A sense of place by Tyeena Pang

A sense of place

by Tyeena Pang, Year 12

In this moment, I hear the birds chatter and whispers of our ancestors’ voices as soft as the trees dancing with the wind; the trees and wind in a perfect duet singing us songs as we sit on the bank with our reels in hand; the fish and yabbies ready to dodge our hooks and pots. Our family sits around the fire telling stories and laughing. While cooking dinner, a warm, comforting hug from the fire enwraps us and the well anticipated smell of dinner teases me. Laying beneath the stars in our swags, beautiful twinkling lights cover the night sky in every direction. We sleep to the soothing sounds of the bush, then wake in the morning to the gossip of the birds – like an alarm they are right on time, resting high in the paperbark trees. These great trees conceal the beautiful oasis with shade and protection. When I look upon my country, Waanyi land, an oasis amongst the desert country, you can see Boodjamulla, the rainbow serpent who formed the great river and gave sustenance to the surrounding vegetation and animals. This country is sacred to many people. For me it adds to my cultural identity and internal feeling of connection to land. It is part of who I am, both my past and future. This is my country, my home. Moving to the city was like waking up from a dream. Looking through my window I see many lights, not the lights I remember. I strain my head to find the beautiful twinkling lights from my home, finally realising they aren’t stars. They are buildings and houses. No star in sight. The trees still dance in the wind but not to the voices of my ancestors. They move to the breeze of cars and trains. The internal feeling of disconnection and isolation bubbles inside of me. This was a choice I made, and I have been determined from Year 7 to see it through. There were many challenges and doubts faced that made me question myself and my ability. However, through the endless support from my family I overcame these struggles. This might not look like that beautiful river, have as many stars or sing the sweet melodies of the bush, but I am surrounded by family. I have gained so many more stories and laughs from this new place. It has filled me with hope and curiosity. Wherever life takes me, I have the knowledge of both places to guide and strengthen me in my future endeavours.