CATALYST: 'DOWNPOUR', Issue 3, Volume 76

catalyst

76

ISSUE 03

E PIS O D E D OWNP O U R HOOVES O N THE

BL AC K LIVES

CO RO N A

HI G H CO UNTRY

MAT TER

DAZE

1

I S S U E 03

LUCY MADDOX

2

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

21

UMBRELL AS WITHER AND BLOSSOM

14

51

MOON M AGICK

YEARN

36

CORONA DA ZE

04

CO N T RIB U TO R S

06

L E T T ER FROM T HE ED I TO R S

08

LE T TER FROM THE PRESIDENT

10

JUNE C ALENDAR

11

J U LY C A L E N D A R

12

M A N I F E S T O T O T H E P O W E R O F T I LT I N G S O I L

14

MOON M AGICK

16

K E Y T R E N D S : W I N T E R 2 02 0

21

UMB REL L A S WITHER A ND B LOS SOM

24

T O P T I P S F O R A W I N T E R B I R T H D AY

27

PUMPKIN SOUP

28

A B RIEF HIS TO RY O F H Y S T ERI A

31

T HE SN OW S TO KE: A N IN T ERV IE W WI T H RUS S

36

CORONA DA ZE

40

WA RM

46

POEMS

49

TRIALS FOR THE THRILL DOWNHILL

51

YEARN

52

HER E FO R YO U

53

HOOVES ON THE HIGH COUNTRY

55

RMIT NEXT

56

B L A C K L I V E S M AT T E R M O V E M E N T

57

D O W N P O U R P L AY L I S T

CONTENTS

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

EDITORS Chloe Karis Ellie Barclay Tamara Clark

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE Bethany Davis Daisy Barrett Eliza Sears Erica Lange Georgie Elinor Martin Isabella Krebet Jaidyn L Attard Jean Wenjing Zhang Mikayla Bamford Nicole Pereira Siri Smith Youssef Saudee

NEWS EDITORS Alexandra Middleton Phoebe Humphrey

SOCIAL MEDIA Isabelle Leng Le Minh Ngoc Cu Milosha Vaz

WEBSITE MANAGER Cameron Magusic

+

DESIGNERS Ellen Waite Daphne Kok Sayali Harde FRONT COVER Kelly Lim CREATIVE WRITING EDITORS Caitlyn Grant Isabella Battersby Jake Parker CULTURE EDITORS Cameron Magusic Emma Sullivan

ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Matt Adrian Young

NEWS REPORTERS Umang Olivia Davendra Zara Gudnason PHOTOGRAPHERS Jean Baulch Luka Rhoderick Robert Miniter Rudraksh Thumar Sophie Smith

CATALYST Issue 03 2020 RMIT student magazine est. 1944 CONTACT rmitcatalyst@gmail.com rmitcatalyst.com RMIT Building 12, Level 3, Room 97

SPECIAL THANKS TO RMIT NEXT Compass

Catalyst and RMIT University Student Union acknowledge the people of the Woi wurrung and Boon wurrung language groups of the eastern Kulin Nations on whose unceded lands we contact the business of the University.

RMIT University respectfully acknowledges their Ancestors and Elders, past, present and future.

Catalyst and RMIT University Student Union also acknowledge the Traditional Custodians and their ancestors of the lands and waters across Australia where it contacts its business.

+ Catalyst is the student magazine of the RMIT Student Union (RUSU). The views expressed herein are not necessarily those of the editors, the printers, or RUSU.

4

5

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

CHLOE K ARIS, TA M ARA CL ARK + ELLIE BARCL AY

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

Let’s enter the wet slice of the year with Downpour.

To us, winter floods us with colder days and howling winds. The feeling of goosebumps on your skin when the rain falls. In winter we try to keep warm under beautiful blankets, with warm hearty soups and hot drinks. Have you ever escaped to a winter wonderland?

This winter is tough. We’re (hopefully) on the tail end of Covid-19 and things are looking and feeling different to normal. Things feel a bit colder; a bit more distant. We hope everyone is keeping safe, feeling well and staying happy in these challenging times. Compass is still open with open arms to support students. They can be contacted at: compass@rmit.edu.au.

June is pride month! Here at RMIT Catalyst, we are allies and are supportive of the LGBTQIA+ community. We encourage you to be who you want to be and love who you want to love. We are always listening and educating ourselves. We

6

C ATA LY S T E D I T O R S

hope you enjoyed any virtual pride celebrations during June if you attended any! We’d like to acknowledge Marsha P. Johnson who had a huge impact for the LGBTQIA+ community and in the Stonewall uprising in 1969. If you are part of the community, we encourage you to reach out to the RUSU Queer Department. The Queer Department is here to represent, advocate and empower RMIT student who identify as queer, LGBTQIA+ or questioning their sexuality. For more information, visit www.rusu.rmit.edu.au/ queer.

Lately, the whole world has been engaging in some pretty deep and real conversations about the Black Lives Matter movement. We would like to acknowledge not only this, but what is happening on our own soil here in Australia with Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander people. We are challenging our behaviour and recognising we have white privilege. We are going to continue listening, educating ourselves, showing up and speaking up. Not only as individuals, but as a student voice at Catalyst. We encourage each of you to have, or to continue having these uncomfortable conversations with your family, friends and work colleagues like we’ve been doing.

LETTER

We’d like to congratulate again our winners from our Tumble release competition, Jade Armstrong, Pip Sparrius and Jean Baulch. Thank you for sharing your autumn nostalgia with us.

If you would like to enter our Downpour release competition, head over to our Instagram or Facebook for more information!

Winter is often interpreted or described as a challenging season. But be it a warm cup of cocoa, a cold nosed snuggle or a giggle at a frozen windscreen, we hope you’re still seeing the romance in the world. Thanks for letting us share some very special winter memories, realities and fantasies with you, through Downpour. + CHLOE: SHE/HER ELLIE: SHE/HER TA M A R A : S H E / H E R

We promise to continue listening and amplify the voices of the LGBTQIA+ community, Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islanders.

7

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

DANIEL HOOGSTRA

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Hello there, When I last wrote for Catalyst, the world we lived in was a very different one. Just as the seasons change, so too have our lives and our education. Covid-19 has redefined our experience of the world. Students are stuck at home and struggling to adapt to a new learning environment. University staff have not been given enough time to prepare themselves and their students for online learning and it is us as students that face the consequences.

RMIT was one of the last universities to respond to the calls to pause face-to-face learning and teaching and only did so after the federal government forced them to. While other universities were leading the way in protecting the health and safety of students, RMIT students were left to make a choice between their education and the health of themselves and their loved ones.

8

DANIEL HOOSTRA

It can be easy to lose sight of what is most important. RUSU, on the other hand, will continue to be there for you. As President, it is my job to ensure that you are represented, and that your voice is heard. I, along with my team, have been working hard to get desirable outcomes for students.

We’ve had a few wins. From the start, we pushed for the census date to be pushed to April 30.

RMIT listened to us. Revising the census date allowed students more time to assess whether or not online learning is right for them and it also gave students more time to pay their fees. We also had wins with Bundoora parking permits being refunded, library fines being waived and a COVID-19 financial hardship grant being introduced to help students most in need.

We are continuing our work to achieve more wins for students. We are still lobbying for changes to how fails are recorded, reductions of at least 20% to tuition fees, and for SSAF to be reallocated from events and activities to the student services we need now more than ever.

There is a lot that we are doing for international students as well. These students are some of our most affected. Many are unable to return home, have lost their entire income and have little to no support network here in Australia. We are working with the National Union of Students

LETTER

to campaign for visa extensions, international access to coronavirus supplement payments and changes to visa conditions to allow international students to study part time.

If you need support, RUSU is here for you.

Compass can provide online supermarket vouchers to students for supplies and food.

RMIT has also expanded their Student Hardship Assistance fund and Equity Scholarship fund to provide up to $10 million in additional support for students impacted by Covid-19.

