#Arrernte country

[slidesworthseeing]

Found slide: A dust storm envelopes Todd Street, Mparntwe Alice Springs, Eastern Arrernte Country, Central Australia, circa November 1962 (photographer unknown)

[furmity]

Reptile House

One of the happiest periods of my life was the summer of 2018- 19. My beloved and I had just moved to Mparntwe, Arrernte country (Alice Springs, Northern Territory). We lived in a strange mudbrick dwelling ten minutes out of town (which is a world away). It was small and very basic, mostly one room with a little alcove bathroom and a corner mezzanine.

The place was full of cockroaches and mice. Colossal spiders roamed through. One rainy night we found three 15cm centipedes inside. Hemlig was stung by a scorpion in the bed. I discovered how gentle the giant orange wasps were after enclosing one in my hand on the doorknob. Which was all very exciting, but the place really belonged to the REPTILES.

It was so covered in geckos you could count fifty around the windows each night. Any object could have a gecko under it. The landlord had been so good as to leave a pile of sheet iron by the front door which we called the Snake Hotel. The dust around it was covered in winding tracks. A baby brown snake came in one night, disappeared through a hole in the wall and was spotted in the garden the next day. Sand goannas were also frequently strolling by. Ood the Dude occupied the mezzanine, and the Pond Beast was in a bathtub outside.

There was no way to connect wifi so we went without internet (save a little phone data and library computers). Hemlig concentrated on playing music. We had an outdoor table which was shaded in the afternoons, so I spent most of my free time reading there. We played cards and had long conversations over meal times. If we wanted to watch a film we relied on harddrives, and we didn't own a tv.

Hemlig had lived in Mparntwe before, so was returning to old friends and was giving me introductions. We had a swimming pool, so had plenty of visitors. I smoothly got a job in an Indigenous Art Gallery, replacing the girl who had lived in Reptile House previously... The landscape in this part of the world is also beyond description, and we were amongst it.

My time in Alice steadily deteriorated (I was about to make some huge mistakes), but that summer of being offline, adventurous, and surrounded by reptiles really warrants replication.

[whats-in-a-sentence]

Figure 19 in Chapter 6 shows an example of the layout of a large camp in Arrernte Country. (...) Figure 19 shows an Arrernte subsection system from Central Australia involving eight skins. (...) The most outstanding known and mapped example of nested clustering is the Arrernte camp reported by ethnographers Baldwin Spencer and Frank Gillen in 1896, based on eight subsection classes (see Figure 19).

"Design: Building on Country" - Alison Page and Paul Memmott

[tenth-sentence]

In this example, single-gender daytime camps also formed, based on skin-pair links and consisting of both classificatory father-son pairs and classificatory aunty-niece pairs (a woman and her brother's daughter).

"Design: Building on Country" - Alison Page and Paul Memmott

[blubushie]

About Me

G'day, I'm Blu! I'm a 23 year old Aussie from Arrernte country (Mparntwe/Alice specifically) and a professional sniper (see: pest management professional) stuck in America for the foreseeable future. I live out of my ute with my dog Misty and my rifle Winnie, and I love camping, survivalism, and the bush.

Click here for the blog rules, a guide to my tagging system, and more information about me!

Click here for my masterlist!

Click here for my Strawpage! Because that's a thing now!

MINORS: Block the "#blu lewd" and "#nsft" tag OR I WILL BLOCK YOU and do not DM me unless it's to ask to join Blucord. This goes ESPECIALLY if you're 16 or under. Adults on the internet are not your friends, and I am not comfortable speaking with you privately without a third party present.

Indigenous Aussies please block the "#sorrybiz" tag. This tag will be the trigger tag for when photos are reblogged of deceased Indigenous Australians.

IF I LIKED YOUR ART BUT DIDN'T REBLOG IT—I put art into my queue. Give it a bit and it'll probably reblog!

Sometimes I fall off the face of the earth and disappear for weeks at a time. This is normal and not cause for alarm. I'll be back.

I have a lewd blog, @blu-lewd. Minors DNI of course for that blog.

[anxietyfluffy]

my OCs sprites & suspect lineups!

