Back from the fieldtrip!

Hey guys, just in from the three day fieldtrip. We went around the Grampians, hiking and speaking with aborigines. Earlier this year about 50% the area was ravaged by forest fires and it was almost eerie looking out into the forest. But more cool than eerie. :) After these trees burn, they don't quite die. The tops are irreparable for a long time, but from inside the bark there are little shoots that emerge, sprouting leaves to help give the tree the photosynthetic energy it needs to regenerate. It was completely beautiful the way the trunks of these crisp, black trees just sprouted these thin, wispy green leaves. I loved it.

But beyond this, the area was special for many other reasons. Millions on years ago, the continent of Australia was very different than today. About 400 millions years ago, the southern area of Australia had a much higher coastline than it does now, as the world was warmer and water levels were high. The area of the Grampians was one part that was underwater and through compaction and compression,this resulted in massive rock structures of sandstone, siltstone, and mudstone. The area also happened to be located on a fault line, and the combination of the water retreating and the land folding and tilting, the Grampians were formed. Of course, the whole process was a lot more complicated than this, but those are the basics.

Another feature that makes this area famous is the huge amount of aboriginal art that's been discovered in the area. About 60 rock art sites have been discovered, including stick figure paintings, hand prints, and etchings. Here is a site describing many of the more famous sites, of which we visited the Ngamadjidj Shelter and the Manja Shelter with the help of two aboriginal tour guides, Brendan and Trevor (who Brendan kept calling Popeye, lol).

Brendan gave a really heart wrenching tale of modern Aborigines and how the struggle to cope with modernization and urbanism, sometimes resulting drugs, alcohol, and extended stints in prison. But the way he spoke, with such passion and conviction and frankness, really moved a bunch of us. But for others it seemed to go right over their heads... but what can you do. Brendan's daughter died in a car accident earlier in the year, and medical reports showed alcohol and cocaine in the bodies of her and her boyfriend. Brendan's actually the head of the local outreach center, which is actual revolutionary in its theories of combining both the aboriginal community and the surrounding white community, which is something not many areas can yet fully come to terms with.

Well gee, this is getting really deep and I need to write a paper on this and don't feel like fully typing this all out now. But I certainly think this was one of if not the most significant fieldtrips we've been on this whole time. The others were amaaazing-- the fieldtrips are totally what make this program-- but this one had real meaning behind it. And it was great.

Also, I ate some kangaroo today. We had a "bush tucker" BBQ at Brendan and Trevor's center before we came home today. Tasted like... cubed steak. You thought I was gonna say chicken hahah. But supposedly one of the most healthiest types of meat due to extremely low fat content. Took a little minute to convince myself to just bite it, but I'm glad I did hahaha.

Ok, well a lot happened and I wish I had photos to accompany this story, bc so much was visual, but alas no camera. Sally did take a bunch for me and she said I can have a copy of all of hers, so I'm sure many more stories will come once I'm able to look back on the three days and refresh my memory. I love you all and hope you're doing well. Drop a line and let me know what's up! Byeeee