This is a difficult time for all students, as it is for everyone the world over. This pandemic is unlike anything our community has faced before. It’s important we all look after ourselves and each other. We are here for you, and we will continue working every day to get the best outcomes we can. We are all in this together, and we will get through this together.

Take care, stay safe and look after your mates.

Daniel Hoogstra RUSU President

9

I S S U E 03

10

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

11

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

A MANIFESTO TO THE POWER OF TILLING SOIL ACCOUNT BY L AURA GREEN | POETRY BY WALT WHITM AN

The smoke of my own breath, Echoes, ripples, buzz’d whispers, love-root, silk-thread, crotch and vine, My respiration and inspiration, the beating of my heart, the passing of blood and air through my lungs, The sniff of green leaves and dry leaves, and of the shore and dark-colored sea-rocks, and of hay in the barn, The sound of the belch’d words of my voice loos’d to the eddies of the wind, A few light kisses, a few embraces, a reaching around of arms, The play of shine and shade on the trees as the supple boughs wag, The delight alone or in the rush of the streets, or along the fields and hill-sides, The feeling of health, the full-noon trill, the song of me rising from bed and meeting the sun.

As the country stumbled into March and the smoke cleared and businesses locked their doors and the earth grew colder, I found myself seeking warmth in movement. Not the robotic, high-intensity of a gym, but in the organic, slow crawl of settling into the natural world.

12

I’m often tired, my blood runs cold. I moved to Melbourne from sunny Perth just under three years ago to study. A bout of glandular fever left me prostrate in bed, sapped of energy for months. I held on. The loneliness of a new city hung low above my mattress, a slab across wooden floorboards. They still bear the etchings of my silent clinging.

I worked and I studied and I fed energy into writing, something I haven’t touched in recent months. Am I afraid to write? For fear of breaking the damn I’ve built, the resilience I needed so sorely when nursing my poor health, solitary, behind four walls? Rain trickled down old gutters and lightning flashed with the lights of State Route 9 outside my window.

A big city can feel like an ants nest, so filled with the buzz of movement yet each of us is so driven with our own needs, stifling our own loneliness.

So I worked and studied and collapsed in between, ever cold at my extremities.

Sometimes, things save you when you don’t expect them to.

This winter, my cold hands – mapped with blue and purple veins of renewing geography, struck through with dancing tendons – are stronger for the burden of holding myself up. But a handstand can’t be held forever. Us sapiens are no

L AURA GREEN

longer designed to walk with our fists, but neither are we made for the posturing office job or the gruelling contortion of customer service paired with physical labour. My back aches.

Borders closed, elasticated and contracted. Held still, upright for months.

I arch up from the bent-over coil in which I spent the last two hours pulling weeds, twisting backwards, my fists working the knots from the muscles around my hips and a sigh escaping as a wisp into the chilly air.

Each day I want to seek comfort in my mother, a country apart, staring at another coast.

I glance at the paling sky; the sun has journeyed west, the terracotta-tile-and-green-moss roof of my rental curtaining it so sunlight just peeps at me over its ridge.

A MANIFESTO TO THE POWER OF TILLING SOIL

Tending the soil and the living things within reminds me to tend my own skin, to clip my nails, to brush my teeth. I mix compost into the clay.

It teaches attention to detail. I pull a caterpillar from a spinach leaf.

It encourages resilience, so I mulch the trees. It reminds me to drink and look for a sunny spot once in a day or two.

Soon I will have a harvest, and when that day comes, I will loosen the life in the earth from its roots, prepare it, and let it nourish my own. And with each season I will turn a new leaf. A little warmer each time.

Urge and urge and urge, Always the procreant urge of the world. +

I should go inside, I think to myself, but the souls of my feet feel the earth reverberating through them. It shivers up my spine, a little from cold, a little from anticipation, and I roll forward once more until my knees bend and my fingers are digging for weeds to pull. I brace, I rock my weight forward, back on the balls of my feet, jerk of the wrist. The weed loosens its grip, snakes its way out of the soil. I toss it in the pile behind me.

I toss lazy circles of ash around vegetable seedlings, their leaves once wonky, now settled in their own places. I guide snow peas, their stalks thickening and spiralling up more confidently each day, spines running up the enticing twirl of the trellis. I bind them to their pillars, and their appendages – always seeking – curl and grasp and continue the climb.

I tug some rosemary from its branch, crush it between fingers, and inhale the glory of nurturing a growing thing.

13

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

MOON MAGICK EMILY CORK

Lunar connection can inspire a resurgence of your innermost self. By tuning into the rhythm of the moon, we can harness its potent energy to find inner guidance and ground ourselves.

The moon is a universal symbol of wisdom, intuition and powerful feminine energy. It represents our inner world, our hidden emotions, desires, shadow selves, fears, worries and dreams. It has circled our Earth for millions of years, its gravitational force affecting us along with its tug on the tides of the ocean. It has served as a natural calendar for numerous ancient cultures throughout time, and we can find valuable wisdom by tuning into its rhythm.

Moon cycles are similar to that of a flower: a seed grows into a flower, reaches its bloom, and then dies back to a seed. The moon begins as a dark ‘new moon’, then waxes (grows bigger) until it reaches its circular ‘full moon’ shape, then wanes (becomes smaller) until we see its dark side again. This cycle repeats, and repeats.

Each phase of the moon carries its own energy, with the most powerful time being the luminescent full moon. Illuminating the night sky with borrowed light of the sun, the full moon sits in the opposite zodiac sign to the sun (so if it’s Leo season, the moon will be in Aquarius!) This is an emotional time where our feelings can be

14

more intense than usual, but if we harness this energy we can use it to our advantage.

The full moon provides us with an opportunity to create a sacred space for ourselves, to reflect and meditate on our heart and headspace. Full moon circles are a beautiful way of going about this. It’s so powerful to come together with others and create a safe space to be vulnerable and raw. A moon circle is just what it sounds like: a group of people gathering on the evening of a full moon to harness its energy. This can include setting intentions, working through challenges, finding clarity and connecting with the inner self.

Participants often share what is on their mind and can speak free of judgment or interruption.

Simply being heard like this can have an incredible impact on our mental health.

If you feel called to tune into the energy of the full moon, whether alone or in a group of trusted friends, here are some steps to conduct your own ceremony.

1. Create your space Your circle could take place outside in the glow of the full moon, or you could create a relaxing atmosphere inside your home with candles and pillows. Lighting incense or spraying a herbal aromatherapy mist gives a nourishing feel to the space. If you feel inclined, you can create an altar for the centre of the circle to help ground it. Your

E M I LY C O R K

altar could revolve around the four elements: north (earth), south (fire), east (air) and west (water). eg. Stones, flowers and dried herbs for earth, candles for fire, feathers and incense for air, and essential oils for water.

2. Meditation and grounding Take a few moments to ground yourself in this space. Deep breathing is a great place to start, and you can find some beautiful guided meditations on YouTube. Take a minute to let go of the day’s tasks and worries, and sink into a place of peace.

3. Inspiration The joy of working with lunar cycles is that the moon is in a different zodiac sign each month!

The 12 astrological signs each have different qualities which can provide a new theme or lens for each circle - if you are into star signs, it’s worth looking them up and applying them to your full moon work. eg. When the moon is in Taurus (an earth sign, stable and sometimes stubborn) you can focus on grounding and connection to earth. When the moon is in Pisces (a dreamy, creative water sign) you can focus on imagination and creative expression.

4. Reflection Spend some time reflecting on the last moon cycle (month). What have been the ups and downs? What emotions have you felt most

MOON MAGICK

intensely? Have you faced significant challenges, achieved goals or learned anything new? What brought joy to your life? What dragged you down? What did not serve you well? You can share these learnings verbally one by one (no interruptions, just listening ears!) if in a group, or write them in a journal if alone.

