1 00:00:13,639 --> 00:00:16,601 Our people lived in harmony with this land 2 00:00:16,684 --> 00:00:18,770 for thousands and thousands of years. 3 00:00:18,853 --> 00:00:20,688 Since the 1700s, 4 00:00:20,772 --> 00:00:25,485 British colonists arrived on ships with the intent of conquering the continent 5 00:00:25,568 --> 00:00:30,364 and eventually taking almost every bit of it for themselves. 6 00:00:30,448 --> 00:00:34,285 We used to protect the land, taking only what we needed to survive 7 00:00:34,368 --> 00:00:36,621 and giving back in every way that we could. 8 00:00:36,704 --> 00:00:41,250 Generations later, the air, water, and land are now polluted. 9 00:00:41,334 --> 00:00:45,797 The soil struggles to grow crops, and the oceans have been overfished. 10 00:00:46,631 --> 00:00:48,841 It is more important today than ever… 11 00:00:48,925 --> 00:00:52,637 …that we continue to struggle to have a voice in our own land, 12 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:56,140 to preserve our culture and our Mother Earth. 13 00:00:57,016 --> 00:01:01,312 This is the story of some of the Aboriginal people… 14 00:01:01,395 --> 00:01:03,064 …of Australia. 15 00:01:05,608 --> 00:01:10,488 Evidence of Aboriginal habitation of Australia dates back over 60,000 years, 16 00:01:10,571 --> 00:01:15,409 before the Colonial discovery, settlement, and hostile takeover of the land. 17 00:01:15,493 --> 00:01:17,662 Like many nations around the world, 18 00:01:17,745 --> 00:01:20,998 it has a brutal and bloody history of colonization. 19 00:01:21,082 --> 00:01:24,752 As we go further into our exploration of this beautiful country, 20 00:01:24,836 --> 00:01:27,922 we need to recognize the original people of the continent, 21 00:01:28,005 --> 00:01:30,800 and how they live to protect and preserve the land. 22 00:01:30,883 --> 00:01:32,635 -Whoa-ho-ho-ho! 23 00:01:32,718 --> 00:01:36,430 Modern society can learn from the respect they had for the delicate balance 24 00:01:36,514 --> 00:01:38,933 between humans and the rest of the planet. 25 00:01:39,016 --> 00:01:41,686 -Cheers. -That's what this episode is about. 26 00:01:41,769 --> 00:01:43,980 Recognizing the original landowners, 27 00:01:44,063 --> 00:01:46,149 learning as much as we can from their culture, 28 00:01:46,232 --> 00:01:50,194 and seeing how those methods still apply toward protecting the Earth today. 29 00:01:50,278 --> 00:01:52,697 Pretty cool, man. Feel like I'm gonna go back in time. 30 00:02:01,956 --> 00:02:04,876 At the University of Melbourne, we continue to learn more 31 00:02:04,959 --> 00:02:08,588 about Australian history during our sit-down with author Bruce Pascoe. 32 00:02:08,671 --> 00:02:12,800 Bruce's controversial book Dark Emu challenges the widely held belief 33 00:02:12,884 --> 00:02:16,387 that original people of Australia were nomadic hunters and gatherers. 34 00:02:16,470 --> 00:02:20,308 Bruce argues that Aboriginals were actually conservation savvy 35 00:02:20,391 --> 00:02:22,268 and sophisticated farmers. 36 00:02:22,351 --> 00:02:24,604 His ideas are way beyond theories. 37 00:02:24,687 --> 00:02:27,523 His premise is drawn from the journals and records 38 00:02:27,607 --> 00:02:29,984 of the original colonists and explorers. 39 00:02:30,067 --> 00:02:32,612 And Bruce feels, as the First People of the nation, 40 00:02:32,695 --> 00:02:34,572 Aboriginals should be given proper respect 41 00:02:34,655 --> 00:02:37,450 for their contributions to society and the land. 42 00:02:38,075 --> 00:02:40,912 For us, it's an honor to sit down and talk with him. 43 00:02:41,412 --> 00:02:42,705 -This is great. -Yeah. 44 00:02:42,788 --> 00:02:46,918 It's a certain pleasure that we get to talk with you and to learn. 45 00:02:47,001 --> 00:02:49,587 -Mm. -I think that's the key. 46 00:02:50,421 --> 00:02:53,841 Um, Australia is a colonial country, it still is, 47 00:02:53,925 --> 00:02:57,845 and, um, misunderstood as a result of that. 48 00:02:57,929 --> 00:03:00,806 We can learn a lot more about the country 49 00:03:00,890 --> 00:03:03,726 by looking at how Aboriginal people managed it. 50 00:03:03,809 --> 00:03:07,813 So much of what you've been researching and talking about and sharing 51 00:03:07,897 --> 00:03:11,776 is getting back to move forward, right? 52 00:03:11,859 --> 00:03:15,363 Yeah. We think we've got the oldest village on Earth here. 53 00:03:15,863 --> 00:03:19,033 So that means that Aboriginal people had chosen to live together 54 00:03:19,116 --> 00:03:23,204 in built houses, maybe 50, 60,000 years ago. 55 00:03:23,287 --> 00:03:27,166 So that's tens of thousands of years before they thought anyone else was… 56 00:03:27,250 --> 00:03:30,878 Yeah. It's older than Turkey, older than Israel. 57 00:03:30,962 --> 00:03:36,175 What was it about the Aboriginal people that stood the test of time for so long? 58 00:03:36,259 --> 00:03:40,096 The basis of Aboriginal government was that we should be more modest. 59 00:03:40,179 --> 00:03:42,556 We should see ourselves as one of the animals. 60 00:03:42,640 --> 00:03:47,061 That's why Aboriginal people have animal totems, tree totems, plant totems, 61 00:03:47,144 --> 00:03:50,439 because we see ourselves as just creatures. 62 00:03:50,523 --> 00:03:53,734 It's the crazy idea of superiority and then the taking. 