Page 13 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens- March '22

Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens, Page 13

Kakadu And Arnhem Land from page 12 courtyard with a pool the
shape of a croc’s heart. This
Almost 500 square kilometers are tied up in the tidal and pool is the only one the park
coastal flats on the northern tip of the peninsula. Mangrove forests service has considered safe for
that run through this area are ideal for fish breeding, especially swimming in all of Kakadu
the barramundi, which is the staple fish of the Aborigine. This and Arnhem Land. By the
water-intensive habitat is internationally recognized as being way, as you might expect, the
significant for migratory birds. hotel’s services entrance is at
Arnhem Land, named after the Dutch ship Arnhem that the other end of the croc.
explored the territory in 1623, is today the northern homeland Jabiru is “the” major town
of the Aborigine. Its borders have been established and a permit, in Kakadu Park. Located at
issued by the Aboriginal clan, is required to visit and travel over the border of Arnhem Land,
the land. Joint tribal authorities manage the land, attempting it was constructed to supply
to keep it in its natural condition. Even when the Gagudju housing to the foreign
Crocodile Hotel was built on the border of Arnhem Land, the workers who came to work Kakadu’s renowned rock art has recorded and preserved the Aboriginal people’s history and
tribal council dictated its design. The first order was that it be the Ranger uranium mine. culture for millennia.
no higher than the surrounding trees; this was no problem. This facility has greatly
However the floor plan generated unique requirements. What slowed its production because of the cost to extract and low levels of radiation may have affected parts of the
better place to enter the building than through the mouth of supply the ore from this location and the plunging price population, creating this omen over the land.
the crocodile? This leads into the croc’s head (lobby). Large for uranium ore. Long before the mine work was even Arnhem Land exists today without hard surface roads,
exhaust fans have become the eyes, and as you may suspect, started, the Aborigine knew the area around the mine as power distribution, water and other elements of a civilization
the rooms are in the belly of the beast, looking onto a center the “sick place.” It is suspected that, over the millennia, as we know them; however, this is not a deterrent to the
people. They continue to live as their ancestors did – off the
land and protected from nature in the caves of the area of
simple corrugated metal huts that they have built. Because
they have always been hunters and gatherers, they do not
build large communities, but rather, live in small clans and
tribes … working as a unit for survival. They have learned
to manage their resources wisely, taking only what they need
for subsistence. To do this to the utmost advantage, they have
learned to accurately forecast the weather and the seasons. This
knowledge has been handed down to them in Dreamtime. They
know that the appearance of certain butterflies, grasshoppers,
worms and other insects – and certain colors of plants – signify
specific consequences in terms of weather. We could only wish
that our meteorologists were that accurate.
Throughout the ages they have used fire and controlled
burning. It is a part of their way of life. Quoting Big Bill Neidjie,
Bunitj Clan elder:
2022 Minor League Packages The earth, I never damage.

I look after. Fire is nothing, just clean up.
When you burn, new grass coming up.
That means good animal soon.
Might be goanna, possum, wallaby.
Burn him off, new grass coming up, new life all over.

Throughout Australia most Aborigines speak English,
however those in Arnhem Land still speak the language of
Calling All Fans Calling All Fans their clan, each different than the others. Bininj/Mungguy is the
dominant clan in the area and establishes the standards for social
15 And Under! 55 And Over! behavior and customs. They are extremely respectful of the dead
and their burial places. Speaking the name of a dead person or
looking at that person’s image is considered inappropriate. They
Tickets To All Tickets To All also appreciate their privacy and are reluctant to pose for photos.
Saturday Games Wednesday Games And, although shy, they are friendly and say:

Ngad Bininj ngarri-djare ngudda wurrim-ire wurrih-nan ngad
Official Official gun-bolk dja ngad culture.
Membership Card Membership Card Translation: “We Aboriginal people want you to come see
our country and share our culture.”

Free Hot Dog & Free Hot Dog & Don Kiselewski writes from his personal experiences, having
traveled in 122 countries and cruised the oceans, seas and rivers
Soda At The Game Soda At The Game of the world. Palm Beach Gardens Travel Leaders, his family
owned and operated agency, is located at Mirasol Town Square,
11360 North Jog Road, Building A, Suite 102-6, Palm Beach
Official Kids Club Win Prizes In Gardens. The agency has been serving the travel needs of the
South Florida area for over a quarter of a century. Contact him
T-Shirt Baseball Bingo at (561) 694-9696 or Aussie@PBGTravel.com.
Photos by Don Kiselewski

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The Gagudju Crocodile Hotel