Post Naidoc Weeks

Well last week was NAIDOC week...for those of you who are unfamiliar with it, it started out as a government initiative to celebrate Indigenous Australian culture. They take it very seriously on CBI.

J. organised a fantastic week, and its one of the reasons I haven't updated my blog! Basically there was a flag raising on the Monday, then a BBQ on Wednesday for the kids, and I got my first taste of mutton bird.

Mutton bird is a bit of a staple of the Islanders. It's actually a Shearwater bird, a migratory sea bird that eats a lot of fish, and roosts on the smaller islands around here. Every year the Islanders go out and harvest the half grown chicks. They do this by reaching down into the burrows and pulling them out, then wringing their necks. There are cool rooms on the larger islands where they get stored. They are very fatty birds with a very pungent, distinctive fishy smell when cooked. Actually they really stink. Ick!

I was pretty keen to get my first taste, and to be honest, I'm not sure i like it. Its a VERY strong fishy taste. Even more so than you get from just eating fish! The meat is quite dark too, and I was surprised by how small the bird was, smaller than a quail, but with longer bones, and a lot of them. Mauricio didn't like his at all. Maybe I will grow to like it... S. was sitting opposite to me, and she had two servings, she said she loves them. A few of the kids went back and had more too. It's supposed to be pretty good for you, even with the high fat content, because the oil from it is all fish derived, so its very high in Omega 3 fatty acids.

On Thursday it was Kids day, and we went over to the High School for a BBQ (Gee they feed you well here!) Mauricio took his kite and flew it really high with a few of the kids. Unfortunately one of the kids got a bit possessive, and swore at Mauricio...and of course Mauricio, being SO good with kids (!) swore back at him.

Friday was the fancy dress ball...first of course i had to make it out of the clinic!!! A couple of people turned up needed some patching up, but it was all fine, and I rushed home (next door) to get changed. First of all I had to decide what to go as. I ended up wearing this black beaded headdress thing I bought YEARS ago, and a long red beaded dress that again I have literally had for years (I met Mauricio in it!) And called myself a flapper...actually everyone said I looked really good! Mauro went, predictably, as a Chilean! He wore my poncho and his hat and took his woven bag etc. And his guitar.

F, who is the grand matriarch of the Island, and a lovely wry funny smart woman she is too, at 80! Rang me up and told me to tell Mauricio to bring his guitar, cause he was going to play. J. had already mentioned it, but wanted to check with the woman who was meant to be the entertainment first. Gina Timms, supposedly a Country and Western singer. Mind you she had a great voice, but she didn't play anything remotely Country to my ears...(thankfully!). F. told Mauricio to get up and play when she was having her break, but Gina wasn't too happy with that, and asked him not to play until the second break, and put a tape of her own music on instead. And then wouldn't let him use her microphone when he started to sing.

Oh well.

S dresses up as a Gorilla, no one recognised her at first. Her son B, wore a sheik out fit and looked brilliant. F. was Friar tuck, and also looked very funky, and his Daughter M, went as Pocahontas, and looked pretty spec too.

Everyone got very merry, and much enjoyment (and alcohol) was had by all.

So we slept rather late on Saturday.

Sunday we went back to Ned's Point again, and walked ALL the way down the other end of the bay to some rock, and Mauricio almost lost his pocketknife amongst the rocks.

Then when we got back we realised the tide was coming in, so Mauricio attempted fishing, after I managed to prise some limpets off the rocks for bait, and also found a bed of mussels!

But nothing was biting. I tried to go back to get some mussels to take home and eat, but by then the tide had covered them.

Monday was mail day, and I had a couple of boxes to bring back so I took the truck. Getting them out of the back I turned and managed to bring my leg down on the edge of, and trip over a log that Mauro had left in the drive way. Took all of the skin off the front of my shin. Bloody hurt too! Now I had a bloody graze over the bottom half of the front of my leg, and my whole leg is swollen and bruised.

Today there was a post NAIDOC week BBQ for the awarding of the prizes for the art competition the kids did last week, and for the Fancy Dress prize. B. and F and M won. F got a Donut maker....

And we won a $50 fuel voucher, but since we get our fuel for free I donated it back to the community.

Tomorrow is Doctors day...busy busy busy.

Ouch!