63 00:03:53,818 --> 00:03:56,320 We need to have this conversation with each other and say, 64 00:03:56,404 --> 00:03:59,573 "Am I gonna be there in another 20,000 years?" 65 00:03:59,657 --> 00:04:01,492 "Or are we gonna kill ourselves?" 66 00:04:01,575 --> 00:04:05,371 Looking after the Earth is like decent housekeeping, 67 00:04:05,454 --> 00:04:08,249 and, and really good economic sense. 68 00:04:08,332 --> 00:04:11,460 Everything we do has to make sure she's all right. 69 00:04:11,544 --> 00:04:12,962 Then we'll be all right. 70 00:04:13,754 --> 00:04:14,588 Yeah. 71 00:04:16,090 --> 00:04:20,052 There are about 500 different Aboriginal Nations throughout Australia. 72 00:04:20,136 --> 00:04:24,682 Today, they make up only around 2.4% of the total population. 73 00:04:24,765 --> 00:04:29,395 We're gonna be visiting just a few of these nations, and our first stop is here. 74 00:04:29,895 --> 00:04:33,482 Cooya Beach is a beautiful and diverse coastal area of Queensland 75 00:04:33,566 --> 00:04:35,443 with three unique ecosystems. 76 00:04:35,526 --> 00:04:38,654 Beach, mangroves, and coastal reef. 77 00:04:38,738 --> 00:04:42,491 They're all connected together by mudflats and tidal lagoons. 78 00:04:42,575 --> 00:04:45,828 We're here to spend the day with representatives of the Indigenous group 79 00:04:45,911 --> 00:04:48,164 of this area, the Kuku Yalanji people. 80 00:04:48,247 --> 00:04:51,167 In this episode, I will hand over most of the storytelling duties 81 00:04:51,250 --> 00:04:53,669 to the Aboriginal representatives as they appear, 82 00:04:53,753 --> 00:04:56,380 so we can hear from them in their own words. 83 00:04:56,964 --> 00:04:58,341 This is Linc Walker. 84 00:04:58,424 --> 00:04:59,925 My name is Linc Walker. 85 00:05:00,009 --> 00:05:03,220 My brother and I run Kuku Yalanji Cultural Habitat Tours. 86 00:05:03,304 --> 00:05:07,558 Our company is 100% Aboriginal owned and operated. 87 00:05:07,641 --> 00:05:09,852 Visitors get full cultural immersion. 88 00:05:09,935 --> 00:05:12,480 As custodians of our traditional land, 89 00:05:12,563 --> 00:05:15,983 it's our responsibility to continue to pass on the cultural knowledge 90 00:05:16,067 --> 00:05:19,653 that we've accumulated over the thousands of years through our families. 91 00:05:19,737 --> 00:05:22,531 -Welcome to Cooya Beach, guys. -Thank you. Thanks for having us. 92 00:05:22,615 --> 00:05:23,532 Stoked to be here. 93 00:05:23,616 --> 00:05:26,702 You're in Kuku Yalanji country. We speak Kuku Yalanji language here. 94 00:05:26,786 --> 00:05:28,871 Out here, this place is Cooya Cooya. 95 00:05:28,954 --> 00:05:31,332 It means fishing. We catch all sorts of fish here. 96 00:05:31,415 --> 00:05:33,292 This is just some of the stuff from out here. 97 00:05:33,376 --> 00:05:36,962 Crocodiles, swordfish, saw sharks, turtles… 98 00:05:37,046 --> 00:05:39,715 -That's from a swordfish? -Yeah. See the different ones? 99 00:05:39,799 --> 00:05:41,926 What about that? That's from a swordfish? 100 00:05:42,009 --> 00:05:43,302 That's a swordfish. 101 00:05:43,386 --> 00:05:46,097 -And that's your saw. -This is a sawfish. 102 00:05:46,180 --> 00:05:49,475 Used to put handles on each end and chop down trees with 'em. 103 00:05:49,558 --> 00:05:52,144 You are doing mostly traditional fishing out here? 104 00:05:52,228 --> 00:05:55,231 Yeah, spearfishing, a lot of selective hunting, gathering, 105 00:05:55,314 --> 00:05:58,609 picking up what we need, netting, trapping, all sorts. 106 00:05:58,692 --> 00:06:01,904 So how old were you when you started to learn fishing techniques? 107 00:06:01,987 --> 00:06:05,449 We were really small. We learned all this when we were with our grandparents 108 00:06:05,533 --> 00:06:08,994 and Mom and Dad, and uncles and aunties. Everyone's got their own tricks. 109 00:06:09,078 --> 00:06:12,790 A lot of our elders can't walk anymore, so we set this up 110 00:06:12,873 --> 00:06:16,085 so that we could keep hunting and feeding them good stuff every day. 111 00:06:16,168 --> 00:06:19,213 A lot of our families couldn't dodge the diabetes. 112 00:06:19,839 --> 00:06:21,424 You would've heard about generations 113 00:06:21,507 --> 00:06:24,093 locked up on missions where people couldn't get off. 114 00:06:24,176 --> 00:06:26,387 They were fed sugar, flour, tobacco, and tea. 115 00:06:26,971 --> 00:06:30,766 So all of my grandmother's generation had diabetes. Once they got off the mission, 116 00:06:30,850 --> 00:06:33,060 they didn't have to eat that stuff anymore. 117 00:06:33,144 --> 00:06:36,647 They're back to hunting and gathering. Now our generation has made sure 118 00:06:36,730 --> 00:06:40,818 that we build this into the lifestyle and keep our people healthy from now on. 119 00:06:40,901 --> 00:06:42,153 That's awesome, man. 120 00:06:42,236 --> 00:06:44,113 This cultural tourism stuff that we do 121 00:06:44,196 --> 00:06:47,408 is one of the ways that we highlight our special culture 122 00:06:47,491 --> 00:06:50,453 and keep our families' heads up and moving into the future 123 00:06:50,536 --> 00:06:52,580 and fixing all that bad stuff from the past. 124 00:06:52,663 --> 00:06:56,375 Come on down. We'll go through the front, do spear practice, get you started off. 125 00:06:56,459 --> 00:06:59,044 We're gonna take Darin and Zac down to the beach, 126 00:06:59,128 --> 00:07:02,131 and we'll teach them how to handle our spears safely. 