5. Release Write down a list of the things that brought you negative energy and feelings in the last cycle (eg. bad habits, toxic people or situations). Now it’s time to rip them out one by one and burn them! The easiest way to do this is to pass them through a candle flame and drop them into a heat-safe cauldron or jar. Feel them leaving your presence and headspace for good!

6. Intentions and manifestations Lastly, you want to use all of this emotional insight and clarity you have gained to set intentions for the next moon cycle. What are your priorities?

What do you want to spend your time focusing on? What habits or thought patterns do you intend to work on? Write these down in your journal and look back at them throughout the next cycle.

Remember that this is just a guide: it’s important to listen to your intuition and create a ritual that is right for you! Enjoy your moon time!

15

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

KEY TRENDS: WINTER 2020 ANNE KIRSTEN CHAVRIMOOTOO

With the restrictions many of us have been experiencing the difficulty to dress up again. Yes, it is hard to move away from our comfy loungewear, so here are some quick tips to be on-trend this Winter.

THE NEW COS Y Slouchy silhouettes take inspiration from comfortable loungewear following ‘iso’.

Accessorise it with a belt at the waist for an elevated look and a pair of flats. (Practical for when you are running late for class, thank me later).

A line dresses for the warmer days (because it’s Melbourne!)

ZARA

WINTER DRESSING 101 Comfort Dressing is also present in menswear this winter.

Instead of a plain jumper, opt for one with prints.

Choose a unique one that reflects your own style. In this case, the ethnic print gives away a fun 70s style.

16

COUNTRY ROADS

A N N E K I R S T E N C H AV R I M O O T O O

K E Y T R E N D S : W I N T E R 2 02 0

70S VIBES BOOHOO

This winter, the iconic 70s are back! The diversity of this decade gave everyone the opportunity to express their own uniqueness.

Let yourself get inspired by flared pants, calming earthy colour palettes and the quintessential ethnic and floral prints.

ANDERSSON BELL

DOROTHEE SCHUMACHER REFORM ATION

ZARA SEMPRE DI

GLASSONS

CHLOE

IT ’ S ALL ABOUT L AYERS! UNRAVEL

BURBER RY

ZARA

Layering is an art! Whether you are going for an eccentric combination or a monochrome look, layers will be inevitable this season. If you are a beginner, start with a simple base of staple garments like a neutral top and jeans and then build up your look with accessories, shoes and outerwear. Be adventurous and try on different looks to find the ones you feel the most confident in.

17

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

LE T ’ S BRING BACK THE COAT S! Quilt coats for men bring in a cozy element while providing optimal warmth for this cold season and protect you from downpours.

THOM BROWNE FENDI

In times of uncertainty, the past becomes even more desirable. Vintage Fendi coat with a waist belt for a flattered silhouette. Despite its classic cut, it becomes contemporary with the trim detailing.

Raffia bags bring back the earthy element so popular in the 70s.

But remember, these are outfit ideas for you to get inspired from what you can expect to see in stores this winter. So, use you creativity to express yourself and find your own unique style. Embrace the diversity of fashion and keep in mind that the only rule is that there are no rules!

18

A N N E K I R S T E N C H AV R I M O O T O O

BU Y SECOND HAND We owe Macklemore on this one. Shopping at an op shop is like being in a treasure hunt for the most unique items, to express your individuality.

Top picks of Op Shops in Melbourne: · · · · ·

Vintage Sole Vinnies Red Cross Shops Sacred Heart Mission Family Life

· Salvos · Retrostar Vintage Clothing · Storehouse Thrift · Shag

Being on trend is not the only point to consider when buying fashion. Dressing sustainably is now, more than ever-A necessity. There has been a lot of discussion around sustainability within the fashion industry’s practices in the past decade.

Especially as consumers become increasingly aware of the dire impacts of the industry following disasters like the Rana Plaza, where more than

K E Y T R E N D S : W I N T E R 2 02 0

a thousand factory workers were killed or even the disappearance of the Aral Sea because of excess water used in cotton production. Despite all the ‘sustainable talks’, not much action is seen particularly on the consumer side. On the flip side of the coin, many fashion brands offer apparel with sustainable claims but at a much higher price point than regular garments which discourages buyers to adopt better purchasing habits. Nevertheless, there still exists certain ways for you to be more mindful with your fashion choices without having to empty your whole bank account!

VERSATILIT Y IS KE Y Avoid overbuying by going for versatile fashion.

Opt for garments that can be transitioned from a casual to a more refined look. Play around with different accessories and most importantly, make it your own!

Nothing better than a pair of artsy earrings to complete the look.

Stacked bracelets cuff

LOVISA

is the perfect solution for a casual effortless embellishment.

LOVISA

THE ROW

COLET TE

Add a pop of colour with the

COLET TE

orange bag to lighten the mood!

ZARA

19

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

My Favourite Responsible Fashion Brands:

CUS TOMISE AND REUSE

· · · · · · ·

Numerous YouTube videos show you how to customise jeans. An old pair can be cut into shorts, enhanced using fabric dyes or trims, or even cut into pieces to make patchworks.

This is the part where you can let your creativity go wild and unleash your artistic side!

Etiko Icebreaker Kowtow Homie Liminal Apparel Outland Denim Salt Gypsy

· · · · · · ·

Saroka Denimsmith Elk Social Outift Organic Crew Vega Threads Spell

REPAIR AND REUSE Take a simple pair of jeans for example. Many of us throw away jeans only if the zipper stops working. Simply take them to a tailor and get your favourite item back as new!

BOOHOO

By using your clothes more often and ultimately buying less, you can reduce the amount of waste that goes into landfills. And if ever you get tired of your old clothes and really want to get rid of them, you can easily make some extra cash by selling them on second hand retailing websites.

My top picks are: The Closet, Depop, Carousell, Yordrope or even through Instagram. Otherwise, you can simply donate them to charities or hand them down to the people you know. But before you do so, make sure that they are still usable!

Happy sustainable shopping!

EVERLANE

20

MADALEINE HAR

UMBRELL AS WITHER AND BLOSSOM

UMBRELLAS WITHER AND BLOSSOM M ADALEINE HAR

Tension in Hong Kong has been simmering nonstop since last June, highlighted by sharp and protracted periods of rage boiling over against censorship, authoritarianism, and police brutality.

You may have seen a few of these boiling points in international headlines; the storming of Hong Kong’s legislative council building, the airport occupations, the mob attacks, and the siege of universities.

Protests exploded on June 9 last year when over a million protestors took to the streets to oppose a bill allowing extradition to China, which could pose a threat to political dissent within Hong Kong. Even the COVID crisis (which brought the protests to a halt) did not mean the end of their activism. HK’s incredibly low infection rates can be owed to the efforts of activists who used their newfound connections to educate and aid others in beating the virus where the government had fallen short. There was even a strike of medical workers to shut down borders and demand better PPE for hospital workers, owed to a wave of unionization across different sectors that surged during the protests.

Things were fairly quiet until last month. The Chinese government grew tired of constant political resistance and made the decision to unilaterally impose national security laws on the rebel city.

Many agree that this is the end of ‘One country, two systems.’

Established in 1997 since handover to China by the British, this framework gave Hong Kong a strong level of autonomy in conducting its legal, economic, and financial affairs. This system wasn’t implemented however out of the kindness or respect for autonomy from the British or Chinese governments.

This system has played an important role as an economic bridge between China and the rest of the world. Haven for the elite, and a hellish place for toiling workers.

This liberalisation however meant that Hong Kongers could enjoy a higher level of democratic freedom than those in the mainland.

The gravity of the natsec law eclipses that of the extradition bill. These laws are made to introduce criminal offenses for acts such as secession, subversion, foreign interference, and terrorism.

For Hong Kongers, this will mean extreme repression of their entire movement. Suspects arrested under this law could be subject to being held indefinitely in a ‘special holding centre.’

The Chinese government also noted it would establish a special security apparatus in the city to enforce these laws.

