ARTWORK #2

Written Journeys

Introduction - Ness Song

In this section of Yenma Yenmalalibyila, you will find the feathers and instruments for instrumental change and actualisation. An ever consistent notion, a drumming beat in your spirit that calls to you, accross oceans and expanses of land so far the eye cannot see.

I offer every gratitude to the co-editors of this edition and for all the creational energy that has been channelled into this space. To Matthew, a cosmic spark for the alignment of intention and action and to Lucy, for her undeniable spirit of flowing acceptance and chaos monkey energy.

In the words we have shared in this edition, you will find the remedies and the salves that ease broken heartedness, hopelessness and apathy. A reminder that even when the world seems its darkest, there are always those of us exploring our own darkness, deeper, so that we can shine our light in every place. The road is long and sometimes heavy, our shoulders tired from searching for the answers, outside of our selves. In these truths, you can discern your own flavour - your version of peaceful calamity that you have come to share with the world.

I offer gratitude to the space that is Yenma, for the blessings of our Ancestors that flow from page to page, through our pens and conversations. Supporting this process unconditionally, accross generations.

At this immensely pivotal moment in humanity

' s journey. We are called to access the inner well of power that lives within our spirit, to ensure that no brother or sister is left behind and that the path we walk forward, we walk together. Yenma Yenmalalibyila.

On DAWAANDI: Guymbangirr understanding of the Shadow Self

On the 19th of October, Guymbangirr man (and all-round walking legend), Bernard Kelly-Edwards agreed to sit in present dialogue with me on Campus, where we yarned on Awabakal Country. Bernard styles himself BKE, and so all of his words following will be marked that way.

Meeting BKE 'incidentally ' through a Uni Course at Newcastle was definitely

Countrys

' well-doing. He has a wellspring of knowledge around Shadow, or Pabi Dawaandi. We sketch a journey of Dawaandi. The following is our dialogue.

Matthew Jeffrey: Mind if I record bits now?

BKE: You're right!

MJ: ...They tried to get you on the fish-hook didn't they?

BKE: I only done the one NLP course and that sustains me for life. I learned about Perceptual Positioning, I learned about Eye Accessing Cues, and I learned about the Timelines that House Solutions from Heavy Traumas. They 're the three main tools I brought home from that -- and I don't need any more of their teachings. You know, this fish is happy to keep swimming. But that there happened in '16, that's when a lot of the Pabi Dawaandi lights had come on. Cause its a course that woke me up! The layers had been peeled back. I realised I need this as much as it needs me.

And when you're in that space of educating, learning, loving, caring, and being accountable to yourself, you use these peoples and places to your advantage in a respectful way.

MJ: I think I' ve been finding that this year since that trip where could see the Continent from the Plane. Since then I' ve been on a bit of a rapid-fire path, that I didn't realise how easy it could be to properly slip into myself. I hadn't realised how I could decide to this one thing, and that would bring this fruit, and then I could decide, I could go to this place, and share this fruit. Before I had made it a mental job, running through options before they had happened, whereas now I just am. It's way different Living.

BKE: Do you still run through the options before it happens?

MJ: Sometimes. But before, I was doing it to the point of writhing around in my room, in fear, getting scared. Now it's different. Last Friday, I went to this thing in Sydney. I knew the new leader, Albanese was gonna be there. I just thought, this is my time, I'm gonna go meet him, give him a copy of Yenma, share a community 's truth. I no longer cared if people thought it was weird. The Event was the Uluru Statement From the Heart civic campaign launch at Marrickville Townhall. I thought it was important..

MJ: ...Then the next day, I was walking by a beautiful waterfall, and swimming there, and I had a moment of deep gratitude in that pool, near Wondabyne there, the Pindarr Caves, a Darkingjung and Eora site for thousands of years. That kind of thing in just 48 hours -very grateful.

BKE: It's a shame he wasn't there to experience it with you.

MJ: ...I can't just grab his arm, he's gotta be willing to walk. I feel like I'm knowing when to go to things and when to go home and nurture those environments.

BKE: That's BEV conscioussness (Birds-Eye-View), that is. When you know what is gonna happen when you get to an environment. You know the unchanged patterns, people's behaviour out of their mouths, you know you're supported by one person who's got your back where you are. That's where clear consciouss BEV moments arrive.

