News March 2016

Knowledge – Hidden Signs and Mystic Symbols

How do we adapt to change? How did we find our way before the rise of GPS, Google maps and Google earth? How did we store information before ‘the cloud’, hard drives and multiple back-up systems?

Towards the end of last year I had been working hard on an important project. Hours spent defining words and phrases to get the information across precisely. Work was almost complete when disaster struck. A small spill of water on my keyboard, a malfunction with the external back up – and in an instant all the work was gone. The work of many hours was lost, a mere memory that I had to attempt to piece together again. It made me realise how much we rely on technical devices, how we extract, collect and store our knowledge in the belief, that at any time, with a quick tap, we can freely access it.

The ancient culture of Australia has more than 40.000 years of knowledge. Knowledge that was extracted, collected and stored. Knowledge gained from experience, handed down through countless generations – sharing everything they found, leaving signs and symbols for wanderers to read and understand. Knowledge that could be accessed readily and constantly. Signs and Symbols used to communicate from one generation to the next. No computer, no hard drive, rather a tried and proven procedure that has seen the test of time.

Over the years I have been fortunate enough to spend time with two Elders whose wealth of knowledge has impacted my life tremendously, guiding me onto a path very different to the one I had expected. Both of them opened my eyes to not only see what was already right before me, but also how to recognise, read and understand what I saw. I learned of signs, symbols and secrets. Like a map – easy to read once you know how.

Years ago, one of them, when much younger, was invited to a University for an interview about the Aboriginal culture. They questioned him for a long time. In the end they not only offered him a place to study for a Masters degree (he had no formal training up until then), but also invited him to be a lecturer while still a student, as there was no one with such depth of knowledge who could teach on this subject. When asked where he had studied to gain such knowledge, he simply replied, ‘my grandfather’.

There are different ways to recognise, access and implement signs and symbols into your life. You have a knowledge within you that somehow remains elusive, locked in, making it difficult to access and use. While you may not recognise it, the key is right in front of you. It’s as simple as reading a book – once you have learnt the language.  All you need is a guiding hand (as I did) to open your eyes and see the endless possibilities stretched out before you.

‘Learning to read our art is like reading a book that provides a greater insight and understanding of the oldest living culture on earth. It will take you on an enchanting journey of discovery and truth.’ (Colin Jones, Elder and Artist)