Welcome back to 🌿🌙 THE EARTHY WRITER: My Rewilding Year 🐝✨
This is episode eight, where I’ll share what we can learn from Aboriginal culture and how to reconnect with Country. I enjoyed sticking to audio last week, so I’ll continue with it as it saves me huge amounts of time (editing and uploading video takes forever).
I’m very excited about this episode because I will introduce you to the Wadandi People, the Aboriginal custodians of the South West of Australia, which I get to call my home.
In this Rewilding Episode you’ll learn:
- A new perspective on land and nature: Discover how viewing the land as “country” and treating it as a living relative can deepen your connection to the environment.
- The power of matriarchal societies: Understand the significance of matriarchal lines in coastal Aboriginal tribes and how this can influence your views on community and land.
- Honoring nature through song: Find out how the Wadandi practice of singing to honor the spirit of animals can teach you to live more sustainably and respectfully.
- Steps to reconnect with your land: Get practical tips on how to engage with your local environment and community, fostering a deeper sense of belonging and stewardship.
- Seasonal celebrations: Learn how to celebrate and engage with the changing seasons in a meaningful way, enhancing your connection to nature.
About your host:
Hi 👋, I’m Gisele Stein. I’m a novelist and a nature-lover, writing feel-good women’s fiction with a little magic and places like characters from my cosy cabin on Wadandi Boodja in Western Australia.
All Episode Resources:
- The Wadandi Boodja Seasons:
- The Readers & Writers Festival
- For more rewilding content and inspiration, you may like to follow me on Pinterest.
Episode Transcript Summary:
Acknowledging the Wadandi People
Happy Full Moon, everyone, and welcome back to another episode of The Earthy Writer. For those familiar with the podcast, you know I always start by acknowledging the Wadandi people, the traditional custodians of the land I speak from. Today, I’m incredibly excited because this episode is all about the Wadandi people. I’m going to introduce you to the Aboriginal people who have lived on this land that I now call home.
My Rewilding Challenge: Community and Land
In the last episode, I mentioned my rewilding challenge for this month would focus on community and land. What do I mean by that? In my first episode, I explained that rewilding has two aspects: rewilding the self, which is a spiritual journey, and rewilding the land. This month, I wanted to get active and involved, especially in this place I now call home.
Finding Home
If you’ve been following my journey for a while, you know that finding a home has always been a crucial part of it. Over the past month, engaging with the people and the land here has made me feel more at home than ever. It was a beautiful three weeks, and I have fallen even more in love with this place.
Wisdom from the Wadandi People
I’m going to share some of the wisdom I’ve learned from the Wadandi people and provide tangible steps for you to connect with your community and land. But first, let me read something from the Wadandi people to give you a feel for who they are:
“Our family welcomes you to Wadandi Boodja, Saltwater People’s Country. We ask that you respect the area and walk softly on Boodja while taking the time to listen to Boodja as she whispers her stories. We can all benefit from the powerful sense of belonging offered by cultural sounds, rhythm, spirit, art, and people. Working together, we can learn and educate ourselves about the connection we all have with Mother Earth. Knowing its value keeps us together.”
Engaging with the Community
During this rewilding month, I participated in various activities to connect with the land and community. May was perfect for this as Margaret River, the biggest town in the area, hosts a Writers Festival. I spent a beautiful weekend engaging with other Australian authors, learning about the Australian publishing industry, and indulging in bookstores. It felt like I had truly arrived in my new home.
Citizen Science Projects
I also signed up for citizen science projects dedicated to local nature and wildlife. I’m now involved in logging sightings of the endangered black cockatoo and watching for beach-nesting bird species. Participating in these projects has deepened my connection to the land and its inhabitants.
Photography and Nature Walks
One afternoon, my husband Frank and I took our cameras for a nature walk. Photography has been a passion of mine since I was 15. It’s a powerful way to engage with nature, capturing the beauty around us. I’ll be sharing some of these photos on my Instagram account today.
Walking with a Wadandi Elder
The highlight of my month was a walk with a Wadandi elder. He showed us how to make fire, identify useful plants, and shared their cultural beliefs. One impactful lesson was the concept of “country” as a living entity, a relative to be cared for and respected. This view profoundly changed my perspective on the land.
The Importance of Matriarchal Society
He explained that the Wadandi people follow matriarchal lines, especially along the coast, where the land is more nurturing. This contrasts with inland Aboriginal tribes that follow patriarchal lines due to the harsher environment. This matriarchal approach extends to adopting the wife’s culture, dances, and traditions.
Respecting and Nurturing Country
The elder emphasized the importance of looking after country, acknowledging the spirit in all natural elements. They sing songs to honor the animals they hunt, infusing their tools and crafts with spirit and magic. This deep connection to country is something we can all learn from.
Reconnecting with Seasons
I also learned about the Wadandi’s six seasons and their importance. I’ve made it my mission to celebrate these seasons, reconnecting with the land and its cycles.
Yoga and Didgeridoo
A unique experience this month was a yoga class with a didgeridoo player. The vibrations from the didgeridoo enhanced the yoga practice, creating a profound connection to the land and its culture.
Practical Steps to Reconnect with Your Land
As I close this episode, I want to share some practical tips for reconnecting with your land:
- Learn Local History and Folklore: Discover the pagan traditions and indigenous practices of your area.
- Spend Time in Nature: Engage with local flora and fauna, perhaps through a guidebook.
- Artistic Engagement: Use photography, nature journaling, or writing to connect with nature.
- Seek Local Experts: Participate in survival training or courses on local flora and fauna.
- Celebrate Seasonal Changes: Follow the pagan seasons or create personal rituals to mark seasonal transitions.
- Gardening: Cultivate a relationship with the land, even if it’s just a small plant in your home.
- Collect Natural Treasures: Bring home feathers, shells, or rocks that hold personal meaning.
Parting Words
Thank you for joining me on this journey. I’m thrilled to have found a place that feels like home, and I look forward to continuing to share my rewilding experiences with you. Join me in two weeks for the New Moon episode. Until then, I wish you all the best and thank you for listening.
Hi ♥️, I’m Gisele Stein, author of feel-good novels with a little magic and places like characters, which i craft from my cosy cabin on Wadandi Boodja in Western Australia. Have a look at my books here. I’m also podcasting as The Earthy Writer, to document my rewilding year: Every new moon, I set a new rewilding intention for the month, and every full moon I share my learnings with you…