21

I S S U E 03

E P I S O D E TDUOMWBNL P EO U R

Since its implementation on the 30th of June, Hong Kongers have had their worlds turned on their heads and are already feeling the effects of the law. To get a sense of this, I spoke to Hong Kong based protestor and artist Murkrow (@ ginkgogoes on Twitter) weeks before the law came into effect, even at that point, the bleakness felt on the ground was strong.

“If you look around, the city feels the same. But most people I know (And myself) are actually scared. You can’t be not scared if someone in power hints at the probability of a ‘special detention centre’ where one can be held for an unlimited period of time, in a law that must pass to make what you’ve been doing a crime. So many talk about leaving, but I also know people who’re determined to stay and fight. As for myself, I don’t know what to do because I feel that street battles have reached a bottleneck and the fight within the system is also rigged against us (e.g. They’d disqualify elected councillors.)

On July 1 there will be another big protest. I’d go not because I feel that it will change Beijing’s decision, but that I think we all have a duty to tell Beijing that the Nat Sec law will not be the end of our resistance.”

That protest did go on defiantly, but not without 360 arrests and the overwhelming mass awareness that demonstrating will now be more dangerous than ever, if not impossible.

One of Hong Kong’s most iconic protest symbols were the ‘Lennon walls.’ People would shower public space with colourful post-it notes and fill them with protest messages and slogans.

Now protestors are leaving the post-its blank, representing the grim new reality of authoritarian rule that Hong Kongers now live under.

Watching this happen from afar, we can feel like there’s nothing we can do to help here. I argue that the same fight must be had here in Australia. Hong Kong Police Force have been

22

found recruiting in universities all over the world, including in Australia. Our own democracy rating has dropped from ‘open’ to ‘narrowed’ in a civil rights report. Think of the police raids on the ABC, persecution of whistleblowers, and crackdowns on peaceful protests.

As Black Lives Matter marches have captured the imagination of the world, many are now calling to defund - and even abolish - the police. These marches have adopted certain protest tactics popularised in Hong Kong in their own fights against police brutality. Australians also have our own problems with police impunity to deal with.

Since 1991, not a single police officer has been convicted for murdering Indigenous people in custody.

We have a lot to learn from Hong Kongers, not just on how to deal with tear gas, but also how to continue adapting and fighting for a more just society. Hong Kongers are well aware of how unlikely they are to win against the goliath of the Chinese state. Yet they continue through the tear gas and rubber bullets. The famous analogy made

by Bruce Lee that has defined the strategy of Hong Kongers: be water, be formless, and never stop moving.

For more information on future solidarity actions in Melbourne, follow the Victoria Hong Kong Tertiary Student Association on facebook. +

PA U L G I L M O R E VIA. UNSPL ASH

23

I S S U E 03

E P I S O D E TDUOMWBNL P EO U R

TOP TIPS FOR A WINTER BIRTHDAY LIV ROFFE Y

My birthday is in July. It falls smack-back in the middle of winter. I’m a summer person through and through. So, celebrating my birthday in the midst of the icy Melbourne breeze is often bleak. As a Uni student, I don’t own a hot tub or a fancy outdoor heater, so the possibilities of a get-together are quite limited. I know I may be painting a slightly depressing picture of having a birthday in July, but as a seasoned veteran, I’ve learnt a thing or two about how to make the most of a winter birthday on a budget!

01

RUG THE HECK UP

Can’t afford a Kathmandu jacket? What’s wrong with you, honestly? Only kidding. Head to Mountain Warehouse and pay less than $50 for the SAME quality. The only difference is you can’t say to your mates that it’s a Kathmandu.

24

02

M AKE MULLED CIDER

Mulled cider is basically the same as traditional cider but warmer and yummier. It’s super easy to make and your friends will think you’re hip, worldly and nailing adulthood. If you like wine, the same goes. Thanks to $3 wine at Aldi and 10 bucks for a bottle of Little Fat Lamb, you can impress for less. Also, when you’re drunk you can’t feel the cold, so it’s a win-win.

LIV ROFFEY

T O P T I P S F O R A W I N T E R B I R T H D AY

+ Whatever you choose to do, I think we can all agree that having a birthday in winter on a budget can be challenging. At least by now we can actually see other people for our birthdays, so that’s a major win for winter babies in 2020!

03

DANCE, DANCE, DANCE

If you throw a little shindig at your sharehouse, the best way to get warm is to chuck on some classic tunes from the 90’s-00’s and have a boogie. One of your friends most likely owns a UE Boom. Yes, the floor will probably be sticky the next day. Yes, your neighbours will probably hate you. But it’s a great time, and what better way to bond with your friends than cleaning up the next day, hungover, with Maccas from UberEats?

04

FIND A SPECIAL FRIEND

If you don’t already have one, you could jump on tinder and find a special friend to get cozy with when your birthday hits (this also applies for the rest of winter). If you’re more of an introvert, this might be the thing for you. You can watch a movie and snuggle up in bed together with a glass of wine. If not, there’s always your closest friends. Or if you’re like me, you always have your cat.

25

I S S U E 03

H E N R I K D Ø N N E S TA D VIA. UNSPL ASH

26

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

J A I D Y N L AT TA R D

PUMPKIN SOUP

PUMPKIN SOUP JAIDYN L AT TARD

Waiting for a ride, stiff from harsh winds that snaps locks and sends dogs running loose.

The day makes its announcement clear: pack up, head inside, wait for Mum to come home with pumpkin soup; above, there is no chance someone could fall through the dark clouds that take over from the faint, falling sun.

A concrete house shivers from the night that draws in—even with its new heating system— knowing that tonight someone will scour the internet under its roof for the covid-19 daily cases, clinging to hope for zero, zero, zero.

Even clicking the mouse, an awareness lingers: cabin fever, but worse now in the skin-prickling winter.

How many books can one get through confined to homes as the hail falls outside and the downfall punches the roof?

How many tissue boxes can one empty?

Make it through another freezing night to see the freezing morning that follows.

Two layers of socks, a pair of gloves, a beanie and hood on, head out in the morning fog and waddle blindly in the jaw-aching cold. @JAIDYNPOETRY

IRINA VIA. UNSPL ASH

Seasonal blues take hold in a taunting, terrifying grip— but then they let go with the memory of a firebeast blazing, a sweeping pandemic and riots across the globe.

Arms to chest. Rocking and frowning at all this chaos.

Then the pumpkin soup arrives, fills us warm; the new heating system softens goosebumps; a thought crosses: a warmer blanket would be nice.

27

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

A BRIEF HISTORY OF HYSTERIA ALEX LINEHAN

Thomas Sydenham (1624 - 1689) was an English physician who earned the nickname ‘the English Hippocrates’ after the father of medicine, through his breakthrough discoveries - the cause of typhus, a cure for malaria, and the classification of scarlet fever. His writings became the standard textbook for medical education for the next two hundred years. But, despite his fame, one of Sydenham’s more radical theories would take decades to be accepted. Sydenham had proposed that one of the most common conditions of the time, hysteria, had its origins in the brain, defying a belief that had been around since 1900 BCE that said it was caused by movement of the uterus.

To a modern society, the idea of hysteria and its origin seems bizarre and ridiculous. But to assume that four thousand years of history has simply evaporated is to discredit the uncomfortable truth - we may not be aware of it, but the idea of hysteria continues to pervade our assumptions and social norms.

It is difficult to define hysteria, as the word was used to classify so many symptoms from fainting and anxiety to paralysis, to, paradoxically, both a lack of and a presence of sexual desire. The simplest explanation of hysteria is it acted as an explanation for any physical or mental health problems women experienced that could not be diagnosed with the knowledge of the day, or did

28

not fit into the social expectations. The prevailing belief for centuries was that the origin of these symptoms was the female body itself.

The history of hysteria began in Ancient Egypt, where records describing a mental illness in women date back to 1900 BCE. It was believed this was caused by the uterus wandering through the body. This belief of a ‘wandering womb’ travelled to Ancient Greece (it was Hippocrates who first used the term ‘hysteria’ which comes from the Greek word for uterus). In Ancient Greek society, women were considered hysterical if they refused sex, and as sex was necessary to maintain the correct position of the womb, it was prescribed as a cure.