(SPOILERS FOR GAME 1, 2, 3, 4 & 5)

Faye is the girlfriend of Duncan, and is a carpenter in white peaks! She grew up in Rhyne Canyon, so she tends to wear clothes made for warm weather. Her daughter is Cosette, a more quiet girl. Faye n Cosette met Duncan due to the fact Cosette was the little girl he saved. When he was in the hospital, recovering after being shot in the spine, Faye and Cosette constantly visited him, thanking him for saving the both of them. Soon, when Duncan left the hospital, Faye visited him a lot more, which lead to them getting feelings for each other - and lead them to getting in a relationship. The two of them were disheartened when they discovered Duncan was a serial killer, Faye never stopped talking to him though, even if what he did hurt the two so bad.

Here is Aliah Khan, an Arrernte-Aboriginal woman from Australia. She went over the the Concordia Flying Squad originally for training, until she felt a certain connection to someone - Diego Del Lobo. Though, sadly, she could not properly be with him, as she was stuck in a loveless marriage. Though, with the time she got with Diego, their relationship grew to be strong. That was - until he killed Charlie. In ways, she understood why he did what he did, there was no choice on his part. But, the fact he killed someone they both were close to left cracks in their dynamic. And it didn’t help she had to return back to Australia. Before she left, Diego told her to look through his stuff, to where she found a necklace and a notebook. Telling her to keep it, Diego wished her better times in Australia, and that he hoped she’d write to him. Aliah treasured that notebook - which was full of love notes to her, from Diego - and the necklace, passing the jewellery down generations to keep it - and really, their love, safe and strong.

Brutus & Apollo are the descendants of Aliah, Angel being an adopted brother in their family. Brutus is the leader of the group, and was a detective for Grimsburough, Pacific Bay and the Bureau before making his own police department in his home country, Australia. His best friend, adopted brother and co-worker, Angel, is a loud, party-filled kinda guy. He loves scene music and just being chaotic. Apollo is similar, a care-free man who loves a good swim and a good game of soccer. And AFL. And any sport you can think of, really. Brutus is practically a polar opposite compared to these two social butterflies, he’s practically a hermit, who sucks at social situations. Though, this is made up by his pure smarts and strength. But that doesn’t stop him from being a blunt, awkward man who swears half of the time he speaks. (Also, Brutus has Aliah’s necklace, he just keeps it hidden underneath his shirt.)

Cecilia Serafina Marconi is Ginger and Tony’s child, born in 2009, she is a more quiet child. Blunt like her father, she doesn’t really have a lot of friends. But, she does have Astrid, her absolute best friend. Astrid is a year older than her, and was originally living with her grandmother, Margaret Littlewood before the events of Dog eat Dog happened. Instead of a dog show though, it was a beauty pageant for children. (Yes, that absolutely makes the case more devastating. :) ) Astrid ended up getting adopted by David Jones, as her parents were dead long before her actual case. 5 years later, she ended up being the loud, comforting friend for Cecilia. They both are inseparable - to the dismay of Tony and David - and always want the other to be there with them even for the most random situations.  If you all have any questions or want to know more about them, ask away! :D

[a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives]

‘It’s the relationship I knew I wanted’: Scrublands star on learning to commit

Luke Arnold is an actor and writer who is best known for playing Michael Hutchence in Never Tear Us Apart. The 39-year-old discusses the endearing nickname he called his little sister as a child, a silly but romantic Christmas gesture and what he is most proud of in his current relationship.

“It’s interesting to reflect on the actresses I admired before I got into the acting industry who later became colleagues, like Heather Graham.”

My maternal great-great-grandmother thought her name was Jean, but when she was 70 she found her birth certificate, which said Jane. Her mother died when she was young, so I’m not sure what went wrong there, but she was still Jean to us all.

Some of my first memories are getting handwritten and recorded poems on cassettes from her. Looking at them recently, I can see the influence their form and patterns have had on my own writing.

When I was young, my maternal granny, Valerie, lived on a sailing boat with my step granddad. They also travelled around Australia on a motorbike. They were a great example of the freewheeling, bohemian lifestyle that was definitely passed down to me.

My parents, Nola and Colin, met while picking fruit. Mum is not the tallest lady and trained to become a jockey. It was her passion from a young age, but in the late 1970s she found the male-dominant culture of the racing industry too tough to realise her dream.

Mum is an enthusiastic and bubbly person. Before my younger sister, Ashley, and my brother, George, were born, I had her full attention for two years. It was great, as it meant that when I started school, I was on my way to reading and writing.

When I was just a baby myself, I used to call my sister “my little darling”, as we were so close. In the teen years we grew apart a bit, but since 2019 we’ve become close again. Ashley’s a web designer and is living the life of a digital nomad.