Here I am talking about being too busy... I'm just here locking in bloody flights. I gotta go to Melbourne. There's an International Meditation Conference. I' ve been invited next month to speak about Pabi Dawaandi at this conference, and it's got me fast tracking this application for a passport...

MJ: A passport?

BKE: Yeah, cause I don't know whats gonna happen after. I' ve gotta have that passport in case there's an invitation given to go somewhere.

MJ: I see, preparing for an eventuality?

BKE: There you go! Wrapping all these up into the one yarn. Now that wrapping up is all being gathered, or held, or nutured by the language of expectation. I'm expect to present at the Conference! A big thing! That's a given! But there's a flow on expectation of reciprocity that I would like to engage with people who can help support me getting over to other countries to talk about Pabi Dawaandi. So that comes in strong as an expectation. But then it dissovles, when you empty it... If this cup (dings cup), was called Expectation, I have to empty, for it to be filled anew with conversations, and networks, with you or them, in an environment that'll frame the whole manifestation folder of that particular time. And that's very-forward thinking, but in this day-and-age, you need to integrate in a particular way, where its supports where you came from. And on the 15th of next month (November), I would have come from this space, and this conversation here!

You know I used to live at Mannering Park. My office was in Morriset, then I had another office at Cessnock, and then another at Muswellbrook, and then another office at Windsor, at Parklea, and Mullabar. They were all correctional facilities. My pre-post release officer was at Morriset. Monday I'd travel out to Cessnock, come home. Tuesday I'd travel out Muswellbrook, come home. Wednesday I'd travel South out to Windsor, Penrith. Thursday was Parklea, and then Friday was Long Bay, at Mullabar, come home again and rest.

MJ: ...Wow. Do they make people work at these facilities? Cause I heard that the other way. I saw this stat, it made me think, is this really happening, that they 're almost forcing prisoners to work for these private companies?

BKE: Yeah, the prisoners got to work.

MJ: ...Fuck. That's the same system in here (taps H.V Evatt '"Rum Rebellion" book.) isn't it brother?

BKE: It has not changed. (taps the same book). It has not changed one bit. They are getting 7 bucks an hour. You know, they are under constant control. But I have a weapon that can destroy them in a heartbeat!

MJ: Love?

BKE: (Both laugh). Yeah... the rates of pay haven't changed. But the really exciting thing is, is that once the holidays are over with TAFE, I could be moving in to working in the Grafton Correctional Centre, bringing Pabi Dawaandi into my work.

(Both realises that we should finally delve into the insights of Dawaandi)

BKE: Is this on record? (Yes) Oh is it? Well. You're listening in to BKE here at the University of Newcastle. I' ve been invited by Matthew to share some insights to Dawaandi and how that can support a sustainable future for yourself, when you see reflections of yourself, wherever you're sitting, wherever you are in life. So let's start with the basic knowledge. Dawaandi is a Guymbanggri word with 6 defintions attached to it. The first two defintions are pre-colonisation meanings. The first is shadow of person - thinking on the shadow of your person. The second one is reflection -- all mirror form can only come from Dawaandi, and Dawaandi can only ever be seen by light.

The other 4 defintions are Photo, Video, Film and TV. Eliminate them because they 're in daily use, all the time, in this modern world. Now here comes the beautiful gifts of Dawaandi. (Deep breath).

When you are born, Dawaandi is born with you, definition one and definition two. It follows you through this life, and it leaves with you when you go. My shadow is different to your shadow. It comes from the same place. Mum's belly. The beautiful thing about Dawaandi, is that it is an ultimate truth-teller about yourself. It can never lie to you. The reality is always real and true, when you see reflections of yourself. You cannot outrun your shadow or your reflection. And my shadow and your shadow is the same colour -- so see you later Racism! Anyone that dare challenge you or any of your readers to hating on the colour black, tell them to look at their own shadow. They cannot change the colour of their shadow. That is their spirit they may not wish to see.

Another beautiful thing to notice is when you take your shadow from land to water, is you become versatile, you expand and you contract, you're like breath, when you...

BKE: ... on your Dawaandi in water. That is literally you Being of Water, when you see yourself in it. You know I asked a group of people one day at a Corporate Workshop in Coffs

Harbour. I asked them "When you go from Land to Water, does your Shadow follow you?"

