Caroline Gilmore, the Richmond Down Under marketing intern, writes:

When I arrived in Townsville for the North Queensland, Australia program last summer, I knew little about Aboriginal Australian culture. The little I remembered from high school was certainly not enough. Fortunately while in Australia, we were given the opportunity to connect with the indigenous community, forever changing my perspective.

The day we spent at Mungalla Station, an area operated by the Nywagi people, allowed our group time to explore and understand Aboriginal culture in a hands-on way. We had the opportunity to learn how to throw a boomerang, make ochre and watch one of our guides, Buddy, play the didgeridoo. I embarrassed myself trying to throw the boomerang – it’s more difficult than it looks – while others were able to show off their athletic talents.

We also worked alongside Big Jake, another of our guides, to help restore the wetlands area, which has been overrun with hymenachne, an invasive plant species. As we worked, Big Jake explained to us the unique relationship between Aboriginal people and the land. He described the environment as a pharmacy, where each plant traditionally had a specific use within the tribe.

He emphasized that his family places a priority on living their lives in harmony with the environment.  After everything we had been learning about sustainability, the visibly strong connection that Big Jake’s family had with the land was extremely insightful. While I already knew a little about the Aboriginal lifestyle, nothing compared to speaking with Buddy and Big Jake, hearing their stories, and being able to truly interact with pieces of their culture.