127 00:07:02,214 --> 00:07:05,801 The family's been here for 20,000 years. We used to live way out at sea, 128 00:07:05,885 --> 00:07:09,638 but the water pushed us back. Now we're coming back down the mountain. 129 00:07:09,722 --> 00:07:12,641 But it's all the same families. Those stories are still intact. 130 00:07:12,725 --> 00:07:15,603 All the landmarks are here that tie us to those stories. 131 00:07:15,686 --> 00:07:16,520 Wow. 132 00:07:16,604 --> 00:07:18,814 I'll get you to come up and pick out a spear. 133 00:07:18,898 --> 00:07:21,775 Have a feel. Find something not too heavy, not too light. 134 00:07:21,859 --> 00:07:25,362 Something you're comfortable with. We'll have a practice, then we'll… 135 00:07:25,446 --> 00:07:27,114 You can change if you need to. 136 00:07:27,615 --> 00:07:30,409 -This feels great. -Feels good? Just watch the guy behind ya. 137 00:07:30,493 --> 00:07:32,745 Oops. At least it wasn't the pointy end. 138 00:07:32,828 --> 00:07:35,414 First rule. When you carry your spears today, 139 00:07:35,498 --> 00:07:37,166 straight up and down on your shoulder. 140 00:07:37,666 --> 00:07:40,753 -That way we don't stab each other. -Just wanted to look at the tip. 141 00:07:41,337 --> 00:07:43,172 Okay, so one toe on the line. 142 00:07:44,340 --> 00:07:47,593 Finger on the end when you throw up here. Pointer finger. 143 00:07:47,676 --> 00:07:50,012 So point your feet at the target as well. 144 00:07:50,095 --> 00:07:52,097 When you're ready, all your weight on that back leg. 145 00:07:52,181 --> 00:07:54,225 Lean back, all your weight on that back leg. 146 00:07:54,308 --> 00:07:58,062 You can lift your front leg up, take a step, and push with the finger. 147 00:07:58,145 --> 00:07:59,188 Wow! 148 00:07:59,271 --> 00:08:02,274 -All right, practice round. That's it. -Whoof! I got it on the bounce. 149 00:08:02,358 --> 00:08:04,360 Easy. Come on down. We'll go again. 150 00:08:04,443 --> 00:08:05,653 Sweet. 151 00:08:06,987 --> 00:08:08,989 -Cheers for that. -No worries. 152 00:08:09,073 --> 00:08:11,367 Might be a bit easy for you. I'll move it down a bit. 153 00:08:12,952 --> 00:08:15,579 You're going that far away? In the water, you can spot him? 154 00:08:15,663 --> 00:08:19,208 Yeah, the fish'll hear you coming and take off. You've gotta chase after them. 155 00:08:19,875 --> 00:08:22,336 Remember, fish have a scale, guys. So you hit it hard. 156 00:08:22,419 --> 00:08:25,214 No excuses after this one. 157 00:08:27,299 --> 00:08:29,552 Nearly. That's all right. That float in the water. 158 00:08:31,595 --> 00:08:34,598 -Ooh! There you go. All right. -Nice shot. 159 00:08:34,682 --> 00:08:36,642 You've seen one of these before, guys? 160 00:08:38,018 --> 00:08:39,687 -Your woomera. -No. 161 00:08:39,770 --> 00:08:41,272 That's now your finger. 162 00:08:42,439 --> 00:08:44,066 Oh, so you get extra leverage. 163 00:08:44,149 --> 00:08:45,401 Weapon upgrade. 164 00:08:47,486 --> 00:08:50,406 Once they can use the finger on the spear, then we upgrade them 165 00:08:50,489 --> 00:08:53,284 to using the woomera, which is an extension of your arm 166 00:08:53,367 --> 00:08:55,536 to give you more power when fishing. 167 00:08:55,619 --> 00:08:57,955 -There you go. Good power. -Nice. 168 00:08:58,038 --> 00:09:00,249 It's very scary when you get out there 169 00:09:00,332 --> 00:09:03,085 and people are throwing spears left, right, and center, so… 170 00:09:03,168 --> 00:09:08,048 We make sure that we definitely have to do the safety-handling spear stuff first… 171 00:09:08,132 --> 00:09:08,966 That's him. 172 00:09:09,049 --> 00:09:11,594 …before we get people to come and do a traditional hunt. 173 00:09:11,677 --> 00:09:14,430 All right, guys. That's all the help we can give you. You ready? 174 00:09:14,513 --> 00:09:15,389 Pretty ready. 175 00:09:15,472 --> 00:09:19,476 Me and Darin will cruise along the beach and do medicines and grab all the food. 176 00:09:19,560 --> 00:09:21,395 And you two will head out and do a hunt, 177 00:09:21,478 --> 00:09:24,064 see if you can bring us back some fish and crab and stuff. 178 00:09:24,148 --> 00:09:25,774 -All right. -Competition's on. 179 00:09:25,858 --> 00:09:27,526 -I'll take care of this. -You got it? 180 00:09:27,610 --> 00:09:29,194 -Go handle the veggies. -All right. 181 00:09:29,278 --> 00:09:32,865 I'm taking Zac out with me. We're gonna chase a couple of mud crabs 182 00:09:32,948 --> 00:09:34,158 and see what we can catch. 183 00:09:34,241 --> 00:09:36,785 Mostly crab are gonna look like those holes. 184 00:09:36,869 --> 00:09:39,830 They'll move when we get close. They'll see us and start to run. 185 00:09:39,913 --> 00:09:42,625 These are stingray holes where stingrays have been feeding. 186 00:09:42,708 --> 00:09:45,461 If a shellfish moves in the mud, it makes electrical current. 187 00:09:45,544 --> 00:09:49,214 Stingray knows where it is. He'll sit on it, kick to it, crush it, and eat it. 188 00:09:49,757 --> 00:09:51,884 -See all this, all over the beach? -Yeah. 189 00:09:51,967 --> 00:09:56,138 So that's one of the most useful medicines here. Plenty of it. 190 00:09:56,221 --> 00:09:57,973 -That's the fruit off it. -Oh wow. 191 00:09:58,599 --> 00:10:02,269 And you see this green and white? The white is ready. 192 00:10:02,353 --> 00:10:05,397 The little white berries are the fruit of the beach lettuce plant. 