About me and this blog
Hi, I'm Don Butcher and Reflections on Country is my blog, very early days on this. I hope to put my photos and stories out to the world. I feel i have too many stories in me, and i'd love to share them.
I have had the great privilege of working in most Australian states as an outdoor educator, bushwalking guide, and national park interpretation ranger, I became entranced with several of these landscapes.
I have had the great privilege of working in most Australian states as an outdoor educator, bushwalking guide, and national park interpretation ranger, I became entranced with several of these landscapes.
Why the name - Reflections on Country?
I have tremendous respect for indigenous peoples of the world and their custodianship of land and waters. One of my favourite writers is Wade Davis an ethnobotanist, one of his classic books is The Wayfinders: Why indigenous wisdom matters in the modern world. Over the last twenty or thirty years i have reflected upon my connection with Australian landscapes often, and then the word country - i love how this word is used by Aboriginal people. "Where your country?" I grew up and connected strongly with the amazing and extensive bushland that surrounds Sydney, yes that big busy 'big smoke' Sydney and sandstone country. Country i have walked on a cool drizzly day when few tourists are about, and gazed in wonder at Aboriginal engravings - fish, seals, penguins, emus and people, a favourite site engraved across a magical rolling tapestry of sandstone documents a whale feast. When a whale beaches itself on the coast that is opportunity for one giant feast and a gathering of peoples across a region.
The word 'country' is more than a flag or the nation states across the world, to Aboriginal people it's so much more - kind of like our word for home but much more. With an occupation at least 65,000 years long, home takes on a great depth.
Click on this link to download anthropologist Debra Bird Rose's beautiful book for the Australian Heritage Commission - Nourishing Terrains . Country is a nourishing terrain. Where your country?
#RespectforCountry
The word 'country' is more than a flag or the nation states across the world, to Aboriginal people it's so much more - kind of like our word for home but much more. With an occupation at least 65,000 years long, home takes on a great depth.
Click on this link to download anthropologist Debra Bird Rose's beautiful book for the Australian Heritage Commission - Nourishing Terrains . Country is a nourishing terrain. Where your country?
#RespectforCountry