ILLUSTRATION: TYROWN WAIGANA
Whadjuk Truth Telling: Listening to the land
Vanessa Corunna
For me, listening to our boodja has become deeper with time and age. My Whadjuk way for listening is based on my own cultural knowing and responding to the land.
Jinarra, meaning the roots of a tree in language – can provide that visual image of the interconnectedness that develops in time between Country and lived experiences. These connections are like jinarra. All connected. Some roots go deeper, some are on the surface, and others are still growing. Each root represents kinship, culture, beliefs, stories, and totems, which are all grounded in knowledge and lived experience. Some knowing is deep, some less so, but with good watering, these connections continue to grow, strengthening our ability to listen deeper and see the signs.
At the heart of listening is respect. The bond between person and Boodja begins early, as we learn to appreciate and love the land. The bond is deepened through a person’s totem. A totem can come from the land, sea or air.
––
कल्पवृक्ष
Lakshmi Kanchi
तुमने आग लगा दी
मेरे बचपन के पेड़ को।
मैं जलते पसीने में जागती हूँ,
सपना अभी भी जल रहा होता है।
***
बरगद बोलता है
धीमी आवाज़ में।
पत्तों की सरसराहट
और फुसफुसाहट के बीच,
उसकी जटाओं में बसे
पक्षियों की उठान
और गान के बीच।
उसकी छाल पर खिंची
उन लकीरों में
जहाँ कीड़े रेंगते हैं
और पनाह लेते हैं।
उन जड़ों के सहारे
जो धरती के फैलाव में
लय की धड़कनें
भरती रहती हैं।
मैं छाया हो जाती हूँ,
और धरती में टपक पड़ती हूँ,
रिसती हुई पहुँचती हूँ उस जगह
जहाँ धरती, पेड़
और आकाश के बीच की गुनगुनाहट
सच की तरह सुनाई देती है।
यह फैलाव नरम है,
अपनापन लिए हुए यहाँ भाषा
पर भाषा, शब्द
पर शब्द, सहलाते हैं,
माँ की भाषा में बोलते हैं।
मैं छाया की उँगलियों से
गहरे खोदती हूँ, और पहुँचती हूँ
उस जगह तक जहाँ
धागे आपस में गुँथते हैं।
जहाँ नदियाँ मिलती हैं,
भाषा पर भाषा,
शब्द पर शब्द, दोहराते हुए,
लहराते हुए, और मेल कराते हुए।
मैं फुसफुसाहटें सुनती हूँ
जो घने आने वाले दिनों तक जाती हैं,
और तस्वीरें मेरी पलकों पर
फड़फड़ाती रहती हैं।
एक रीत में, स्त्रियाँ
उस बरगद के चारों ओर घूमती हैं
जिसकी परिधि में जैसे पूरा
ब्रह्मांड समाया हो। वे उसके
तने पर सूती धागा लपेटती हैं, लाल,
पीला। वही बरगद जिसकी जड़ें
ब्रह्मा हैं, शाखाएँ शिव,
और छाल विष्णु।
यह बरगद बना है
एक कमरे की तरह। जड़ पर जड़
पेड़ से धरती तक
पट्टियों-सी उतरती है।
तना घुस आया है पुरानी
बाड़, तार और लकड़ी में।
जड़ों ने तोड़ दिए हैं
कंक्रीट के रास्ते।
बरगद की खिड़कियाँ हैं।
बरगद का एक दरवाज़ा है
जो ब्रह्मांड की ओर खुलता है।
इस दर्शन में, जैसे
आईनों से भरे एक कमरे में,
अनेक बरगद दोहराते जाते हैं
बहुत दूर, बहुत दूर, क्षितिज तक।
और यह शाश्वत बरगद,
धरती में जड़ा हुआ,
मुझे सच की एक राह दिखाता है
दरवाज़े के खुले होंठों के पार।
***
आंटी वैनेसा कोरुन्ना का दिल से आभार,
जिन्होंने मुझे गहराई से सुनना सिखाया,
और इतने उदार मन से मेरा मार्गदर्शन किया।
ILLUSTRATION: TYROWN WAIGANA
Kalpavriksha
Lakshmi Kanchi
You set fire
to my childhood tree.