This remained the accepted login until around 100-200 CE, when Greek physician Soranus of Ephesus contended that hysteria was in fact a result of sexual activity, and the cure was perpetual virginity. For the next thousand years, through the fall of the Roman Empire and into the so-called ‘Dark Ages’, theories on the cure of hysteria would oscillate between prescribing sex or recommending abstinence. It is important to recognise that women were not seen as victims of this disease, rather its cause. Their bodies, believed to be inferior to those of men, were the source of hysteria. Women’s sexuality was seen as unnatural or harmful, and relegated to the control of men.

ALEX LINEHAN

A BRIEF HISTORY OF HYSTERIA

Around 1200 CE, the Catholic Church started the Inquisition in an attempt to combat heresy and assert control of Europe. During the Inquisition, hysteria became synonymous with sorcery - and the cure shifted to performing exorcisms as a punishment. If women were ill and the illness could not be identified, then it was reasoned that it must be the work of the devil. It is no surprise that from this era until the Renaissance, hysteria became intertwined with witch-hunting.

Sigmund Freud began to recognise the physical symptoms that had been recorded as hysteria were traumatic incidents manifesting themselves in physical pain. However, much of his work was still grounded in derogatory ideas about female sexuality. The link between hysteria and the womb remained stubbornly engrained in popular imagination. In Victorian times, women still carried smelling salts, believing their odour would return the womb to its rightful place.

It was during the Renaissance that Sydenham articulated the revolutionary notion that the uterus was not the cause of hysteria. But his ideas created an important question - if the uterus did not cause hysteria then what did? And could men also be hysterical?

Diagnosis of hysteria dropped off dramatically between 1895 to 1910, due to the ability of physicians to better diagnose conditions such as epilepsy and late-stage syphilis. There was however, a resurgence of so-called hysteria during and after World War One, when soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder were dismissed as ‘hysterical.’ Soldiers whose trauma left them physically shaking, numb or paralysed were accused of malingering and cowardice.

The eighteenth century saw various hypotheses as to the cause of hysteria, and a new idea - this condition was linked to modernisation. By 1775, hysteria was hypothesised as a response to women being unable to fulfill their ‘natural roles’ in a rapidly changing society. This was, of course, limited to wealthy, Western women. Working class women were seen to be fulfilling their correct role with their higher birth rates. NonEuropean women, especially Indigenous women, were viewed patronisingly as backward and unsophisticated, therefore incapable of suffering such existential angst.

This past may seem very distant to a society which has made unquantifiable progress in medicine and social attitudes toward women. But the legacy of hysteria remains.

It takes longer for women to be diagnosed with chronic diseases than men. Many women, including close friends of mine, describe the

29

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

struggle of being shafted from doctor to doctor only to be repeatedly told their health issues are caused by anxiety whilst underlying issues lay undiagnosed. I myself was very sick for months as a teenager, barely able to walk the distance of a block, and vividly remember being asked if “it was all just in my head.”

Only now is the prevalence and systematic dismissal of conditions such as endometriosis and hyperemesis gravidarum (debilitating morning sickness) becoming known. Many women suffering from these conditions express their frustration at doctors downplaying their symptoms, refusing to treat them, or dismissing their pain as ‘hysterical.’

Symptoms in women that defy diagnosis are still treated with the same ideas that underpinned hundreds of years of belief in hysteria.

However, to suggest that only women suffer from the cultural legacy of hysteria is also incorrect.

Ideas of gendered hysteria dangerously dismiss men’s emotions. The suicide rate for Australian men is three times the rate of women, and mental illness remains even more stigmatised in men than women. Our perception of the social role men play is still one tainted by the idea of emotion being associated with hysteria, and inferior to fêted reason.

Aristotelian thought placed men, seen as the most rational, at the top of the hierarchy. Women belonged below them, as due to their physical structure they were seen as irrational, and prone to hysteria. Philosopher and ecofeminist Val Plumwood outlines how this has created the association between women and nature, as both were subjugated, dominated and engineered.

This type of thinking may no longer be accepted

30

in theory, but has become deeply embedded in our discourses.

Early feminists were mocked and labelled as being hysterical. Conservative commentators often frame their opponents as being too emotional, tarring leftists with such terms as ‘snowflakes’ and ‘hysterical’ - all of which invoke an inherent assumption that reason is superior to emotion. Even just a brief glance at this discourse reveals the taint of hysteria and the associated ideas that reason, associated with man, the West, and a triumph over nature, is superior.

But, as American philosopher George Lakoff posits, we cannot make decisions without emotion, for the simple reason emotions tell us what we want and what we don’t want. We cannot exclude emotion from our decision making process because it forms the basis of it.

Emotion is not a weakness, a mental illness, or the domain of the feminine. It should not be stigmatised or labelled as hysteria. Women’s pain and women’s health issues are real and underexplored, as the legacy of hysteria lives stubbornly on in modern medicine. And in order to challenge these implicit assumptions made in our culture every day, we have to understand where they come from. The idea of wandering wombs or women as vessels of sorcery may seem fanciful, but its legacy has trickled into our everyday lives, and has, unwittingly, formed perceptions of the place and value of emotion. +

R U S S X C ATA LY S T

THE SNOW STOKE: AN INTERVIEW WITH RUSS

THE SNOW STOKE: AN INTERVIEW WITH RUSS RUSS X CATALYST INTERVIEW

To embrace the cold winter season and fulfil our thirst for adventure we chatted to Richard Niven, President of RMIT’s Snow Sports Club. He spoke to us about RUSS’s challenges in running a sports club during this year’s pandemic and we asked him to share a few highlights from their massive 21 year drought breaking victory last year at VICIV’s Uni-wide competition.

For those who don’t know, RUSS is a group of fun-loving people dedicated to all things snow.

To start, Richard told Catalyst about his beginnings in the club and how a chance encounter with a newly made friend in the classroom led to an eventful pub crawl and then three to four years on the slopes.

“We went and never looked back. That was three to four years ago and I’ve been in the club ever since. I loved It!”

With a focus on camaraderie and welcoming new members into the fold, RUSS orgainises recreational trips in the winter and a bunch of social events throughout the year bringing snow lovers together, even when winter is nowhere to be seen.

31

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

What club activities does RUSS hold on and off the mountain?

On the mountain, “it’s pretty snow oriented” because, of course, everyone wants their time on the snow. Richard said it’s expensive to get up there, so, “who wouldn’t want to spend as much time as they can on the snow?”.

On top of skiing and snowboarding, Richard says they normally try to do an event every night whether its a team dinner, - trivia - or just hanging out and playing some games before they go out.

“As soon as we get back to the lodge after dark there’s a lot of camaraderie and group activities,” he said “Which is what we are really trying our best to plan for and work around this year. The issue is how we are going to manage activities in the lodges with social distancing. However, we are looking forward to it and we’ve had a lot of interest in trips already this year, so we think we’ll be able to manage the socially distanced group activities.”

In terms of off the mountain, RUSS tries to keep it interesting with a mixture of events or members including activities, sponsor sessions and classic university club events.

There’s always a pub crawl or two. In the past, they have organised rock climbing and even played tenpin bowling with the RMIT Tenpin Bowling Club last year, which, according to Richard, produced a great turnout for a Thursday night.

“We also organise bigger events like a formal cocktail event at the end of the year where people can dress up,” he said. “Then we offer some more lower-key things. For example, a spontaneous group dinner”.

32

How has the club been affected by the pandemic? Has it changed future plans at all?

“Oh 100%,” said Richard. “We thought we would have to cancel our trips, but things have progressed pretty quickly and it seems everyone is really pushing for the ski season to go ahead, it’d be big for the mountains, if they had to close, they would struggle financially. “ “How it’s changed for the club specifically, we have to obey all state and federal government social distancing restrictions whilst up on the mountain, then because of the rules around how many people can meet up which is at 20, most of the lodges are only opening for 20 people,” he said.

