Page 251 - Mit dem Wohnwagen durch Australien

We stop at some Aboriginal rock paintings which tell of the richness of the rivers. Longneck Turtles, Barramundi,
Crocodiles and the cheeky Mullet are depicted. The cheeky Mullet got his name because he is the only fish which,
when taken from the hook, can quietly flap himself back to the water. That is why it is shown with its head severed.
It is safe to swim on the upper parts of the river and we enjoy the cooling off. The salties cannot climb over the rock
barriers during the dry season.

KAKADU NATIONAL PARK
We expect the park to resemble the Everglades or the Okefenokee Swamp in Florida. Dark rainforest, Mangroves,
huge vines, swamps with little waterways, crocodiles and exotic birds. In addition the world famous aborigine rock
paintings. Not bl... likely! Far from it. Already the drive towards the park gives food for thought. Savannah and single
trees, light green ponds and lakes with lotus flowers and water lilies, and red earth with a lot of dust. No change
when we enter the park. Three large rivers which are all called Alligator River flow through the park. Not even the
park info centre caters for our imagination, well; we better discard it then and accept the reality. The park is owned
by the Aborigines but is run jointly with the governmental park services. At the world heritage rock art sites at Ubirr
and Nourlangie, Park ranger give informative talks at the various sites.

They explain the paintings, the country, and the life of the Aborigines, their culture and way of living and their way to
see the country. We follow the ranger from early in the morning to midday, then there is a break until late in the
afternoon because of the heat. We learn a lot of new things and start slowly to understand, the way Aborigines look
at the country. They do not see themselves as the owner of the land but its caretaker. The country is the mother and
giver of all things. Many places and formations have their own story and are sacred. The land and its trees, rocks,
animals, plants and rivers are alive and are sometimes resting places for mighty and big creator beings. From Ubirr
we can see the seat of thunder and lightning in the rock formation on the near Mountains. This formation is not to be
disturbed on penalty of very harsh punishment for the whole country. Unimaginable disaster could befall the land.
The same is true for the resting place of the rainbow serpent in the nearby Katherine Gorge. Earthquakes, floods
and other disasters could come over mankind if it is disturbed.

On the other side of the seat of thunder and lightning the Aborigines have declared an area as unhealthy since time
immemorial. Nobody is allowed to go there. Today it is known, that one of the largest Uranium sites lies there. A
French consortium offered the owner clan 3 billion dollars for the right to open a mine there, they declined. Country
has another significance to Aborigines and cannot be bought with money.

THE RAINBOW SERPENT ON FAMILY LIFE
Most Aborigine children are well behaved and there is very food reason for that. They belong to a large family clan
with parents, siblings, uncles, aunts, cousins, Grandparents etc. Children are never alone and they have always
somebody who is responsible for them if that person neglects its responsibility, he is severely punished. Sometimes
with far reaching consequences, as this story from the dreamtime shows.

A clan has put up camp near a river and the resting place of the Rainbow Serpent. The adults are busy with their
individual tasks. Women were braiding mats out of dyed pandanus leaves and chatted happily away. The men were
busy fiddling with their boomerangs. The children are building a fish trap in the river out of river stones and were
licking on a honey flower. Everything seems honky dory until a baby started to cry. It is not known whether he was
hungry or teeth wanted to grow. The men thought, that this is women’s business, the women had delegated the
baby sitting to the elder children, and the children frolicked in the river and did not hear a thing. The Baby cried
louder and louder, the men talked about their latest hunting exploits, the women chatted a bit louder and the children
briefly listened to the wind and then continued to play. Then, the rainbow serpent slowly started to wake up. She
opened one eye, then the other. She was extremely upset and angry. The Baby screamed and screamed, then the
rainbow serpent blew the top. She got up, swallowed the baby and most of the negligent clan. Then it was eerily
quiet and she got to sleep again.

CROCODILES
Not all of the Kakadu National Park is dry and dusty. The East Alligator River normally flows towards the sea.
However, at high tide, it flows upstream and floods the only road crossing at Cahills Crossing into Arnhemland.
Arnhemland is Aborigine land can only be entered with a permit. This is a novum for Aussies, since they have no
other border for which they need to have a permit. The tidal floodwater and the normal river flow meet and flood the
crossing. In no time the water mounts up to 1.4 m. This is the time when the large saltwater crocodiles move