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One afternoon, while collecting pandanus, I met Madeline, one of the Yolŋu women who welcomed us into Mäpuru. As she expertly harvested the leaves, carefully avoiding their sharp spikes, she smiled and asked, "Have you been adopted yet?" When I said no, she replied, "I'd like to adopt you as my yapa, my sister." From that moment, Madeline welcomed me into her family. She patiently taught me to weave, shared Yolŋu Matha (language) with me and showed me how to recognise the long-hair grass and tree roots used for natural dyeing. I was given my Yolŋu name, Gunka Mayawa, and welcomed into a web of relationships that I am still learning to understand. Being welcomed as yapa was one of the greatest gifts of my life. What also stayed with me, deeply, was the rhythm of everyday life in Mäpuru. For nearly ten days, we never stepped inside a building. We slept in tents, cooked over fire, gathered pandanus and bush plants, listened to birds and dingoes, and spent our days learning beneath the trees. Life was shaped by the rise and fall of the sun, gathering weaving materials and the needs of community. It was the first time I had witnessed a community where culture, kinship, Language and connection to Country were so naturally embedded in everyday life. Children spoke both English and Yolŋu Matha as they played, surrounded by family and held within an intricate kinship system. They weren't being taught culture as something separate from life; they were growing up completely immersed in it. Watching that unfold was a privilege and one that I know will continue to shape the way I see the world. Through the generosity of the Yolŋu community, I experienced a way of living grounded in culture, Country, generosity and belonging. I returned home with lifelong relationships, a much deeper understanding of what true community can be, and a profound respect and reverance for the richness of Yolŋu culture. I can't wait to go back. - Elizabeth In the midst of despair I sometimes feel the harm white people have wreaked on indigenous communities, Mapuru and the people who live there give a spark of hope that things can be ok and together we can make a difference. - Jean Hodges I was born in Sri Lanka and I am a migrant to Australia. I grew up in-between multiple cultures and a sense of not belonging anywhere. This trip was profound for me because it helped to see and feel how I belong, through the connections I made with Mapuru women. I'm deeply grateful. - Nivanka De Silva I came away feeling stronger and more grounded as a person. I hope my experience gave me a deeper, clearer understanding of Country and the first Nations people's connection to Country and tradition.I also gained some weaving skills. - Brenda Dalheim Spending ten days on Country with the Yolŋu community reinforced my belief that a meaningful life is built through relationships, generosity, language, culture and a deep connection to place. Witnessing children immersed in language and culture, seeing kinship in action and learning through observation and participation gave me a glimpse of a way of life that I will carry with me for years to come. - Anonymous I returned home with an even stronger commitment to slowing down, investing in community, deepening my relationship with Country where I live and continuing to learn with humility. This wasn't just a memorable trip; it was a reminder of the kind of person I want to be and the kind of life I want to live. - Elizabeth Tucker Visiting Mäparu is a truly unique and once in a lifetime experience. The slow days spent weaving alongside the women, conversations revealing the intircate web of kinship and culture, and spontaneous adventures to collect panadanus, dyes, or bush foods ... are memories and feelings that will last with me for a long time. I am very grateful to the Mäparu community for sharing their lives with us. - Meagan Fowler I had a wonderful and most impactful experience on Country and have returned incredibly humble and overflowing with gratitude. I feel responsible to share and grow in my understanding. - Melinda Delgrosso Privileged experience on country, Completely expanded and evolved my understanding of indigenous issues and cultural differences. Also was a profoundly personally reflective time. - Anne Rodda The importance of family.
The presence of grief and allowing space for grief and loss.
The strength of the women in this community.
That the women are so skilled - weaving and all that happens, fishing, collecting food, speaking a number of languages and more. - Heather Barr I feel enriched & enlightened, stronger & lighter than I have felt for a long while. It was a true holiday, and also a gravitational shift in the way I see, think, and wish to behave in the future. - Jane Walduck
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