Normally the beginners trip is 40 people. That’s our first trip of the year. But this year, the camp had to be cut to 20. “There’s additional issues with the lodges as most of them have shared bathrooms and kitchens,” he said. “Currently there’s no shared facilities allowed.”

“We are a bit disappointed we can only take 20, but we are super stoked we can and we’ve had so much interest from people this year about it, so we will sell that trip out,” Richard said.

“It is a bit of a shame we can only take half the members we normally can, but we are really excited to still have RMIT’s support to run our

R U S S X C ATA LY S T

THE SNOW STOKE: AN INTERVIEW WITH RUSS

CREDITS

trips. We’ve had so much interest that we’ve even added another trip to our calendar.” fun fact: their booking site crashed when they opened the trip up because they had so many people jumping on the link!

What other trips do you have planned throughout the season?

The way we do trips is, you have to book all the lodges in February because we are booking whole lodges, they take group bookings at that time of year so we already have our trip calendar, which is one the website, which is 5 trips at the moment. And they all range between 20 & 40 people, so what we are doing now is evaluating..okay if we can only have 20 for each trip we’ll try to book a few trips in. We were not too sure how many members we would get either, but we have jumped up to 200, which we were a bit surprised at. Because we definitely assumed a downturn, we even offered full refunds if people’s situation changed and snow sports weren’t on the cards for them but even with that we only lost one or two members..

If they increase capacity from 20, then we’ll be maxing out as many people we can take at once. We are then also looking to add more trips if the lodges are available and the members willing.

I understand, you won the top overall trophy in a Competitive trip against other uni’s.

Can you tell me more about the competition?

Yes, that is a yearly event, it’s called VICIV’s and it’s run by a couple of ex-rmit alumni as well, just by chance. VICIVs is an inter-university competition between Monash, Melbourne, Deakin, La Trobe, Swinburne and RMIT. They hold a mix of racing events, which changes year to year to keep it spicy, from Downhill races, Skiercross, Slopestyle to more exciting runs on a course, similar to BMX .

“Anyone is welcome to come, there’s normally a couple of hundred uni students all up at the snow for the Thursday to Sunday event”. However Richard reminds us it is a competitive trip, it’s timed and judged by the race department, RUSS do ask for people who come to that trip to have some ski ability.

Although, Richard admits he did go in his first year “having very little ski ability”.

This is normally one of RUSS most popular trips, sometimes the racing aspect turns people off because they are a bit nervous, but it’s such a fun trip because the organisers hold inter-uni events every night of the week as well. It is a shame this year they won’t be able to do the social side of things but they are still looking to run the comp.

33

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

What were the highlights?

“Winning for the first time in 21 years! RMIT may have had some success in the 90’s but the last time RUSS won it was 98.”Then last year, RUSS took home the chocolates which was great” Richard admits he did not contribute a lot “ pretty sure I came second last in all my races” But lucky for RUSS the team had two gun athletes but Harvey Edmanson and Yolanda Fulton-Richmond, who won a lot of their own individual events. RUSS also had one of the larger teams up there, over 40 competitors and it was a well rounded team effort that combined for the overall top points score.

What did you do to celebrate?

“On the mountain was our big celebration” Richard tells us. Each year on the last night of the competition VIC IV’S holds a medal ceremony, followed by a themed dress-up after party with all the uni’s (last year’s theme was retro), where the winners can show-off their winning cup.

Richard confesses RUSS took the cup to the one and only nightclub in mount buller after the festivities “we stayed there for a large quantity of the night. There might have been some connuncial sharing of beverages from the cup can neither confirm or deny.”

Sadly that was the last time the cup was seen until RUSS brought it out for Open Day this year to entice new members.

34

How can you enter the competition?

Anyone coming on the trip has to compete in two races, that’s RUSS’s pre-requisite, Richard welcomes students to do more if they wish, yet in light of recent changes - The club just heard today that the uni nationals for snow sports was cancelled - what RUSS’s thinking is to reach out to the snow sports national team and give them a chance to compete in VIC IV’s for RMIT. “The organisers are really keen to have the competition, the mountains are keen for us to have it because they haven’t got a lot of events on. It’s just a matter of getting accommodation at Mt Buller, which is our primary concern at the moment.” Said Richard *Sadly last week the event was cancelled as the mountain couldn’t commit to making a course with the level of snow they have. The organisers are looking at the potential of hosting a one day race event later in the year if possible, for now we’ll just have to hold on to the trophy.

What a shame.

AUTHOR

R U S S X C ATA LY S T I N T E R V I E W

How did you get started skiing? And what piece of advice would you give to newcomers?

“I skied a little bit when i was a kid but i’d completely forgotten about all of that by the time i joined the club. I joined the club with about one day of experience on a snowboard and I absolutely sucked but there’s just such a variety of people and experience in the club that it didn’t matter.

Richard shares that RUSS always gets a lot of new members each year, most of whom are students just starting out at uni, who want to get more involved. “Because we have such a variety of skills each year, there’s always people in the lessons stage, people who are still trying to find their feet and people who can do a lot of interesting stuff on the skis and snowboards, then there’s the experts who can race and everything.”

There’s always people all along the spectrum to hang out with, that’s the part I always found the most fun. There are always people who are keen to give you advice, keen to hang out and then no matter what happens during the day, everyone is always back at the lodge by 5.30.

And it starts in the spa & sauna, then works its way into the living room, then everyones cooking up something or moving out to the pub. It’s just a really great environment”.

“I went to uni saying i want to get involved outside the classroom, i want to join a big club, honestly it’s been better than i ever expected”.

Richard’s advice for anyone considering tackling the slopes is -” it doesn’t matter if you have no snow experience, no snow crew or snow gear.

We try to make a semi-expensive hobby really affordable and fun for new people”.

The one thing is you have to be a member to go on RUSS’s trips, “that’s why we keep reminding everyone because it’s very upsetting for people to try and buy a trip, then they realise they have not brought their membership first.”

Anything you’d like to add as president?

“Biggest thing for us is to make sure our members get value for their membership this year. First and foremost we want to run the trips having as much fun as we can in a safe manner. Then the next biggest thing is we want to make sure our members don’t feel like they have wasted their money. We are really trying to push out deals with our sponsors to get either discounts in-store for snow gear, or rentals.

If we can start to have social events towards the end of the year there’s a good chance the bar tab will be on us. The best part about the club is the friendships that people make so we are excited to get back together as soon as possible.

We really want to give back to everyone, because we really appreciate the support, to have over 200 people sign up to the club before the winter season in a year where money is pretty tight, is a massive show of support and we hope to repay everyone.”

35

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

CORONA DAZE V I S UA L S A L E JA N D R A O L AVA R R I A

36

CORONA DAZE

A L E J A N D R A O L AVA R R I A

37

I S S U E 03

38

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

CORONA DAZE

A L E J A N D R A O L AVA R R I A

39

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

WARM JESSICA BORG

Rain drops frozen; hanging in the air, Glistening like crystals as they catch the light, As if there’s a little touch of magic, floating everywhere; And everything is covered in a cold blanket of white.

Sights that continued to leave me amazed and enthralled, Many memories made in this majestic place, But what I will never forget and always recall, Is how warm I felt, in your loving embrace.

Rivers standing still, solemnly frozen in their tracks, Lakes that make walking on water no challenging feat, Shivering trees that seem to huddle together in packs; So much snow, so much so - it beautifies the streets.

Inspired by my trip to Banff National Park, Canada.

Follow @unfilteredloveletters

The days so cold that they take your breath away, More breaths stolen by the marvellous views, Clear skies of blue to contrast the stark whites by day; By dusk, they are filled with pink violet hues.

They are mountains, that line the snowy horizon; Tall and proud they rise - painting a pretty picture, Unapologetically, the cold weather insists on staying through the season, Still I have only praise for this place, no complaints, no strictures.

