My father passed away two years ago, I remember him well. He used to do almost all the hunting but mother would get food such as roots, plants, nuts, berries, leaves and fruit. The men in our camps usually carry around spears, spear throwers and any weapons to hunt the animals to feed their families. My mother’s mother had shown mama how to do it when she was my age so mother said she would show me the ways to gather food when there is drought or if there is flood. She said if I learned properly and I increased skills I would never go hungry.
My father used to spend a lot of time with us. Family is important and it is important to help your family learn to live and survive. Families in our camps fish, and food gather together when the sons get older they help the fathers hunt. Arvo got to start hunting earlier then the rest of the other sons. When our father died there was no one to look after me if mama went of to hunt so my fathers brother started bringing us food but he had to feed his family so he showed Arvo how to kill animals from birds and snaked to crocodiles and kangaroos.
There was there was bad news through the camp. I hate when there is bad news. The reason I hate bad news is it usually means someone dies. I remember knowing the bad news before the rest of the camp has, they were very sad times. The first time I had heard the bad news before those in the camp was when my father died my family grieved for a few weeks and then they celebrated his life and spirit and they danced. I had thought to myself why aren’t they sad and instead they are smiling. I had asked Arvo what I was thinking. He had replied with they are sad inside but people die and people move on, it is the cycle of life and spirits live on and then I understood why people hunt and they say its fro survival and it’s the way of life. I asked Arvo is that why we do the dances to celebrate the spirits. He nodded.
The news in the camp spread quicker then any other news before. I wasn’t sure if it was good news or if it was bad news. I had asked mama what the news was, she never told me. She did say I would find out soon. I had asked my friend Marca if her mama told her what the news was she just shook her head and answered with a sad no. I told her about the kangaroo at the watering whole she told me she wouldn’t tell her mother if she was me to. I guess sometimes people just don’t say anything at all because it is best not to or is it?
