First visit by Australian Aborigines in European history
Australian Aborigines in Slovenia
Nine representatives of the Worrora and Ngarinyin tribes, part of
the oldest surviving culture in the world, have made contact with
European soil for the first time in history. Slovenia, a small
country at the heart of Europe, is witnessing one of the greatest
moments in its history.
After extensive preparations and with the assistance of the
Australian government, Brane Cervek (28) from Rakek and his girlfriend
Beti Bricelj (25) from Postojna succeeded in arranging a two- week
visit by a group of Aborigines (21 August-4 September). Brane has been
an instructor at a wilderness survival school, the only school of its
type in Europe, for nine years. Beti graduated this spring from the
Ljubljana College of Fine Arts, specialising in Aboriginal Fine
Arts. The ancestors of the oldest culture on Earth, whose origins date
back 120,000 years and who have practically no contact with the
civilised world, will perform their ritual dance ceremony (corroboree)
and traditional music in Postojnska Jama concert hall. Garry Camel,
known as one of the best musicians in Australia, will play the
didgeridoo, an Aboriginal instrument.
One might ask how these Aborigines, all between 50 and 70 years of
age, holding identity documents for the first time in their lives and
never having seen an aircraft, could end up in Slovenia? They began
their journey with a 30-km walk to Derby, a small Australian town,
where they took a bus to Broom and boarded a plane to Perth. From
there they flew to Singapore and London, finally reaching their
destination in Vienna. On 21 August they settled at their "base camp"
in Velike Bloke, a town in the very heart of Slovenia. They intend to
spend a couple of days exploring Slovenia's forests, which are
entirely different from the forests of Australia. In collaboration
with the Ljubljana College of Fine Arts, Beti will organise an outdoor
art colony. The creations of her "students" will be put on display in
Ljubljana Gallery.
More than a year ago, following an invitation from the Australian
Government and the Office of Aboriginal Affairs, Brane Cervek and Beti
Bricelj set off on a journey to the Australian wilderness to explore
the Aborigines' way of life. Beti's wish was to graduate in Aboriginal
Fine Arts, while Brane wanted to study the Aboriginal culture of
wilderness survival, which remains a mystery to the Whites. In
Victoria they received great recognition and honour, where they became
the first Slovenes, indeed, the first Europeans, to be adopted by the
Aborigines, or more precisely, by the Kerraywoorroong tribe. They
received this honour for their devotion to exploring the life and
culture of the Aborigines, as well for Brane's hunting skills; during
a hunt he managed to catch a couple of the most poisonous snakes,
which are revered and feared by the Aborigines. At the final level of
initiation, or adoption by the tribe, Brane was awarded the status of
warrior.
During our conversation, Brane stressed that the Aborigines are one
of the Earth's last treasures; they are people from whom we can learn
a great deal. The Aborigines say that it is not us that own the Earth
but the Earth that owns us; therefore, we have to respect it. Brane
says that the Aborigines' visit to Slovenia is a gift - some sort of
reward for Brane and Beti's visit to Australia. According to the
Aborigines, a good spirit and favourable atmosphere pervade Slovenia.