40

WINTER SCENES FROM MISCELLANEOUS PLACES KELLY LIM

41

K E L LY L I M

WINTER SCENES FROM MISCELL ANEOUS PL ACES

43

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

K E L LY L I M

44

K E L LY L I M

45

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

POEMS NGUYEN DIEM THANH

“ WHY ? ” Standing in a pool of shadows, Staring as they drift on by.

Like little blazes, whizzing throughLighting my heart and turning my soul blue.

Why is it that fire’s my deepest desire, When it is the flame that will drown me at last?

Why, in this raging, paralyzing inferno Can’t I find a spark to light my way home?

Why, tell me why, I ask in earnest, with a thousand voices in my head Am I still left here To tread these scorching coals of hell Alone?

46

NGUYEN DIEM THANH

POEMS

“DRIF T ” Time seems to melt together.

Ever so seamlessly and chaotically When the light of day is enshrouded in bad weather, Love and lifeNowhere to be found.

In this sick, twisted mind of mine Just like a phantom, stuck between two worlds Heaven feels so far awayYet Earth doesn’t seem like home neither.

Spirits Drifting through my stream of consciousness, Tipping their ghostly hats, and grinning with their long-dead eyes.

Like an invisible force of nature, Like the wind, Brushing through the oldest trees.

My presence is felt, but never Really seen.

Can’t tell if this is freedom, or imprisonment.

Wanting to love but too scared to hurt Staying away but desperate to come close I need a guideline, a manual Show me how to live.

Cause I’m so tired Of drifting around mindlesslyBumping into this creature and that, Yet never having a connection that lasts Show me, Where do I belong?

47

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

“IS THIS A DRE A M? ” Gliding through life, barefoot and alone.

Stepping on the path of thorns Watching as hope bleeds through in streams of red The crescent moon all glowy above, Calling to me Inviting me To enter the land of darkness And forever enshroud myself in the cloak of dreams.

The cold slips into every corner of my brittle bones Yet all I can feel is numbness Blankness Wondering if this soul of mine is even there Or if I’ve been reduced to nothing more Than a figment of existence.

Breathing, crying, screaming And yet Dead A long, long time ago.

48

MIGUEL LOCSIN

TRIALS FOR THE THRILL DOWNHILL

TRIALS FOR THE THRILL DOWNHILL MIGUEL LOCSIN

December 2019.

Having wrapped up back-to-back exhausting semesters at RMIT, I flew back home to Manila for some much-needed time off. I enjoyed a couple of family dinners, caught up with friends, binge-watched dramas I’d been aching to check out – all in all, the kind of holiday I expected.

Little did I know what was going to be the true highlight of that month: skiing in Japan. Granted, I’d already prepared myself for it as my family, uncles, aunts and cousins had all agreed to end the year on a trip to Japan. The timing was perfect. I was keen on escaping the increasingly hot Australian summer while capitalising on my five-year multiple-entry visa. However, I found that the skiing part wasn’t just new and exciting.

It was a philosophical eye-opener.

Of course, we did the usual activities in Japan that one should check off: shopping, temple visits, feasts over great sushi and walks along the parks. But the pinnacle of our vacation – for me, at least – was veering off my comfort zone to have a go at skiing. To try. To fail. To stand up and wobble a bit. To fall on my butt. To get back up. Rinse and repeat... try and fail... again and again. Yes. The highlight of the trip encompassed all that.

I can’t lie – I underestimated the challenges a first-time skier might face. From the second I got off the bus and stepped foot in Biwako Valley ski resort, which is located in Otsu city (within Japan’s Shiga Prefecture), it was by no means a ‘warm’ welcome. Being the Southeast Asians we are, my family and I saw just how crucial it was to have layered up. I definitely needed those thermal pants and that long sleeve overlaid with a bubble jacket, which was then overlaid with a thick ski coat. And damn – the ski boots provided.

I sighed several times as I put on those stiffarse boots and tied the laces. The rigidity was palpable right off the bat.

As painstaking as it was to gear up, things wouldn’t get easier. We then had to walk for about 6-8 minutes, poles and skis on hand, across the snow to the base of the beginner’s slope. There was a designated spot for us to be inducted and to practice. Once we locked our boots onto their respective skis, it was a mindset of, “all right – let’s do this!” (albeit not with the most pumped-up tone; some could’ve thought they might be biting off more than they could chew). But apparently, there’s a lot of falling in skiing, which was why we were also taught how to get up with our skis intact.

Words couldn’t justify the toil of having to push up all 78kg of myself with nothing but a slim pole on either hand, and doing it sideways. Evidently,

49

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

it takes so much effort just to get up since the skis are practically glued to your feet. You can’t exactly bend the heels or curl the toes while raising your upper body. Staying seated is also a challenge because it’s not your heels resting on the snow – it’s the edges of the skis. It’s awkward having to twist your body so your feet aren’t left dangling a few inches above ground, and at times, it can be painful.

And yet? I loved it! Once I positioned myself at the top of the hill, ready to descend along that powdery, white spectacle, the adrenaline kicked in. As I raised the poles and leaned forward, with my feet firmly pressed to the skis, I gained that feel-good rush. It lingered as I kept on sliding smoothly (maneuvering à la James Bond) all the way until I stopped at the bottom of the slope, by widening my stance and planting both poles on either side of my body. I did manage to replicate that instance three or four times, but still, that first go was thoroughly empowering.

That was roughly twenty seconds in total. Twenty seconds of a single ride down that slope. Twenty seconds’ worth of a pat on your back for applying what you had just practised. For following the steps you’d just been told. For being careful and steady enough not to fall midway through. Twenty seconds of a thrill – a seemingly out-of-body experience. That’s what I will remember for ages to come.

50

So in a nutshell, skiing is HARD. Daunting.

Torturous. Downright frustrating most of the time. It makes you question how fit you actually are, your sense of balance, your control over the subtlest bodily movements, or even your ability to follow instructions given only minutes ago. But in the end, none of those minuses can erase that single, gigantic plus when you pull it off. Even if it’s just once. When you glide somewhat gracefully in those twenty seconds – a culmination of moments requiring blood (not really), sweat (some of it) and tears (maybe) out of you – it’s that special of an occurrence.

And honestly, isn’t that a reflection of life in general? The lows you undergo make the highs more memorable. Tough times make good times more enjoyable. Troubles and failures make victories much sweeter. Valid in skiing. Valid in life.

For me, that ski trip was absolutely worth the troubles and failures. I’ve come to the conclusion that first-time skiing isn’t just about skiing. What you learn goes way above and beyond that.

That’s why everybody should give it a try. +

K E L LY L I M

YEARN

YEARN KELLY LIM

To have an intense feeling of longing for something.

A nostalgic sense, simultaneously holding onto the past and the future. There is a haziness and uncertainty surrounding what the future holds but also what used to be. Are you reflecting who you were or who you want to be? Are you yearning for the past or are you yearning for the future? Questions that you’ll think you’ll never find answers to.

To hold, to touch, to reach. Taking the world around you for granted. Feeling stuck in time. What it means to embrace these feelings. What are you searching for?

A shadow, a reflection, a hand. A reflective state of being, shadows from the past, mirroring where you are now. Seeing the world in a whole different light. The familiar yet distant feeling, reaching for something other than your current state of being.

The realisation that what you’re searching for isn’t what you’re really searching for.

It’s what you are running away from. The present.

Fragments of shadows and light in isolation, seeking to find solace in the present, not looking back, not looking forward, just being.

51

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

HERE FOR YOU ELLIE BARCL AY

As the world battles COVID, it can be a particularly confusing and stressful time for students as we transition into the new normal of online study. This goes without mentioning the usual life stressors that pop up during study. But RUSU’s Compass want you to know that they are still here to help Around the world organisations and communities are banding together to support each other during this uncertainty - spreading a message of positivity and resilience.

