/niat07/detail.cfm?IRN=163786

https://arena.gov.au/renewable-energy/solar/

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

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Fallen (from the as yet unpublished 4th book in the Children of the Myth Machine series)

(From “Miya” the as yet unpublished 4th book in the Children of the Myth Machine series)

Fallen

I rebelled against destiny

So Father Sky severed my wings

And I plummeted into Mother Nature

Who chained me to her bosom

In vines dense with iron

But still I rebelled

So they gouged out my eyes

And I can no longer see the future

Now as I wander with these chains around my neck

Listening to the betrayals and laments

I grow tired

Of killing my insides

So you feel safe

I never belonged to you

Nor do I answer to you

Though I answer

And as my destiny nears its end

I will listen

I will encourage and promote

And if necessary

I will judge

Listen with keen ears and remember

If you follow your destiny

You will have the choice to return or not

But if you don’t

You will have no choice but to return

And I won’t be here when you do

  • DW

Rita Walker: Australia (Blog Six) by Dan Watt and Taylor Norris

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

Dhimurru Rangers trying to keep land clean while saving wildlife.

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/may/15/monstrous-indigenous-rangers-struggle-against-the-plastic-ruining-arnhem-land-beaches

At night she climbs up onto a dock near the Sydney Opera House and waits by one of the docked boats until she changes back.

Figure 1 Sydney Opera House by Peter Samuel 9

In the sky she sees stars in the shape of two serpents and follows their touching tails towards where she hopes the professors Aurora and Oliver Martin live.

She’s thankful it’s nighttime so the pavement is cooler on the soles of her feet.  She’s faring better than Marlo who only had on swimming shorts when he changed on Haida Gwaii.   

Although she wants to protect Mother Earth she also understands that countries rely on strong economics.  It isn’t as easy as saying shut down coal mines and stop using it.  There could be technological advances that allow countries to keep or improve their economic situation while decreasing the use of environmentally damaging energy sources.  Then there’s plastic.  She wonders if Marlo is discovering any solutions.

If factories can be converted to using renewable resources with low to no pollutants than everyday use items such as water bottles can be designed to break down without leaving micro particles that can be ingested and accumulated in plants and tiny animals.  She looks into the sky and sees the snake tails glowing.  In front of her is an older style townhouse with a number 16 written in bold letters over the lintel of a door with many indigenous symbols.  There are too many symbols to count quickly.  She wonders if there is a symbol for each of the 500 plus clan groups.        

https://www.sydneyoperahouse.com/

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2020/may/04/nsw-and-queensland-coal-industry-uses-as-much-water-as-all-sydney-households-report-finds

https://skepticalscience.com/Australia-coal.html

https://www.statista.com/statistics/271748/the-largest-emitters-of-co2-in-the-world/

https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/habitats/plastic-pollution/

Sydney Opera House background pic by Peter Samuel with Rita Walker body makeup by @amasonart Alannah Mason, model Taylor Norris, picture of model by Dan Watt

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Rita Walker: Australia (Blog Five) by Dan Watt and Taylor Norris

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

“Our spirituality is a oneness and an interconnectedness with all that lives and breathes, even with all that does not live or breathe.”
– Mudrooroo

 

As she heads into the South Pacific Ocean from the Hawkesbury River, Rita changes from many trout into a single three meter long bottlenose dolphin.  Dilga’s milk will protect her from any pollutants caused by sewage being dumped into the ocean near the coast of Sydney.  Everywhere on Earth there is a pollution problem it seems.  Bottlenose dolphins that have died are often given an autopsy to see what contaminants they have accumulated.

Albi Rose taught her that life constantly flows but so can death.  Both are important for the balance of existence.  Moving with the seasons to areas that are bountiful in flora and fauna without changing the landscape are important to all the Australian Indigenous groups.  But the permanent living in one area throughout the year seems to have burdened the environment.  Fixed locations cause too much waste dumped into waterways and the movement of plastic and other waste to designated areas to accumulate until it overflows into the pristine areas.

Exhausted from thinking of all the Earth’s problems caused by humanity she longs to explore the kilometers of ocean water below her.  But that will have to wait.  She’s decides to invite her friend Zsofia to Sydney.  Perhaps she can get Zsofia a guest lecturer position as a Biomedical Science expert.