My first celebrity crush was Amy Jo Johnson, the actress who played the Pink Power Ranger on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.

It’s interesting to reflect on the actresses I admired before I got into the acting industry who later became colleagues, like Heather Graham, star of Boogie Nights, which is one of my favourite films. When Heather enlisted me to act opposite her on her 2018 film Half Magic, it was a “pinch-me” moment. One minute I would be talking to her as a colleague, then the next I’d think, “You’re HEATHER GRAHAM!”

My first serious relationship was with Hayley at Sunshine Beach High School in Queensland. We bonded over acting and performing. It was nice to meet a girl after my teenage years in Sydney, where I’d worked as a clown, doing parties and magic, mostly around dudes.

While at drama school [WAAPA in Perth], I picked up a girlfriend from the airport dressed in wrapping paper. I’d asked her what she wanted for Christmas and she’d replied, “Just you.” I took that literally. It was a silly, ridiculous, romantic gesture. I’m glad camera phones weren’t a big thing back then.

In the 2022 NITV SBS series True Colours, Rarriwuy Hick and I both played detectives. Filming that was a huge education for me. My touchstones on the Northern Territory set were the women – Rurriway and Arrernte/Warlpiri woman Marie Ellis, with whom we consulted daily to follow cultural protocol.

It was nerve-racking to be the white fella who was ignorant of so many things. But the First Nations people had such generosity teaching me about that part of the country, and about the practices that impacted storylines, like men’s business, kinship and payback. There was overwhelming care for us outsiders coming in.

I’ve been with my current partner, Laura, for a year. We met while making a film 16 years ago and I was completely and madly infatuated with her. We were both young and at that time I was ill-equipped to handle such strong feelings.

We had a couple of false starts that left us both feeling tender, but we kept returning to the flame. Something I’m proud of is that we kept showing up, as it would have been easy to just turn it into a story of heartbreak and not deal with it.

We’ve always been great friends throughout it all. Laura is the person I want to call with good news, with a question, or if I’m anxious about something. It’s the relationship I knew I wanted, and I’m very grateful to be in it now.

Luke Arnold stars in Scrublands, premiering November 16 on Stan.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

[bumblebeeappletree]

Meet Doug Taylor and Dale Campbell, both Park Rangers in the Tjoritja-West Macdonnell National Park.

As Arrertne people, Dale and Doug both have a deep cultural connection to this region. Dale shares that as a “born and bred Alice Springs local, working out on Tjoritja-West McDonald National Park is a privilege because I'm working out on my Country, my family's country. It’s the best."

Sharing feelings of pride to be caring for Country and walking the pathways of their ancestors Doug says, “I’m an Arrertne person, so for me this is ancestral Country. As a ranger, it’s great that I can work on the Country of my ancestors, and at the same time exchange that knowledge with visitors, the significance of the ranges, because there’s so many important sites through here and along the trail.”

Based at spectacular Simpsons Gap, they manage a section of the world-famous Larapinta Trail. The 223km trail is divided into twelve sections that each take one or two days to complete. It stretches from Mparntwe (Alice Springs) to Rwetyepme (Mt Sonder). Dale tells us that “hundreds and hundreds of hikers come through the trail every year now. It’s one of the most spectacular hiking trails here in Australia. It gives you the whole overview of what the West Macdonnell Ranges are all about.”

Dale explains some of the work that the Ranger team does to maintain the trails and safety of walkers, as well as show us some of the incredible plants in bloom in the desert. “As you can see the country’s quite dry right now. Well up to 40°C, sometimes 50°C summer days. Being a park ranger, we provide water to the Lara-trail tanks, service the toilet blocks, even provide assistance for hikers that are injured. We also provide a bit of knowledge of the place. Giving education to them is one of the key things.”

Dale shows us the resurrection fern Cheilanthes lasiophylla. “After any bit of moisture that we get in Central Australia, the resurrection fern fingers will open and come back to life. After the moisture dries up, they eventually curl back up and go back to sleep.” Doug shows us an Eremophila freelingii in which “the honeyeaters have extracted all the nectar out” of the flowers.

People travel to Alice Springs from all over the world to experience not just the physical challenge of the hike, but also the spiritual connection to this ancient landscape. The plants, animals, waterholes and rock formations found here are deeply significant to the creation stories of the Arrernte people, including parts of the Akngwelye and Yeperenye Altyerre (Wild Dog and Caterpillar) dreaming stories.