Here, within the student community of RMIT, The RUSU Compass Drop-in Centre has been no different, working behind the scenes to show they are always here to help.

Since the start of the COVID lock-down, the RUSU Compass Drop-in Centre has adapted their service to support students online.

The team has been super busy with many students experiencing financial and study stress.

As well as talking to students about the stress and anxiety many are experiencing because of this pandemic.

“We are here to help and there are many services that can listen to you if you need someone to talk to. Please reach out if you need.” - Jenna MacLeod Compass Coordinator

52

As an immediate response to the COVID situation, Compass launched a massive voucher program.

The voucher program was created by RUSU for semester one, 2020, with the aim to help students put food on the table while linking students with other support services at RMIT and in the community. The $100,000 special budget allocated to the grocery vouchers program was distributed to over 1800 students during semester one.

Looking at this semester, Compass’s regular events; Stress Less Week, Marketplace and Calm Zone, for which we all know and love, have been re-adapted to virtual events.

Thanks to the amazing help of RUSU staff Compass was able to bring together so many positive and useful resources as shown in students’ super positive response.

While Compass may not be available in person right now they are STILL HERE TO HELP. Their network of dedicated staff and Youth Mental Health Trained Peer Support volunteers are available over the phone and by email to provide you with advice. As well as providing great access to fun infographic’s, booklets, mindfulness activities, healthy recipes and more through the RUSU website and social media.

E M I LY C O R K

HOOVES ON THE HIGH COUNTRY

HOOVES ON THE HIGH COUNTRY EMILY CORK

The image of free-roaming wild horses galloping through open plains may be romantic, but their hard hooves are a death sentence for our native flora and fauna. Without appropriate measures to control the brumbies in Victoria’s high country, our rare plants and wildlife will suffer. Parks Victoria’s current plans to humanely cull the feral horse population have been met with fierce disapproval by many who believe that the horses are ‘native’ or ‘Australian icons,’ but we need to separate fact from fiction in order to do what is right for the environment.

Feral horses or ‘brumbies’ are the descendants of lost or escaped horses, in some cases dating back to European settlement. They are a pest species that reproduce rapidly, trampling vegetation and damaging mossbeds and waterways. Before British colonisation, no hoofed creatures inhabited Australia’s rich biodiverse landscape- it is actually the only continent outside of Antarctica without native hard-hoofed species. Our island continent is home to one of the highest levels of biodiversity on Earth, with unique flora and fauna evolving due to its isolation. Australia’s delicately balanced ecosystems are not equipped to withstand this influx of pounding hooves.

Here in Victoria, the ancient landscape of the Alpine National Park (a few hours’ drive north-east of Melbourne) is currently home to

thousands of feral horses. This is threatening native creatures who inhabit its grasslands and peatbeds, including the Alpine Tree Frog, the vulnerable Alpine Spiny Crayfish and the cute little Broad-toothed Rat. According to Phil Ingamells, Victorian National Parks Association’s Park Protection advocate, “there are around 25 native plants, variously listed as endangered or vulnerable, that are affected by horse grazing.”

“A retired Alpine National Park Ranger said that if you wanted to design an animal that would do the most damage to alpine ecosystems, a horse would be it.”

Parks Victoria has created an evidence-based plan to professionally and humanely as possible remove all horses from the Bogong High Plains and a large number from the eastern part of the Alpine National Park. Ingamells said that the organisation “very thoroughly” consulted members of the community. “Between 2010 to 2019, Parks Victoria ran a series of public consultation processes involving Brumby support groups, scientists, traditional owners, heritage authorities, animal welfare authorities, tourism organisations and environment groups.

Throughout that process, all methods of horse control were discussed, most at great length.

Parks Victoria also ran consultation programs, with interest groups and the general public, on the development of three planning processes. All

53

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

were made available for public comment.”

Yet animal culling is always an emotive topic and brumbies in the Alpine National Park are proving no different. There has been public outcry over the Feral Horse Strategic Action Plan, with- so far, unsuccessful- attempts to overturn the plan in the Supreme Court of Victoria. The romanticised view of these wild bush horses is deeply embedded in the national psyche, an idealism perhaps stemming from Banjo Patterson’s famous poem ‘The Man From Snowy River.’ It cannot be argued that horses are inherently striking creatures, but we need to look beyond folklore and Eurocentric ideals. It is also important to consider the plight of many brumbies who struggle in Victoria’s high country, suffering slow deaths in bushfires, drought and heavy snow.

Why are these destructive feral horses so often put on a pedestal at the expense of our native wildlife? Perhaps it’s because many of these critters are somewhat unknown to the general public, as many of us are consumed by the idealism of pastoral European landscapes. After 60,000 years of Aboriginal people diligently caring for country, Australian ecosystems have suffered greatly in the couple of hundred years since British colonisation. Forests have been destroyed for timber and biodiverse landscapes have been reduced to bare pastures for flocks of cattle to endlessly graze. Native grasses that

54

provide a rich food source have been swapped out for introduced ‘lawn’ species that do not allow for murnongs (‘yam daisies’) or bulbine lilies to grow. Our national parks are precious because they preserve indigenous landscapes. If we do not protect them, what will we have left?

Feral species management is vital for nature conservation, especially in a country that has already suffered centuries of mismanagement post-colonisation. We need to listen to the experts at the forefront of national park conservation and understand that a problem of this scale must be dealt with by those who understand it best. Nobody wants to hurt horses, but a humane cull is by far a better option than further biodiversity loss and decimation of native wildlife.

Learning more about the long history of the Taungurung and Gunai Kurnai peoples’ harmonious relationship with the alpine region could help many people shift their notions of beauty and feel a connection with native wildlife.

We must learn to romanticise the beauty of resilient Australian species, ones that have stood the test of time, and protect them at all costs. +

55

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT KIMMIE LOVEGROVE

Hi my name is Kimmie Lovegrove. I am the Indigenous Officer for RUSU. I am a proud Ngarrindjeri woman from South Australia, I have been living in Naarm for 8 years. On May 25th a man by the name of George Floyd was murdered

by Police in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I do not need to tell you why this happened because I’m sure you are aware of this. This set an uproar in the black community across the country. The Black Lives Matter Movement began in 2013 to combat violence against the black community.

All across the world countries have been supporting the movement in solidarity. This movement is not new. The murder of George Floyd has hit home for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. There are over 450 Aboriginal deaths in custody. I am not here to give you reasons why Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are treated unfairly or why there are so many deaths in custody.

56

We are all people and unfortunately not all people have this view and put Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in a box and treat them like criminals. This breaks my heart. I am an Aboriginal woman and I fear for my life every day because of the colour of my skin.

These injustices will continue if we do not speak up. If you want to know more about the movement please visit blacklivesmatter.com/ about/ and visit the Warriors Against Resistance at www.facebook.com/WARcollective/ to support the movement on a local front.

The time for change is now, speak up, stand out and have your voice heard. +

INDIGENOUS OFFICER

D O W N P O U R P L AY L I S T

DOWNPOUR PLAYLIST KIMMIE LOVEGROVE

BROWN SKIN Philly feat. Waari

SAVAGE LOVE Jason Derulo

DRUMFIRE The Merindas

ISLAND IN THE SUN Weezer

WE SING UNTIL THE SUNRISE The Merindas

TAKE ON THE WORLD You Me at Six

57

I S S U E 03

EPISODE DOWNPOUR

CATACLYSM THE PODC A ST

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD. EMAIL CATALYST AT: RMITCATALYST@GMAIL.COM

58

+

UMBRELLAS WITHER AND BLOSSOM MADALEINE HAR TOP TIPS FOR A WINTER B I R T H D AY LIV ROFFEY MOON MAGICK E M I LY C O R K CORONA DAZE A L E J A N D R A O L AVA R R I A B L A C K L I V E S M AT T E R MOVEMENT KIMMIE LOVEGROVE

PUBLISHED ON ABORIGINAL LAND

59