In Early Time

IN EARLY TIME

( the Southern Tanami, Central Australia, 20th Century)


We went north-west - through mulga
scrub, in the red centre’s sturdy ironwoods,
to camp on a grey Umberla plain.

Next morning, as we boiled billy
in early time, we became entranced
looking about Central Mt Wedge,

as - in cold frosty air - a mirage came
onto the horizon so that distant blue
mountains rose into air,

magnified, came so near us, we
could plainly discern rocks, ravines
and trees. Rationalising this

strange phenomenon, we were
scoffed at, by the practical desert
tribesman who was with us, for he

in learned patience, explained those
things were works of Ngunta fairy folk
who lived in those mountains.

-obviously, by dancing in cold dawn,
these beings - with their magic songs
- lifted these hills into the sky,

and, as sun rose closer to heaven,
they lowered them back once more
on to the tribal lands.

*

And we, entering into
this geography, woke
a little to a listening

that filled another day
with vistas of likely
epiphanies all about us...

While realising that,
in early time the scoffing
was at rationalism.


* * *
- 4 May 2001 © Wayne David Knoll

Based on a true account by W.B. (Bill) Harney in "Life Among The Aborigines" - 1957 [Robert Hale Ltd] pp 207

Images: -1. Central Mount Wedge -by Albert Namatjira

- 2. Central Mount Stuart