LAST week my murru (journey) took me to the Balranald area, Muthi Muthi and Nari Nari garray (land) to conduct some employment and training work for the local Aboriginal people out that way. I also spent some time at “Mungo” to reconnect to my history and culture.

If you have never been to Mungo you are missing something very special. This garray (land) is vast, colourful and cultural. Some who go to Mungo say that we didn’t see much at all, but that is because they only looked with their miil (eyes) and not with their giiny (heart).

When I was out there last week, I saw madhu (many) baga-bin (flowers) dinawan (emu) budyaan (bird) as well as Wambuwuny (kangaroo) and even tourists.

Mungo is the place where Mungo Man and Mungo Lady were found, they have been dated at 50,000 years old but that may still change as we find better ways of dated people and items as technology improves. Mungo was once a thriving wetlands, a massive lake that attracted mayiny (people) and balugan (animals) from far and wide. Many guya (fish) fossils and plant fossils are also found at this amazing place. 

It is a long, hard murru (journey) to this place, but every pothole, rough creek crossing and dusty road is worth the trip. From the several lookouts you can smell the garray (land) and you can hear the country yarra (talk) to you.

I felt something very special out there at Mungo, the wind and country touched me in the same way that Lake Cargelligo and Euabalong do. Ngurambang (country) is always talking, you just need to listen.

With the finding and dating of the old Mungo people, (50,000 years) comes another discovery out at ngadhi ngurambang (my country) Euabalong NSW. Coco Man was discovered by a local land owner just recently and could be another amazing piece of our cultural puzzle.

By all reports Coco Man was about seven foot tall and had size 15 feet. Coco Man could be even older than the Mungo mob. To have these culturally significant finds in our own area is something that strengthens our song lines and dream time. To know that Aboriginal mayiny (people) had culture, lore, communities and family here for well over 50,000 years is just amazing.

Much was lost when things started to change over 200 years ago. With the coming of Europeans and others we lost some of our culture and many people. I’m reminded of this every time I cross over “Poison Water Hole Creek” near Narrandera and pass by “Murders Island” near the same place. These names were given to these places so as future people would remember what happened here and why.

If you are unsure then perhaps do your own research into these areas and see what you may learn.

To know that people have lived in our areas for thousands of years, to know that our Aboriginal mayiny (people) have lived in harmony with garray (land) and balugan (animals) to know that Aboriginal mayiny (people) protected and nurtured our ngurambang (country) for over 50,000 years is something that everybody in the world should know about.

For more learning and sharing go to my community Facebook page at www.facebook.com/WiradjuriMob