"Our rangers' role is very, very diverse and different. It's so good for us as work, because we're not just doing one thing, we're doing lots of different things. Things like fire management, weed management, as well looking after the trail. It's a fantastic role and I feel very fortunate to be doing it” says, Doug. “Also, for our young people here, they have opportunities to be rangers. That’s what we want, we want our young people to work the country of their ancestors and feel good about it because this is their home. What better place to come to work, I mean – what an office!”

Featured Plants:

WOOLLY CLOAK-FERN - Cheilanthes lasiophylla

ROCK FUCHSIA BUSH - Eremophila freelingii

ROCK FIG - Ficus brachypoda

BLACK-FOOTED ROCK-WALLABY - Petrogale lateralis

SPEARWOOD - Pandorea doratoxylon

RIVER RED GUM - Eucalyptus camaldulensis

[dear-indies]

Hi there! I've been having such a hard time finding resources for this but was hoping you could help! I'd super appreciate if you can recommend (or link the ask if you've done this one already!) poc faceclaims with cowboy resources!! Any age will do so long as they're rootin' tootin' :) Thank u!!

Regina King (1971) African-American - The Harder They Fall.

Danielle Deadwyler (1982) African-American - The Harder They Fall.

Cara Gee (1983) Cree - Strange Empire.

Roberta Colindrez (1986) Mexican (In an interview said that she's not white) - is queer - maybe vibes in I Love Dick - has spoken up for Palestine!

Rutina Wesley (1987) African-American - The Last of Us, maybe her vibes in Queen Sugar too.

Devery Jacobs (1993) Mohawk - is queer - vibes in Reservation Dogs - has spoken up for Palestine!

Erin Kellyman (1998) Afro Jamaican / White - is a lesbian - vibes in Willow.

Men:

Gil Birmingham (1952) Comanche - Yellowstone.

Zahn McClarnon (1966) Hunkpapa Lakota Sioux and Irish - Barskins, Timeless, Dark Winds.

Mo Brings Plenty (1969) Oglala Lakota - Yellowstone.

Aaron Pedersen (1970) Arrernte and Arabana - Mystery Road.

Don Lee (1971) Korean - vibes in Badland Hunters.

Idris Elba (1972) Sierra Leonean / Ghanaian - Concrete Cowboy and The Harder They Fall.

Edi Gathegi (1979) Kenyan - The Harder They Fall.

Nonso Anozie (1979) Nigieran - vibes in Sweet Tooth.

Clé Bennett (1981) Afro Jamaican - Organ Trail.

Gabriel Luna (1982) Mexican and Lipan Apache - The Last of Us.

Brian Michael Smith (1983) African-American - is a trans man - he done a photoshoot with a cowboy hat and he wears plaid in 911: Lone Star.

Martin Sensmeier (1985) Tlingit, Koyukon, Eyak, White - Frybread Face and Me.

Alex Meraz (1985) Mexican [Purepecha and Lakota Sioux] - The Last Son, vibs in The Walking Dead - has spoken up for Palestine!

Rahul Kohli (1985) Punjabi Indian - uses he/they - vibes in Midnight Mass - has spoken up for Palestine!

Push Puttichai Kasetsin (1986) Thai - U-Prince: The Handsome Cowboy.

Amar Chadha-Patel (1986) Indian - vibes in Willow.

Denim Richards (1988) African-American - Yellowstone.

Raymond Ablack (1989) Indo Guyanese - Maid.

Daniel Kaluuya (1989) Ugandan - Nope.

Kiowa Gordon (1990) Hualapai and White - Reservation Dogs, Dark Winds - has spoken up for Palestine!

Michael Vlamis (1991) Lebanese and White - Roswell New Mexico.

Kofi Siriboe (1994) Ghanaian - vibes in Really Love idk why.

Shayan Sobhian (1994) Iranian - had a scene in Legends of Tomorrow but his vibe in general could work.

RJ Cyler (1995) African-American - The Harder They Fall.

Tony Revolori (1996) Guatemalan [Spanish and Unspecified Indigenous] - vibes in Willow.

Joshua Odjick (2000/1) Algonquin. Cree, possibly Ojibwe - vibes in Wildhood.

D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (2001) Ojibwe, Cree, Chinese Guyanese, Afro Guyanese, White - vibes in Reservation Dogs.