193 00:10:05,481 --> 00:10:08,692 …if you have eye infections or if you get sand in your eye, 194 00:10:08,776 --> 00:10:12,071 you get the ripe ones, make sure it's ripe, and you just squeeze. 195 00:10:12,154 --> 00:10:15,324 We use the salty water inside like an antiseptic. 196 00:10:15,407 --> 00:10:18,494 And that's your eye wash or your eye drops. Very simple. 197 00:10:18,577 --> 00:10:20,412 Wow, that's… It's… 198 00:10:20,496 --> 00:10:25,250 You can feel… It's not stinging at all, but just a little bit of cleansing. 199 00:10:25,334 --> 00:10:26,835 Bit of a wash. Squeeze it on… 200 00:10:26,919 --> 00:10:30,255 You can use it as a skin wash. It's gentle. It's not sticky. 201 00:10:30,339 --> 00:10:32,758 -It dries… clean. -Amazing. 202 00:10:32,841 --> 00:10:34,885 It's super helpful when you're running around. 203 00:10:34,968 --> 00:10:36,804 -Yeah, with sticky hands. -Yeah. 204 00:10:36,887 --> 00:10:39,640 This fella here, this is a little hermit crab. 205 00:10:39,723 --> 00:10:42,059 -That's a kuyulin or mud whelk. -A big hermit crab. 206 00:10:42,142 --> 00:10:45,062 Yeah. These guys here, the best bait on the beach. 207 00:10:45,145 --> 00:10:48,774 If you're fishing beaches or riverbanks, collect a heap of hermit crabs. 208 00:10:48,857 --> 00:10:51,735 Most Aboriginal people leave rocks where there's a good fishing spot, 209 00:10:51,819 --> 00:10:55,030 so they find a flat rock, broke, and another round rock, broken shells. 210 00:10:55,114 --> 00:10:57,533 -To signal to people that-- -That's the place to fish. 211 00:10:57,616 --> 00:11:00,160 And so can you eat the lettuce part as well? 212 00:11:00,244 --> 00:11:01,286 Nah, not really edible. 213 00:11:01,370 --> 00:11:04,164 -But this is the bandage wrap. So-- -Oh, bandage wrap. 214 00:11:04,248 --> 00:11:07,918 …if you have a skin burn or a skin ulcer. Feel that. Nice and cool. 215 00:11:08,961 --> 00:11:12,131 When we come back from a big walk, dip 'em in water under their tree-- 216 00:11:12,214 --> 00:11:14,174 -That's amazing. -Lay on it. Nice and cool. 217 00:11:14,258 --> 00:11:16,927 Sunburn, if you're burnt up. Perfect. 218 00:11:17,010 --> 00:11:20,347 -And you can see the morning glory vines. -Morning glory, wow. 219 00:11:20,431 --> 00:11:22,349 Now this one have a yellow flower. 220 00:11:22,433 --> 00:11:24,977 We also have one on the ground that has a purple flower. 221 00:11:25,060 --> 00:11:26,979 We call them stingray vines. 222 00:11:27,062 --> 00:11:29,690 If you walk out here, you get spiked by a stingray, 223 00:11:29,773 --> 00:11:32,901 or you cut your foot on the reef, we… That's a stronger antiseptic. 224 00:11:32,985 --> 00:11:36,530 We bash it up, hot water, soak it, and then you can soak your feet in there. 225 00:11:36,613 --> 00:11:39,408 Has a numbing effect, so you can pull the bits and pieces out. 226 00:11:39,491 --> 00:11:41,660 All across the land, everywhere you go, 227 00:11:41,744 --> 00:11:45,122 there's a special connection between the plants and the animals. 228 00:11:45,205 --> 00:11:49,168 Us, as the people, we have to find these special connections. 229 00:11:49,251 --> 00:11:50,836 That's the Aboriginal way. 230 00:11:50,919 --> 00:11:54,590 -We'll let Zac and Brandon get hurt today. -We got the medicine for 'em. 231 00:11:55,549 --> 00:11:57,134 This is a moon shell. 232 00:11:57,843 --> 00:12:00,721 When it's a new moon, it goes dark. A full moon, it turns white. 233 00:12:00,804 --> 00:12:03,348 The color changes color with the moon cycle. 234 00:12:03,891 --> 00:12:07,186 -That's why they call it a moon shell. -Look at him there, just chillin'. 235 00:12:07,269 --> 00:12:08,854 The whole idea with those guys, 236 00:12:08,937 --> 00:12:11,356 if you have a big overcast day, you want to go hunting, 237 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:14,401 don't know what the tide's gonna be like, you look for that shell. 238 00:12:14,485 --> 00:12:18,113 If these are dark like that, it's gonna be a good tide. 239 00:12:18,697 --> 00:12:21,450 So you take a lot of signals from what the animals are doing. 240 00:12:21,533 --> 00:12:24,203 Most of your plants will tell you or the animals will. 241 00:12:24,286 --> 00:12:27,790 Fascinating. That's pretty cool. I feel like I'm gonna go back in time. 242 00:12:27,873 --> 00:12:30,709 This is all we did when we were kids. That's all we wanted to do. 243 00:12:31,543 --> 00:12:34,046 -Way better than video games. -Yeah. 244 00:12:34,129 --> 00:12:36,799 The knowledge that you have with the nature 245 00:12:37,591 --> 00:12:41,720 seems very important for the society as a whole. 246 00:12:41,804 --> 00:12:44,890 Yeah. Each family, each person is responsible for different animals. 247 00:12:44,973 --> 00:12:47,100 They should have a totem they're connected to, 248 00:12:47,184 --> 00:12:48,727 to make sure that animal survives. 249 00:12:48,811 --> 00:12:50,771 -Right. 250 00:12:52,147 --> 00:12:55,234 If you watch them and learn from them, they teach you all the secrets 251 00:12:55,317 --> 00:12:57,194 you need to know when running around. 252 00:12:57,277 --> 00:12:59,196 So we fish at the low tide. 253 00:12:59,279 --> 00:13:02,074 All the big crocs and sharks, they come back in the high tide. 254 00:13:02,157 --> 00:13:07,037 So we have six hours. They have six hours. We have to learn to share with everything. 