I wake up in fiery sweat,
still dreaming.
***
The banyan speaks in
a quiet voice.
Through the rustle
and susurration of leaves,
the heave and song
of birds nestled in its hair.
Through the etchings
on its bark
where insects crawl
and take shelter.
Through roots
that pulse rhythms
into the landscape.
I become shadow,
and drip into the ground,
seep into the space
where the hum
between earth, tree,
and sky rings true.
The expanse is mild
and welcoming. Here language
upon language, word
upon word—soothe,
speak in mother tongue.
I dig deep with shadow
fingers and reach
the place where
threads intertwine.
Meet where rivers
of language upon language,
word upon word—repeat,
ripple, and reconcile.
I hear whispers that reach out
into dense tomorrows,
and images flutter on my eyelids.
In a ritual, women walk around
the banyan that bears the girth
of the universe. They wrap its
trunk with a cotton thread, red,
yellow. The banyan whose roots
are Brahma, the branches Shiva,
and the bark Vishnu.
This banyan is shaped
like a room. Root after root
is slatted from tree to earth.
The trunk has eaten into old
fence, wire and wood.
The roots have broken through
concrete paths.
The banyan has windows.
The banyan has a door
that overlooks the cosmos.
In this visitation, as
in a room full of mirrors,
many banyans repeat far
far into the horizon.
As the eternal banyan,
grounded,
finds me a path
of truth
past the door’s open lips.
***
Heartfelt thanks to Aunty Vanessa Corunna for opening my ears to deeper listening,
and for the generosity of her guidance.
––
Eagle Tree Story
Vanessa Corunna
My Eagle Tree Story is true and shows an example of a deep respect for Country, based on listening, seeing and responding. It is not a one-way relationship; Country knows and responds.
These are special experiences; they have seldom happened, but when they do it is wonderful!
***
On Country when I am travelling or walking, I often see the eagle. He is either hovering high above in the distance, circling around, or sometimes he’ll fly in close, if I am lucky.
My story begins on a warm day when I was conducting a heritage survey on our Country.
I walked alone, at a distance from others. We moved forward in a straight line, searching the ground to see if any cultural material was there.
As I walked, I listened deeply to Country. Country seemed to be silent, then a sound caught my attention in the distance.
It was a tree – an old grandfather tree. He was calling me. I couldn’t see him from where I stood, but it was strikingly taller than the others.
As I listened, a deep knowing rose within me, encouraging me to change course. Trusting this inner feeling, I followed the call and walked along the sandy track towards the tree.
When I arrived, I stood still. Amazed by this enormous old tree. I looked ahead, taking in all its splendour.
My eyes widened as I followed the strong branches up until I reached the top where, to my surprise, an eagle’s nest rested. I was deeply moved and in awe of Country.
By listening and trusting my inner being, the tree guided me to my totem’s nest.
The eagle nest story makes me mindful of the powerful connection we have with Boodja when we:
Listen with our heart,
Trust our inner being,
Follow our instincts.
When we do this, Boodja responds,
showing us wonderful and new things
that are meaningful to us, and
our culture.
Glossary:
Boodja - Country
Vanessa Corunna is a proud Whadjuk Ballardong Palkyl woman with deep cultural connections to both desert and river peoples. Vanessa carries the enduring legacy of her ancestors, including her grandmother, who was born by the Derbarl Yerrigan in 1898. Her short story is one of strength, cultural pride, and a commitment to ensuring the vibrant legacy of Nyungar traditions continues to thrive for generations to come.
Lakshmi Kanchi is an Indian-Australian poet on a mission to make poetry accessible. Her debut collection is Lakesong (Centre for Stories, 2023). She won the 2023 Ros Spencer Poetry Prize and 2021 Pocketry Prize, and co-presented LAND(WORD) JOURNEY at MJAC. Her poem suite—Wayfinding, was featured at Fremantle Biennale.