Hamilton Morris (?) Warlpiri - Sweet Country.

Non-binary:

Sara Ramírez (1975) Mexican and some Irish - non-binary, queer and bisexual (they/them) - maybe I just really want someone to make a queer cowboy - has spoken up for Palestine!

Ser Anzoategui (1979) Argentinian and Paraguayan (has said in an interview that they're not white) - is non-binary (them/him/she) - vibes in Vida - has spoken up for Palestine!

Eliot Sumner (1990) - is non-binary (they/them) - lost smell after a brain injury - it's the vibes, also saw they posted them in a cowboy hat.

Vico Ortiz (1991) Puerto Rican - non-binary and genderfluid (they/them) - vibes in Our Flag Means Death - has spoken up for Palestine!

Quintessa Swindell (1997) African-American / White - is non-binary (they/he) - it's the vibes, also saw they posted them in a cowboy hat - has spoken up for Palestine!

I also included people with general vibes too which have been noted!

[blackfilmshowdown]

New Film Submissions

Sweet Country (2017) dir. Warwick Thornton

based upon a true story where a white man is murdered as an act of self-defense. It’s an Australian Western that explores colonial oppression, racism, and sexism and is told through an Aboriginal lens

In My Blood It Runs (2019) dir. Maya Newell

A documentary about a young Arrernte boy, Dujuan Hoosan. It depicts the ongoing systematic oppression of Aboriginal Australians and the fear of child removal and child incarnation and explores the struggle of growing up in between two cultures (in this specific case Arrernte and the colonial power of white Australia) as Dujuan is a child healer and a hunter who speaks three languages and is taking upon the traditional roles in his community but he doesn’t meet the expectations of white western schooling

Samson and Delilah (2009) dir. Warwick Thornton

Fourteen-year-old Aboriginal kids Samson and Delilah hail from an isolated community in the Central Australian desert, where - for Samson - sniffing petrol is one of the few available ways of escaping the suffocating grimness of daily life. After a persistent campaign to gain Delilah's affection, Samson steals the community's sole motor car and persuades her to elope with him to Alice Springs.

[furmity]

I have thought about this nearly every day for the past 5 years

fuck the Bloobz

(There are gangs in Mparntwe who call themselves Crips and Bloods)

[hividsmarttv]

Australian Film

Australia has a rich and diverse film culture that has produced some incredible movies over the years. From sweeping epics to gritty dramas, Australian films are known for their unique voice and perspective. In this article, we will explore the different types of films made in Australia, major film festivals occurring in Australia, and prominent Australian actors.

Types of Films Made in Australia

Australian films cover a wide range of genres, from comedy to horror, and everything in between. One of the most well-known types of Australian films is the "outback western," which typically features a lone hero taking on the harsh Australian landscape. Examples of this genre include "The Proposition" and "The Tracker."

Another popular type of Australian film is the coming-of-age story, which often explores themes of identity, family, and community. Examples of this genre include "The Black Balloon" and "Looking for Alibrandi."

Australia is also known for producing high-quality horror films, such as "Wolf Creek" and "The Babadook." These films often use the Australian landscape to create a sense of isolation and unease.

Major Film Festivals in Australia

Australia is home to several major film festivals, including the Sydney Film Festival and the Melbourne International Film Festival. The Sydney Film Festival, which has been running since 1954, showcases the best of Australian and international cinema. The Melbourne International Film Festival, which has been running since 1952, is one of the oldest film festivals in the world and features a diverse range of films from around the globe.

Prominent Australian Actors

Australia has produced a number of talented actors who have achieved international success and acclaim. One of the most well-known of these actors is Nicole Kidman, who has starred in a variety of films, including "Moulin Rouge!," "The Others," and "The Hours." Kidman has won numerous awards for her work, including an Academy Award for Best Actress for her role in "The Hours."

Another prominent Australian actor is Hugh Jackman, who is perhaps best known for his role as Wolverine in the "X-Men" film series. Jackman has also appeared in a variety of other films, including "Les Misérables," "The Prestige," and "The Greatest Showman." He has been recognized for his work with numerous awards, including a Golden Globe for Best Actor for his role in "Les Misérables."

Other notable Australian actors include Cate Blanchett, who has appeared in films such as "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy and "The Aviator," and Geoffrey Rush, who has appeared in films such as "Shine" and "The King's Speech." These actors have helped to put Australia on the map in the global film industry, and their work continues to inspire and entertain audiences around the world.