255 00:13:07,120 --> 00:13:09,998 So this is a big male. This is your buck. 256 00:13:10,624 --> 00:13:12,251 -You got many more? -Just one. 257 00:13:12,334 --> 00:13:15,754 -Look at that thing. Unreal. -A little dull one there in the scooter. 258 00:13:15,838 --> 00:13:19,716 This is your male. You look underneath, you see triangular shape in the base. 259 00:13:19,800 --> 00:13:23,178 That's how you tell the male there. They're big fighters, get bigger claws. 260 00:13:23,262 --> 00:13:24,930 -Whoa-ho-ho-ho-ho! 261 00:13:25,013 --> 00:13:26,849 -Wanna hold it? -Look at that. Sure. 262 00:13:26,932 --> 00:13:30,102 -So here, the safest way. -Drop him up there a little bit. 263 00:13:32,771 --> 00:13:35,941 The trick is keep your hands to the back. Don't put your hand in front. 264 00:13:36,024 --> 00:13:37,818 -Underneath. -Don't go underneath. 265 00:13:37,901 --> 00:13:39,695 -They can reach and grab you. -Really? 266 00:13:39,778 --> 00:13:43,740 Most people don't realize how dangerous these mud crabs can be. 267 00:13:43,824 --> 00:13:44,867 -Got him? -I think so. 268 00:13:44,950 --> 00:13:47,536 One of their claws can crush you. The other one can cut. 269 00:13:47,619 --> 00:13:50,664 They'll usually run towards you if you get too close to them. 270 00:13:50,747 --> 00:13:53,041 He's got the big fighting claw. That's his cracker. 271 00:13:53,125 --> 00:13:55,836 Don't wanna get a hold of that. It'll break bones, that one. 272 00:13:55,919 --> 00:13:58,547 If he grabs you with the other one, he'll cut a finger off. 273 00:13:58,630 --> 00:14:00,841 -Really? Jesus. -Test it out. 274 00:14:01,425 --> 00:14:04,428 -Pinky. Pinky finger. -Kind of want all my fingers. 275 00:14:04,511 --> 00:14:05,345 Look at that. 276 00:14:07,055 --> 00:14:07,890 Catch. 277 00:14:09,808 --> 00:14:12,477 -Pretty formidable, aren't they? -This one belongs to you. 278 00:14:12,561 --> 00:14:14,563 No worries, bud. Just pop him on the ground. 279 00:14:15,814 --> 00:14:18,191 -Nice to meet you, bud. -Sweet. Thank you, guys. 280 00:14:18,275 --> 00:14:19,943 -All right. Making us hopeful. -Yeah. 281 00:14:20,027 --> 00:14:20,861 All right. 282 00:14:21,361 --> 00:14:24,781 -Oh. Got some coconuts here, right? -Yeah, that's the plan. 283 00:14:25,574 --> 00:14:28,744 Let the guys do all the running around out there. We'll crack the nuts. 284 00:14:28,827 --> 00:14:31,747 So we just use the pick and start on the soft end. 285 00:14:57,689 --> 00:14:58,523 Some for you. 286 00:14:58,607 --> 00:14:59,524 Nice. 287 00:15:07,991 --> 00:15:09,701 And you want to scrape in here. 288 00:15:23,632 --> 00:15:27,260 This is the best way to make coconut milk, right here. Cheers. 289 00:15:27,344 --> 00:15:29,304 You have to show the other fellas how to-- 290 00:15:29,388 --> 00:15:32,724 -That's right. Thank you, brother. -…how to get a feed. Anytime. 291 00:15:34,476 --> 00:15:36,979 -Oh, there's one. -There's one? Lost him? 292 00:15:39,147 --> 00:15:40,774 Yep. He lost him. 293 00:15:40,857 --> 00:15:42,567 Now I know what I'm looking for. 294 00:15:44,903 --> 00:15:47,239 -Crab. -There's one over there. See him? 295 00:15:47,322 --> 00:15:50,784 -How'd you see that far? Oh. -See him walking up? Come get him. 296 00:15:52,995 --> 00:15:54,079 -Come close. 297 00:15:55,247 --> 00:15:56,581 Spear that dark thing. 298 00:15:57,624 --> 00:15:59,167 Missed. See it there? 299 00:16:00,460 --> 00:16:02,004 Missed. Under it. 300 00:16:02,838 --> 00:16:04,965 -Under it. -There. 301 00:16:05,048 --> 00:16:05,924 He nailed it. 302 00:16:06,008 --> 00:16:07,801 -There you go. Dead center. -Wow. 303 00:16:08,301 --> 00:16:09,344 There's your crabby. 304 00:16:09,428 --> 00:16:10,846 Right through the middle. 305 00:16:11,430 --> 00:16:14,516 Yes, I love fly-fishing 'cause it's always catch and release 306 00:16:14,599 --> 00:16:18,061 back in the States, but I feel better knowing that we're gonna catch this guy 307 00:16:18,145 --> 00:16:19,396 and actually eat him. 308 00:16:19,479 --> 00:16:21,565 They taste better when you catch 'em yourself. 309 00:16:21,648 --> 00:16:22,816 Yeah, I bet. 310 00:16:22,899 --> 00:16:24,026 Look at him, man. 311 00:16:24,109 --> 00:16:28,030 That's it. I'll show you how to cook 'em. Hope you fellas are hungry. 312 00:16:29,823 --> 00:16:33,326 -Hey there. Hi. I'm Darin. -Hi, nice to meet you. I'm Delissa. 313 00:16:33,410 --> 00:16:37,622 I'm a traditional basket weaver. I've got my niece, Cayanna, sitting down here. 314 00:16:37,706 --> 00:16:38,707 Hi, Cayanna. 315 00:16:38,790 --> 00:16:40,751 This is what I used to do with my grandmother. 316 00:16:40,834 --> 00:16:44,171 -So we would sit down with her. -Right on. Where's this fiber from? 317 00:16:44,254 --> 00:16:47,632 So we're using the black palm tree. It's a very rare tree. 318 00:16:47,716 --> 00:16:49,426 The black palm tree only grows 319 00:16:49,509 --> 00:16:52,220 along a narrow coastal region along the wet tropics. 320 00:16:52,804 --> 00:16:55,348 So the timber part, the men will use 321 00:16:56,183 --> 00:16:58,143 for their clapsticks. 322 00:16:58,226 --> 00:17:00,562 Ah, see, this is a lot of ceremonial stuff. 323 00:17:00,645 --> 00:17:05,525 Yes. So your clapsticks, woomeras, spearheads, so nothing gets wasted, 324 00:17:05,609 --> 00:17:07,319 because we are taking the whole tree. 325 00:17:07,402 --> 00:17:11,615 Every tree that I cut down over in the Daintree, I replant. 326 00:17:11,698 --> 00:17:13,325 -So to keep it sustainable. -Great. 