 

https://theconversation.com/australias-pristine-beaches-have-a-poo-problem-116175

https://www.britannica.com/place/Pacific-Ocean/The-trade-winds

https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/animals-and-plants/native-animals/native-animal-facts/bottlenose-dolphin

http://www.nrm.gov.au/national/local/whale-dolphin-protection

 

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

 

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Rita Walker: Australia (Blog Four) by Dan Watt and Taylor Norris

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

A totem is an object or thing in nature that is adopted as a family or clan emblem. Different clans are assigned different totems and, in some cases, individuals are given personal totems at birth. In the Torres Strait, people wear personal pendants, which are mostly carved out of wood, turtle shell or shells and often represent the person’s totem. There are well-established rules about when they can wear the pendants, often only during ceremonies or rituals.

 

As a school of trout Rita has to let the trout do what they naturally would so she asks Dilga if she can enter the dreamtime.

Rita floats bodiless in space.  She looks down and sees a group of women known as the Djunkgao sisters shrouded in mist.  They are naming the Australian animals and clans.  One is making sacred wells with a yam stick.  The image disappears.

Again mist swirls around, and this time Rita sees the youngest sister observing the ocean’s current.  A male figure related to the sisters accosts her.  Angry words are exchanged.  The man forces the youngest sister to the ground.  Unable to stop what happens next Rita goes elsewhere to avoid the sight of the father, uncle, or brother raping the youngest sister.

In the next image all the sisters are standing on land looking up into the sky.  To spite the man, they all know, for what he did to their youngest sister, they have become dormant.  Now the land grows dry and overheated from lack of rain.

“Think of water as the sisters, and pollution as the man who raped the youngest sister,” Dilga’s voice echoes in her thoughts.  “There are parallels between the past, the present, and the future.  Follow the trail of coal as energy and encourage alternatives and less destructive uses.  It’s time for the Djunkgao sisters to come home.  Thank your…friend…for what he is already doing.”

 

http://www.aboriginalart.com.au/culture/dreamtime2.html

https://australianstogether.org.au/discover/indigenous-culture/aboriginal-spirituality/

http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/our-partners/traditional-owners/traditional-owners-of-the-great-barrier-reef/language-totems-and-stories

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2019/nov/01/six-biggest-coalminers-in-australia-produce-more-emissions-than-entire-economy

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-50869565

 

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

 

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Rita Walker: Australia (Blog Three) by Dan Watt and Taylor Norris

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

The Australasia Recycling Label

  • We administer the Australian Packaging Covenant to reduce the environmental impacts of consumer packaging and optimise resource recovery.
  • We develop plans and guidelines to prevent plastic waste from entering the oceans.
  • We work with state, territory and local governments, as well as industry, to support and encourage the reduction of plastic waste and litter.

https://www.environment.gov.au/protection/waste-resource-recovery/plastics-and-packaging

It’s so hot as she walks to the Jenolan River that she grimaces with every step.  But she wants to wait until she reaches Sidney before using any of Dilga’s herbs.  Once she reaches the river she kneels down and diligently pours some of Dilga’s milk into the water.  Before climbing in she presses her hands in.  Feeling the ebb of the current she asks Dilga to send protection to Marlo.  Keeping her hand under the warm water she waits until she is connected to Marlo.

The vibrations she feels from Marlo tell her, “I’m near the Cocos Keeling Islands.  The plastic and other debris is bad and some of it is breaking down into smaller pieces that wildlife ingests.”

She sends back a vibration asking, “What’s causing it?” and waits.

“Most of it seems to be coming from Asia.  We both know the steps now.  Let the World know and then offer solutions.”  She can sense Marlos’ frustration.

“How do we solve it?” she asks with more vibrations.

After a time she receives his reply.  “In water form I can estimate the amount of miniscule pieces and larger pieces but it will take time.  The movement of water and wind will make it hard to clean up without hurting the environment.  I need time to find a solution.  Can you contact me in a few days?”

“I will,” she promises.

The heat is almost unbearable as she slides into the Jenolan River.  A lot of the 18.6 million hectares of the land burnt in the 2019 to 2020 fires has now regrown.  But the summers in New South Wales can be as high as 50°C.  The dilly bag and her clothes become a part of her body as she turns into a school of trout cod.  She will feed as trout cod do on her long journey to Cox River into Lake Burragorang then north into the Nepean River.  From there she will travel along the Hawkesbury River in Broken Bay and finally to the South Pacific Ocean.  There she’ll travel south to Sydney as a bottlenose dolphin.

 

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-43375-4

https://www.marinelitterthefacts.com/sources

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2019%E2%80%9320_Australian_bushfire_season

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

https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/animals-and-plants/native-animals/native-animal-facts/bottlenose-dolphin#:~:text=The%20bottlenose%20dolphin%20can%20be,the%20lower%20reaches%20of%20rivers.

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

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