Situated in the Northern Territory of Australia it is not to be missed. Spreading 200kms north to south and 100kms east to west, its huge! It is a UNESCO world heritage site due to the abundance of Aboriginal cultural sites and aside from the magnificent scenery it is a great example of the Aboriginals and the white Australians working together in harmony.
I find it interesting coming here to Kakadu and observing how the aboriginals and the white Australians are working in harmony to secure the future of the park. Elsewhere in Australia the situation that i have witnessed has been tragic, these people have been thrown into this modern culture and essentially have not had enough time to adapt; this has meant that they have fallen into the trap of alcohol and drugs. I think it the system in Kakadu is working so well because these people are continuing what they know but yet in conjunction with the white Australians. They are the owners of the land and their peoples have settled here for up to 40 000 years; these people are keen to work together to preserve and control the land, they are doing what they understand, they know the land better than any other and so by continuing to work it they maintain their identity and their culture.
Elsewhere in the country this connection has been completely lost, take Darwin for example. These people have no link remaining with the land and so they have lost their identity. They find it difficult to live in the way we do, it is still new to them to live in a house in one place, possessions are not important, infact the idea of capitalism is a completely foreign concept and so you will very rarely find a successful aboriginal owned and run shop. I feel like these people are lost in this life, in this new world; their bodies are unable to cope with alcohol in the same way we can which has means that alcoholism in rife and so in Darwin especially, the streets are full of drunk aboriginals. It is like our two worlds have collided and one of us is here at the wrong time. So as for Kakadu? Well it is an obvious success and it really left an impression on me. The subject of the union of the Aboriginals and the white Australians is one on which everyone has a strong opinion, its such a complex issue and i can only comment on what i have directly observed. I hope that with time things will get better and with each generation the two cultures will begin to mesh more easily.
Elsewhere in the country this connection has been completely lost, take Darwin for example. These people have no link remaining with the land and so they have lost their identity. They find it difficult to live in the way we do, it is still new to them to live in a house in one place, possessions are not important, infact the idea of capitalism is a completely foreign concept and so you will very rarely find a successful aboriginal owned and run shop. I feel like these people are lost in this life, in this new world; their bodies are unable to cope with alcohol in the same way we can which has means that alcoholism in rife and so in Darwin especially, the streets are full of drunk aboriginals. It is like our two worlds have collided and one of us is here at the wrong time. So as for Kakadu? Well it is an obvious success and it really left an impression on me. The subject of the union of the Aboriginals and the white Australians is one on which everyone has a strong opinion, its such a complex issue and i can only comment on what i have directly observed. I hope that with time things will get better and with each generation the two cultures will begin to mesh more easily.
I loved every moment of Kakadu however and the landscape is beautiful and diverse. I also visited the Bowali visitor centre, which was designed by the Australian architect Glenn Murcutt. It is a modest building sitting withing the trees which is entirely appropriate in its setting.
And then a cute wee shed.
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