327 00:17:13,408 --> 00:17:15,285 Practicing traditional culture 328 00:17:15,368 --> 00:17:18,872 when settlement came through was something that was highly illegal. 329 00:17:18,955 --> 00:17:22,918 So we're very lucky it's been passed down through our family, 330 00:17:23,001 --> 00:17:25,378 through the women, to the next generation. 331 00:17:25,462 --> 00:17:27,130 And they're doing the same thing, 332 00:17:27,214 --> 00:17:29,257 passing it on to the next generation after them. 333 00:17:29,341 --> 00:17:34,054 Dilly bags like that one traditionally are used for baby carrying. 334 00:17:34,137 --> 00:17:37,516 So the handle goes on your head. So, like that. 335 00:17:37,599 --> 00:17:40,310 That's how they carried babies in the bush. 336 00:17:40,393 --> 00:17:42,270 When I do big ones like this, 337 00:17:42,354 --> 00:17:45,273 it takes me about three months. 338 00:17:45,357 --> 00:17:47,692 -Three months? -Yeah, so a really long time. 339 00:17:47,776 --> 00:17:51,613 But then a little one like this are only, like, half an hour. 340 00:17:52,364 --> 00:17:56,076 We used to sit down with Nana on holidays. That was like our story time. 341 00:17:56,159 --> 00:17:58,453 My nana was actually hidden inside a basket. 342 00:17:59,037 --> 00:18:01,164 -During the Stolen Generation when-- -What? 343 00:18:01,248 --> 00:18:03,917 Yeah, when the white authorities came to take children away. 344 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:04,835 Are you kidding? 345 00:18:04,918 --> 00:18:10,423 She was given a burnie bean to hold to keep her quiet as a baby. 346 00:18:10,507 --> 00:18:12,509 And she was not taken at that time. 347 00:18:12,592 --> 00:18:14,928 The relocation and removal of our kids 348 00:18:15,011 --> 00:18:18,390 and our families from our traditional lands is not a long time ago. 349 00:18:18,473 --> 00:18:20,225 It's only one generation back. 350 00:18:20,308 --> 00:18:24,896 So we're so blessed to be able to still have our culture intact here 351 00:18:24,980 --> 00:18:27,649 and be able to share it with the rest of the world. 352 00:18:28,233 --> 00:18:31,820 So other than being literally just caught out of the ocean, 353 00:18:31,903 --> 00:18:34,739 what's the secret here to cook a good crab? 354 00:18:34,823 --> 00:18:36,158 Drop 'em in there. 355 00:18:36,241 --> 00:18:39,161 Be based in your mix. There's a bit of coconut oil. 356 00:18:43,623 --> 00:18:44,457 Well-measured. 357 00:18:46,918 --> 00:18:48,545 Drop a block of butter in there. 358 00:18:48,628 --> 00:18:51,548 -Garlic. That's just crushed garlic. -I love garlic. It's sweet. 359 00:18:51,631 --> 00:18:55,051 These are mostly bird's eye chili. This is 25 years old. 360 00:18:55,719 --> 00:18:59,931 This is just chilies, vinegar, and salt. So you get a couple of them. 361 00:19:00,599 --> 00:19:03,476 That's just vinegar and salt, is the juice in that stuff. 362 00:19:04,519 --> 00:19:05,854 Oh, man. 363 00:19:05,937 --> 00:19:08,773 You'll smell that as soon as it starts cooking. 364 00:19:09,774 --> 00:19:13,528 If you cook a crab too long, the meat will stick to the skin, gets hard to peel. 365 00:19:13,612 --> 00:19:18,116 This is a bush lemon. It's got a lot better taste than most lemon you'll get. 366 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:19,826 Really? Bush lemon? 367 00:19:20,368 --> 00:19:22,412 Yep. Have a taste of that, fella. 368 00:19:22,495 --> 00:19:24,122 Drop a bit of salt with it. 369 00:19:25,999 --> 00:19:28,251 Put a lid on that, and that takes five minutes. 370 00:19:28,335 --> 00:19:29,753 That's gonna steam it? 371 00:19:29,836 --> 00:19:31,838 Watch for everything else to turn orange. 372 00:19:31,922 --> 00:19:34,382 -And it's all done. -Dip that in there? 373 00:19:36,426 --> 00:19:37,844 Get right down in there. 374 00:19:44,851 --> 00:19:46,061 Ooh… 375 00:19:46,144 --> 00:19:50,482 That's good. Then once that's finished, if anyone wants more, we'll cook more. 376 00:19:50,565 --> 00:19:52,317 -Start a new batch. -Mm. 377 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:54,819 Man, I wonder how Darin's doing with his baskets. 378 00:19:55,904 --> 00:19:57,530 Oh, got to have patience. 379 00:19:57,614 --> 00:20:00,158 -What is this supposed to look like? 380 00:20:00,825 --> 00:20:02,327 -Just so I know. -Okay. 381 00:20:02,410 --> 00:20:05,747 -This is the final product. -Oh wow. Look at that. 382 00:20:06,915 --> 00:20:10,877 Feels really good to stop, focus on something, 383 00:20:10,961 --> 00:20:13,505 slow down, hear some of your stories. 384 00:20:13,588 --> 00:20:15,131 I hope you enjoyed yourself. 385 00:20:15,215 --> 00:20:16,883 -Yeah. -Thank you very much. 386 00:20:16,967 --> 00:20:18,802 -Hey. What's up, guys? -How'd you go? 387 00:20:18,885 --> 00:20:20,470 -How are you, fellas? -How'd you go? 388 00:20:20,553 --> 00:20:21,429 -Pretty good. -Yeah? 389 00:20:21,513 --> 00:20:23,014 Yeah, I got a ton of good stuff. 390 00:20:23,098 --> 00:20:24,766 -Had some fun? -Bunch of crabs, man. 391 00:20:24,849 --> 00:20:26,559 Yeah. Hey, that's not bad. 392 00:20:26,643 --> 00:20:29,854 We found some cool medicinal plants. We ate some coconuts. 393 00:20:29,938 --> 00:20:31,523 -Sweet. -Epic afternoon, yeah. 394 00:20:31,606 --> 00:20:32,816 -Unreal. -Always. 