And one fella put his hand up and he said "No. " I said "Ah okay, I'll come back to you, now Sister over here, whaddiya reckon?" She sad "Yes" . I said "Ill come back to you too Sister. But Brother, now you said no. I would like you to tell me, exactly how you detached your shadow from your person, and left it on the beach whilst you went for a swim?" "How did you do that?" And he's thinking and thinking and thinking! And he says "I can't" . And I said "Exactly, now that is not a lie, you cannot detach yourself from your shadow. " The cool thing about the Shadow is, where do you see it in the water?

When you're in chest-high water for example, you only gotta raise your arm out, wait for everything to stop on the surface bubbling, and there, you will see yourself different. Now if the lights are on, it's real shiney, sunny days, you can see it on the sand-beds, under your feet, on both planes, the sand, and the surface reflection. So the encouragement for everybody that is tuned in to this yarn, is expand only the one sense of our five of who we are as human beings. It's the sight we are asking for expansion. When I say this, can I speak to it like this... if its true what they say that " you are what you eat, and you are what you drink, is you. " , I also believe that what you see is what you are. When I see Matthew here, I see a mirror of myself. When I see all these other beautiful people at this Cafe, I see reflections of myself.

This is true when you see that in the water. And when you see your shadow cast that is connected to the casting shadow of the Tree. This is real. Your eyes do not lie when you see things like that. Your Dawaandi is in connection to the Dawaandi of the Tree.

And this is what is often unseen by beautiful people that we ask them to try see it this way, to allow people to wake-up. The Planet is asking for People to wakeup. All of our Ancestors that have come before us, are all asking us to wakeup. And the only wake to way to wake up is love. And the only way you can see love first is seeing love in yourself. Do not worry about anyone else cause they are not important if you cannot hold yourself in importance first. I cannot help Matthew if I cannot help myself. I cannot make the Brother a cuppa if I cannot make my own cuppa. This is a simple language, of common sense, of sight. We can and will as the time comes for the People to stand-up, to do nothing but see how beautiful they are.

I told a young sister today whose a Student here at the University, and this too goes for anyone tuned in right now, "If there comes a Time in your days, months, weeks and years, in time you have, and someody is hudging you, labelling you, putting you down to a standard they want to be at, and you' ve fallen into depression, anxiety, fear, unwantedness, all of these things, please take yourself to the Land. Please stop, and have a look at your shadow, and this will never ever lie to you, because its not born to lie to you. Notice all of its colours that are inside your Shadow. Because essentially, when people try to pull you down, they are speaking to the internal part of yourself. It's only filtered through the external parts. But when its actually gets to the internal part, your heart starts to hurt. It starts to feel like "Fuck, no-one cares for me anymore, and it's all true" . But it's self-talk that you get. It's a human conditioning!

BKE: ...The Pathway out of that Human Conditioning to Mother Nature who solutionises everything, is go and stand on Country. Have a look at what is inside your Shadow. And I guarantee you that there will be something beautiful there waiting for you to pickup and see about what is inside of you! Mothers' got a gift always for us. Go and try it, see what it looks like. Jump into the waters. Play around with Cameras. Take photos of yourself. Throw rocks into the waters, look at your own rippling form, and you'll understand here expansion and contraction actually lies.

If you want to see really you in water, press slow motion on the Camera, and hold it for about 5-10 seconds, and there you will see everything about who you really are. In Water, we cannot lose sight of the reality that we were born from water. Inside of Mum's belly holds a hell of a lot of water for us to survive. Is there anything else you want to clarify?

MJ: Oh. You' ve talked about nurturing our sense of Dawaandi. When you said you know, we are literally 'beings of water' , do you think it holds a broader connective power? For example, you said seeing your shadow with the Trees shadow, knowing you are connected to that Tree, and enhancing just one of your senses , your sight, how can people look to all the senses to ensure they keep expanding their sense of their Dawaandia and sense of Shadow-self?