Indigenous Actors in Australia

Australia has a long and complex history when it comes to the treatment of its Indigenous population, and this history is reflected in the country's film industry. Over the years, there have been many films that explore the experiences of Indigenous Australians and highlight the issues faced by these communities. There are also many talented Indigenous Australian actors who have made a significant impact in the industry.

One of the most well-known Indigenous Australian actors is David Gulpilil, who has appeared in a number of films, both in Australia and internationally. Gulpilil is a Yolngu man from Arnhem Land and has been acting since the 1970s. He has appeared in films such as "Walkabout," "The Last Wave," and "Charlie's Country," and has been recognized with numerous awards and accolades for his work.

Another prominent Indigenous Australian actor is Aaron Pedersen, who is of Arrernte and Arabana descent. Pedersen has appeared in a variety of films and television shows, including "Mystery Road," "Jack Irish," and "Water Rats." He has also been recognized for his work with numerous awards, including the AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor in a Television Drama.

In addition to these actors, there are also many Indigenous Australian filmmakers who are making important contributions to the industry. One of these filmmakers is Warwick Thornton, who is a Kaytetye man from the Northern Territory. Thornton's films often explore the experiences of Indigenous Australians and the impact of colonization on their communities. His film "Samson and Delilah" won the Caméra d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2009.

Other notable Indigenous Australian films include "The Tracker," "Ten Canoes," and "Sweet Country," all of which explore the experiences of Indigenous Australians in different ways. These films often highlight issues such as dispossession, racism, and the ongoing struggle for Indigenous rights and recognition.

Overall, the Indigenous Australian film industry is a vital and important part of the country's cultural landscape. Through the work of talented actors and filmmakers, these films are helping to shed light on the experiences of Indigenous Australians and raise awareness about the issues they face. As the industry continues to grow and evolve, it is important that Indigenous voices remain at the forefront, shaping the stories that are being told and ensuring that their perspectives are heard.

[fcrewell-wxnderlust]

MADELEINE MADDEN // have you seen VALA MCMAHON around the crash site? we’re trying to make sure they’re still alive after the crash! according to the manifesto THEY are a 25 year old NONBINARY PERSON. i hear they’re known being an ARCHAEOLOGIST/HISTORICAL LINGUIST. VALA is also known to be INQUISITIVE yet also IMPATIENT at times. we have a couple questions for VALA when we find THEM, we heard something about a secret they might have? such as THEY USED TO BE A GIRLGUIDE (GIRL SCOUT)!

STATS:

Full Name: Vala McMahon Nicknames: Val, Gravedigger, Doc Birthdate: August, 14 Age: 25

Gender: nonbinary Pronouns: they/them Romantic Orientation: biromantic Sexual Orientation: bisexual

Right or Left Handed: right handed Marks: two (2) piercings in each ear, tattoos (TBA)

Schooling: PhD in archaeology, MA in historical linguistics Languages Spoken: English (native speaker), Arrernte (native speaker), Spanish, French, Russian, Latin, Ancient Greek, Sindarin (Elvish), Klingon (learning)

PAST:

PhD by 21. Meet Dr Vala McMahon: an archaeologist who's great at their job but cant get a dig site permit anymore to save their life. Maybe the winds will change in the USA, but one plane and a year gone by with the same bad luck. Luckily for them, extensive travel to other countries via their education leaves them with plenty of language experience so they're an ESL teacher between jobs (read 'for the last year').

PRESENT & SURVIVAL SKILLS:

After a year long dry spell, when a job opportunity in Australia asks for them specifically, how can they say no? Only they have no choice because the plane crashes before they can get there. Great.

As a childhood Girl Guide, Vala should be a productive member of the team! That is, if they can muster up the courage to put their foot down and get the job done. Despite their less than perfect stamina, they can handle most jobs the wilderness might throw at them (unless the wilderness decides to throw bugs at them - that they, most certainly, cannot handle) and while they can throw a decent punch, they aren't a proficient fighter.

SOCIAL:

Vala grew up in a small, comfortable family, preferring their own company to other peoples'. They never found it easy to make friends but once they do, they become fiercely protective over them. They are an ambivert, finding companionship in the strangest places.