395 00:20:32,899 --> 00:20:37,028 This place is just… It's a grocery store, your pharmacy. It's everything you need. 396 00:20:37,112 --> 00:20:38,780 It's beautiful to see how you live. 397 00:20:38,863 --> 00:20:42,033 And thanks for continuing the tradition and for welcoming us in. 398 00:20:42,117 --> 00:20:45,370 No worries. Anytime you're back, drop in. There's always family up there. 399 00:20:45,453 --> 00:20:48,331 -Thank you, guys. Thank you, brother. -Thank you, man. 400 00:20:48,415 --> 00:20:51,293 -Thank you, man. -Really appreciate it. 401 00:20:51,376 --> 00:20:54,796 -We'll see you next time for sure. -Thanks, guys. Have a good one. 402 00:20:55,297 --> 00:20:59,092 Our next stop takes us to a national park in the northern part of Queensland, 403 00:20:59,175 --> 00:21:00,802 but it's not your typical park. 404 00:21:00,885 --> 00:21:03,638 Over the course of just 400 million years, 405 00:21:03,722 --> 00:21:06,725 Mother Nature created this incredible sculpture. 406 00:21:06,808 --> 00:21:11,354 Landmasses shifted, water flowed, limestone dissolved. 407 00:21:11,438 --> 00:21:14,941 And this is the end result, the Chillagoe Caves. 408 00:21:15,025 --> 00:21:17,861 The connection between the Indigenous people of Australia 409 00:21:17,944 --> 00:21:21,698 and the Chillagoe Caves goes back tens of thousands of years. 410 00:21:21,781 --> 00:21:25,201 Unfortunately, I was pretty sick on the day scheduled for the caves, 411 00:21:25,285 --> 00:21:26,619 so Darin went solo. 412 00:21:26,703 --> 00:21:29,372 -Wow, this is extraordinary. -There you are. 413 00:21:29,456 --> 00:21:31,458 What is this place? 414 00:21:31,541 --> 00:21:33,585 It's a little place called Chillagoe. 415 00:21:34,127 --> 00:21:36,921 Well, in here we have a little daylight chamber, 416 00:21:37,005 --> 00:21:39,841 and I want to show you some marine fossils too as well. 417 00:21:39,924 --> 00:21:41,343 -Oh, really? -Mm-hmm. 418 00:21:41,426 --> 00:21:43,887 This used to be underwater. 419 00:21:43,970 --> 00:21:45,472 -Yeah. -How long ago? 420 00:21:46,056 --> 00:21:48,725 They say it goes back around 400 million years ago. 421 00:21:48,808 --> 00:21:50,727 -Four hundred million? -Yep. 422 00:21:51,644 --> 00:21:52,729 Whoa. 423 00:21:53,313 --> 00:21:57,192 How did this happen like this? It just seems like it's… Comes out of nowhere. 424 00:21:57,275 --> 00:21:59,986 Yes. So with all this coal and sediment mixed together, 425 00:22:00,070 --> 00:22:02,739 it forms a sedimentary rock, a normal limestone. 426 00:22:02,822 --> 00:22:05,867 And with the Earth's crust moving, and a lot more heat and pressure, 427 00:22:05,950 --> 00:22:08,119 push it up vertically, like we see today. 428 00:22:08,203 --> 00:22:09,037 Wow. 429 00:22:09,120 --> 00:22:10,372 It's hard to imagine, 430 00:22:10,455 --> 00:22:15,043 but scientists believe these caves began to form about 400 million years ago. 431 00:22:18,505 --> 00:22:20,799 Back then, this was all underwater. 432 00:22:21,341 --> 00:22:22,550 Hey, what are you? 433 00:22:22,634 --> 00:22:26,179 I'm an ammonite, a marine predator from long ago. 434 00:22:26,262 --> 00:22:30,058 Vast numbers of my kind once populated the seas around here, 435 00:22:30,141 --> 00:22:31,810 before we became extinct. 436 00:22:31,893 --> 00:22:35,688 So the ammonite fossils found around here are just more evidence? 437 00:22:35,772 --> 00:22:38,525 Yes, that this area was once all underwater. 438 00:22:39,067 --> 00:22:42,570 Over millions of years, the Earth's tectonic plates shifted, 439 00:22:42,654 --> 00:22:46,157 converging into one another, forming the mountains. 440 00:22:46,241 --> 00:22:48,118 Millions of years of rain and erosion 441 00:22:48,201 --> 00:22:50,870 then helped to form the caves within these mountains, 442 00:22:50,954 --> 00:22:53,248 creating the beauty you see today, 443 00:22:53,331 --> 00:22:56,751 left for the traditional custodians of the land to watch over and use 444 00:22:56,835 --> 00:22:59,212 for the last 60,000 years. 445 00:22:59,295 --> 00:23:03,633 But remember, my kind hasn't been here for about 65 million years. 446 00:23:03,716 --> 00:23:06,594 Ooh, that reminds me, I should probably go. 447 00:23:07,220 --> 00:23:08,763 Oh, um… 448 00:23:09,305 --> 00:23:10,306 See ya later? 449 00:23:10,390 --> 00:23:12,350 Only in fossil form! 450 00:23:14,477 --> 00:23:15,353 Wow, man. 451 00:23:16,271 --> 00:23:17,981 This is incredible. 452 00:23:18,064 --> 00:23:21,234 When I take people through the caves, they see the beauty in it too, 453 00:23:21,317 --> 00:23:25,071 like, exactly the same as I do. And that's why I love doing this job. 454 00:23:25,155 --> 00:23:26,739 There you go. Crossed it over there. 455 00:23:31,703 --> 00:23:32,704 Wow. 456 00:23:34,247 --> 00:23:35,081 Holy cow. 457 00:23:36,499 --> 00:23:38,960 -We are in it, Eddie. -We are in the cave. 458 00:23:40,420 --> 00:23:42,547 It was discovered in 1891. 459 00:23:42,630 --> 00:23:43,548 1891? 460 00:23:43,631 --> 00:23:47,093 Yeah, by a bloke by the name of William Atherton. 461 00:23:47,177 --> 00:23:48,094 Uh-huh. 462 00:23:49,679 --> 00:23:51,973 -That's a spider there. -There's a what? 463 00:23:52,891 --> 00:23:53,933 Where's the spider? 464 00:23:54,017 --> 00:23:57,437 When people see the Huntsman Spider, they go, "Aah!" Yeah. 465 00:23:57,520 --> 00:23:58,855 And they get a fright. 466 00:24:00,023 --> 00:24:01,691 About the size of my hand. 467 00:24:08,615 --> 00:24:13,077 Eddie, explain to me all these different pointing structures. 