Indigenous Cultural Heritage and Scarred Trees

 

1788

1788

That year me and my men

held our victory on the un-

known land.

Our guns with no limits,

Our weapons taking souls of

many.

“Them people have no chance”,

I spoke out to my men.

We had all seen them flee

and then later we saw

what we had done.

Now we realise what

the guns of thunder

have done to us all.

 By Kyle, 14 years old.

*** 

Large pale gashes are scars for these trees

Large pale gashes are scars for these trees

They’ve seen their family chopped to pieces

And placed as logs around them.

They, themselves, have been spared with only scars to remind them.

 By Ceethu, 14 years old

 

***

I stood here stationed for so long

I stood here stationed for so long

Watching all the changes passing by

I’ve made up a new song.

As I sing it to my twin, it goes like this:

Humans live oh-such-a-short time,

Children jump to elderly in the flash of an eye,

The name Scarred Trees is mine,

Many vertical gashes, how am I still alive?

I am the other scarred tree,

Old, saggy and caged,

I wish I was free,

I want to move on to another life.

Chainsaws approach, slashing our surroundings,

Finally, this is the finale.

The chainsaw noise gets closer, this is just outstanding!

A warm sensation of bright light approaches.

We are no longer the scarred trees.

 By Lonna, 14 years old

*** 

Noller Bridge: To continue to the final historic location on the Parracons Poetry Path, head right back the way you came, and follow the pathway along the river east, until you reach Noller Bridge.