[projectourworld]

Winner – astrophotography: Rainbow Valley – Valley of the Stars

The sandstone bluffs of Rainbow Valley, or Wurre as it is known to the Arrernte people, are mesmerising under starlight. Laying on red sand under clear skies, I attempted my first ever star trail image and I’m proud of how I was able to represent this sacred place. Arrernte Country, Rainbow Valley, Northern Territory

Photograph: Brody Gamble. Australian Geographic nature photographer of the year 2024

[ognimdo2002]

Magpie Goose (Anseranas semipalmata) – Ancient Waterfowl

“ What you know about rollin' down in the country? When this primordial one goes numb, you can quacks that caused mental freeze. ”

– Eostre

The Magpie-goose (Anseranas semipalmata) is a species of waterfowl is the sole living representative species of the family Anseranatidae. This common waterbird is found in northern Australia and southern New Guinea.

Take Note: All of my drawings and photos of people, animals, plants, mythology, disasters, organizations, events, and more are purely fictitious. These are included in real-life situations and events with fictional characters or creatures that aren't real, be at your own risk. For nationality or indigenous, be advised. Ognimdo.

Etymology

The Kunwinjku of western Arnhem Land know this bird as manimunak. It became an important food item with the formation of wetlands about 1500 ya, and is depicted in rock art from this period. Mimi figures are often shown holding goose-feather fans. In Yolŋu Matha the bird is known as gurrumaṯtji, or around Ramingining as gumang.

In the Wadawurrung language, the magpie goose is known as Ngangok.

Physiology

The magpie-goose has a black head and neck, and its distinctive knob on the crown gets bigger as it gets older and is more prominent in males. The underwing's black margins contrast sharply with the white underparts. The legs, foot, and bill are all orange. Compared to men, females are somewhat smaller.

Abilities

Usually near wetlands, magpie-geese construct their nests in remote locations during the breeding season. The guy builds the nest nearly entirely by himself. Usually, it's only an unlined cup that's built into the top of a tree or suspended above a platform of crushed reeds.

Behavior

Pairs of geese mate for life, but a male may have two females. Two females may occasionally use the same nest to lay the large, oval, off-white colored eggs. All adults share incubation and care for the young. When you're scared, gather around and move swiftly out of harm's way. Even the chicks conceal it from potential predators, but if very startled, the magpie-goose may take to the skies.

Conservation

Aboriginal people have been hunting Magpie Geese for thousands of years, and these days many people hunt them for food. The Parks and Wildlife Service manage this hunt to ensure that we still have plenty of Magpie Geese left.

Lore

In Two Lights, Worldcraft, Equation, and Rescris series which is set in the future era for Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure sequel, this species' name was from Arrernte word as manimutyka (Aboriginal Arabic: منيموچکه) for this species, which is borrowed from Kunwinjku language.

Trivia

This quote was actually based on from one of the lyrics from Masked Wolf's Astronaut in the Ocean.

Reference

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magpie_goose

https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/22679732/92826979

https://australian.museum/learn/animals/birds/magpie-goose/

[pieaterpieater]

Performing artist Tom Snowdon already has an impressive back-catalogue - one album with his first band Lowlakes, two albums with No Mono - but now he shares details of his first solo album 'Lonely Tree' our 9 FEB 2024.

In the past, Snowdon’s work has centred on hazy atmospheres, and in expressing emotions via metaphors of elemental forces - water, ice, air and light. His affinity with nature is still present on Lonely Tree, but here we see Snowdon navigating his ruminations and desires in a more direct way, offering glimpses into a more personal story. With one eye on the past, and another on the “what could have been” (what Snowdon calls ‘the lingering alternative’), he yearns for a stabilising hand to keep him present and hopeful in the here and now, and sends his voice reaching out across broad sonic landscapes to find one. Across its nine songs Lonely Tree is an exploration of loss and hope, of things ending and new things beginning. Led by Snowdon's famously haunting voice, the album is a journey into a dream-like world of the intangible, and one of deeply personal reflection.

The photos on the album art were taken on Western Arrernte Country, west of Mparntwe/Alice Springs - Snowdon’s home town. During the emotionally tumultuous time of writing, Snowdon spent periods at home and felt its safety and peace. The landscape of Central Australia has long been inspiration for the artist, and is something he echoes on Lonely Tree - the dramatic beauty, the peace and lingering space, its otherworldliness; and also the extreme nature of it - the harsh climate and textures of rock and sand, the big skies and the extreme isolation that welcomes people looking for an escape.