Truth telling

Words By Jess Marsellos

Yee Gee, or hello in Taribelang language - this was one of the many traditional language learnings I took away from my time on the Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow Tour run by Taribelang Bunda Cultural Tours. This immersive, thoughtful and intimate tour shares the rich history and culture of the Taribelang people who have lived on country for more than 60,000 years, while visiting sites of significance, truth telling and story sharing of what has been, what is now and what is to come.

After the Welcome to Country, which is spoken in both English and Traditional Language, the tour sets off under the Burnett River (Booral Booral) bridge and weaves through the centre of town, educating participants on many of the traditional place names in Bundaberg before emerging at Baldwin Swamp. Your guide will explain the swamp was a place of rest and natural water source for elders past and provided essential shelter, food and medicine items (like melaleuca leaves) for treating ailments.

The darker side of historical aspects of farming and cane industry is also explored with the practice of blackbirding and taking slaves from South Sea Islander communities to remove large volcanic rocks and stones from what is now abundant farmland. Many of the so-called kanaka walls can be seen lining farmland.

Now you will find yourself atop one of the only hills in Bundaberg - The Hummock. Here your guide will talk in depth about how boomerangs are made. On our tour day we got to enjoy delicious damper with lilly pilly jam and bush tomato relish.

Your guide will share interesting information about traditional roles within the culture, how messages were passed through country historically, the roles of family and kinship, the totem animals and their traditional language names.

As you amble out of the bus at Kirby’s Wall and look across to Paddy’s Island a gentle river breeze will blow. What will also meet you is a sombre mood, as the painful past of Paddy’s Island across the river is shared openly and honestly. It’s a moving part of the tour and a vital acknowledgement of past atrocities. This is the beauty of this tour - nothing is glossed over or made right - it’s an honest truth telling and sharing space to engage and inform.

The tour provides locals and visitors an opportunity to look at the Region through a different lens.

Taribelang Bunda Cultural Tours also work closely with the local community, sharing their stories with schools and collaborating with groups such as WYLD Projects Indigenous Corporation and Lady Musgrave Experience to educate and connect on country.

Turtle and Taribelang Bunda tours (Tuesdays and Saturdays) can be booked at www.bundabergregion.org

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