BKE: Ah, so your Shadow-self has a smell and a feeling connected to you. It equates to all five senses. Now the best way to remind yourself of all of those, is to look to Southern Cross every night. It is housed with 5 constellations, like we are housed with 5 senses of Life. That is not a lie, that was there way before we come along. The Southern Cross. Look to it. You choose what star represents what sense of who you are as a human being. Now, ife we are to talk about you are what you see, when Mum and Dad, they buy you that Ferrari, that is yours, because you seen it, you' ve touched it, you' ve smelled that leather inside it, it becomes you. Everything is impacted as soon as you seen that car son for you outside. That is yours. It is not a lie when you SEE the registrations is all yours and know the keys are yours. All that kind of stuff. It's the same when you see your Shadow on Country. Clearly, you Shadow cannot smell by itself, but you can, and you are the Owner of your Shadow. You know what the smell of Pizza is like. You know texture and the taste and the touch of working with oil paints and penciles. Anything you choose about what life is, Dawaandi will always share itself with you.

Like me talking right now, Dawaandi is on the table with me. It's moving with me, it is of me. You just put Dawaandi on yourself, by putting your hat on. So you' ve given yourself, Shade/Shadow, same yarn. When I look into that mirror just there, I don't need to look over there, cause I can see it there in the mirror. There's no need to turn your head, just need to move yours, and you can see that over the next to gray door there's a yellow board that tells' me that there is black writing on it. And also that over there there are steps, with a divider in the middle and a whole lot of brickwork of brown and grey. All of these things are so easy to see once you expand your sight. Once expanded, that is more than enough for you to understand that it exists, it's been existing ever since you were born, and its not gonna stop existing until you stop existing. One of the benefits of it is that it helps you slow down. PAGE 29 - ON DAWAANDI

BKE: ... It helps you to breathe a little bit easier. It helps you to have the most intimate connection with Country, with yourself, at the greatest level. I can impact you with Dawaandi without the physical contact, I can touch you. All of these things are real to me, because it is seen. That old yarn that comes from Westernisms' , "Seeing is Believing" , it's very, very true when it comes to Dawaandi. When you things, in the waters, of your own Dawaandi, you choose between the whether telling yourself "Its True!" , or "Nahhhhhh, that's not real, what's that?!" Cause you're gonna see things that are gonna freak you right out. So its up to you and your belief-system and your own values of what you believe in.

But the more you play in the shadows of yourself, the more real you become. The birthplace of Dawaandi is not a liar, otherwise you would not have been born. That is the greatest connection it has. When you then add four tools of existing, called Patience, Awareness, Balance and Integration; when you blend those four patterns of life to Dawaandi, you are living in the 1-5 Perceptual Position of BEV, in its ultimate form. Pabi Dawaandi combined, has the greatest impact of the birds-eye-view of yourself, and your environment, the reality that you are in, the people that you communicate with, the transport that you're catching, the music that you're listening to, is all balanced with interconnectedness of yourself and your surroundings.

Does that answer your question? Any other questions young man?

MJ: (Laughs), What else is there for people to know about you, in relation to the yarn about Dawaandi?

BKE: Is this, where I give a bit of a exposition about myself? (Yes) Right. Well I come to the Hive Cafe at the Newcastle Uni, because they have best coffee in town, and there's always sisters that smile when they serve you your coffee! (About yourself?) Well it is about myself , cause I' ve been filled with this coffee ever since I' ve been here. (Both Laugh).

But if you wanna search for me and some of the work that I do, jump onto instagram at @BKE79, send a DM to that identity, and I'll respond to you if you have any direct questions, or if you just wanna follow and support, its a beautiful space as well. You'll see a lot my artwork coming up, a lot of reels that connect music and art and poetry, and real Pabi Dawaandi yarns. Or, if you wanna be more discreete and not use the Social-Media world, you can email me at dawaandi22@gmail.com

And if you need my direct contact details, you'll need to go through our host. He'll have some details for ya. Spread the love. This is about changing.

We're at pinnacle point of evolutions timeline, where our Ancestors are calling us to change, grow, learn, and live the real definition of what inclusion is born to be lived for. Together. All of us Human Beings, together. And I'll meet you at the Beehive next time while I'm on Newcastle Campus. Love to you all. Darrandung from Guumbangri-djagung. BKE, I"M OUT! Thanks for having me on your show brother. ("Now you throw the Phone"). Now I throw the Phone?! CHHHH.