468 00:24:13,161 --> 00:24:15,497 -What are those called? -They're called stalactite. 469 00:24:15,580 --> 00:24:16,414 Stalactite? 470 00:24:16,498 --> 00:24:19,334 You get the stalagmite, the one coming from the ground. 471 00:24:19,417 --> 00:24:22,670 With the stalactite, they have moisture going through the middle, 472 00:24:22,754 --> 00:24:24,923 and like a little straw, drips down, 473 00:24:25,006 --> 00:24:27,383 forms the stalagmites, and then makes that rise. 474 00:24:27,467 --> 00:24:30,261 How long does it take for these things to form? 475 00:24:30,345 --> 00:24:34,474 With the stalactite, three to five centimeters every 100 years. 476 00:24:34,557 --> 00:24:38,144 And with the stalagmite, only one centimeter every 100 years. 477 00:24:39,229 --> 00:24:42,232 -Here we go. You can see here… -Yeah. Here it is. 478 00:24:42,315 --> 00:24:44,067 …where there's moisture on the bottom. 479 00:24:44,150 --> 00:24:46,694 -Look at that. -It'll take a while to drip, so… 480 00:24:46,778 --> 00:24:49,280 Should I touch it or leave it? I should leave it. 481 00:24:50,365 --> 00:24:52,909 So, soon as I take 'em into that first daylight chamber… 482 00:24:52,992 --> 00:24:54,077 Wow! 483 00:24:54,160 --> 00:24:57,080 -…their first reaction is, "Wow." 484 00:24:57,163 --> 00:24:59,582 "This looks huge. This looks like a cathedral." 485 00:25:00,083 --> 00:25:02,794 One of our daylight chambers here in this cave. 486 00:25:02,877 --> 00:25:06,673 That is one of the most beautiful things I think I've ever seen. 487 00:25:06,756 --> 00:25:10,385 It is beautiful. This is the most impressive part of the tour. 488 00:25:10,468 --> 00:25:14,389 How do you not ask the question of who you are, or what you are, 489 00:25:14,472 --> 00:25:17,475 "What is this? What is this all about?" 490 00:25:17,559 --> 00:25:19,936 when you come in places like this? 491 00:25:21,688 --> 00:25:24,399 Eddie, you definitely didn't prep me for this. 492 00:25:26,150 --> 00:25:28,987 -Oh my God. -I got a beautiful office, haven't I? 493 00:25:32,657 --> 00:25:33,491 Wow. 494 00:25:34,576 --> 00:25:38,746 This is where Aboriginal people would've come to get away from weathering. 495 00:25:38,830 --> 00:25:39,664 Right. 496 00:25:39,747 --> 00:25:42,584 But they didn't go deeply into this cave 'cause it's too dark. 497 00:25:42,667 --> 00:25:46,129 It's close. Got some light. Come in here. It's flat. 498 00:25:46,212 --> 00:25:47,380 Mm-hmm. 499 00:25:47,463 --> 00:25:50,174 This whole cave area, being able to share that 500 00:25:50,258 --> 00:25:53,261 with myself and others, it's got to feel special. 501 00:25:53,344 --> 00:25:57,599 It is. Like you said before, you felt something. 502 00:25:57,682 --> 00:25:59,475 -Yeah. -And you kept it. 503 00:25:59,559 --> 00:26:00,893 -Yeah. -That's good. 504 00:26:03,646 --> 00:26:07,942 So I'm taking Darin outside the cave, up on this hill for a better view. 505 00:26:08,693 --> 00:26:11,237 You can see miles around. 506 00:26:11,321 --> 00:26:14,282 All right, Darin. I'm gonna show you some rock art. 507 00:26:14,365 --> 00:26:16,200 -Rock art? -That's right, yep. 508 00:26:16,284 --> 00:26:18,911 The real treat is underneath this rock cover. 509 00:26:20,204 --> 00:26:22,332 Have a look up on the ceiling. 510 00:26:22,415 --> 00:26:23,791 Whoa. 511 00:26:26,586 --> 00:26:28,004 Beautiful rock art here. 512 00:26:28,087 --> 00:26:31,299 As you can see up here, you get a lot of these stars up here too. 513 00:26:31,382 --> 00:26:33,718 So a lot of the Aboriginal people around here… 514 00:26:34,218 --> 00:26:36,721 We are called the Wakaman people around this area, 515 00:26:36,804 --> 00:26:39,515 and we knew the stars from navigating at nighttime. 516 00:26:40,016 --> 00:26:41,017 So this thing here, 517 00:26:41,100 --> 00:26:44,312 it sort of leads you over toward this big evening star you always get. 518 00:26:44,395 --> 00:26:46,147 -Right here. -It follows that. 519 00:26:46,230 --> 00:26:47,857 -It'll take you to water. -Really? 520 00:26:47,940 --> 00:26:50,568 So all of this was based on the land here. 521 00:26:50,652 --> 00:26:52,528 -That's right. -Wow. 522 00:26:52,612 --> 00:26:55,740 Over here on this side here, you can see some dog prints up there. 523 00:26:55,823 --> 00:26:56,699 Yeah. 524 00:26:56,783 --> 00:26:59,035 We have a big spiritual dog up here, 525 00:26:59,118 --> 00:27:02,121 we call a Djungan dog, and that's his track up there. 526 00:27:02,205 --> 00:27:06,626 So as you can see in the far distance over there, you'll see now the rock face. 527 00:27:07,251 --> 00:27:09,629 That's where the dog in the story starts, over there. 528 00:27:10,630 --> 00:27:14,717 Then the king would come here with all his wives, seven wives, sit down here. 529 00:27:15,218 --> 00:27:18,596 You can see the view already, so you can see other tribes coming in. 530 00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:22,725 Eastern side of us here, you get the Mbabaram people, 531 00:27:22,809 --> 00:27:25,311 and then north of us, you have the Kuku Djungan tribe, 532 00:27:25,395 --> 00:27:27,355 who came into this area too as well. 533 00:27:27,438 --> 00:27:31,484 So this told you the story of water, 534 00:27:31,567 --> 00:27:33,903 the story of where the dog came from. 535 00:27:33,986 --> 00:27:36,572 Yeah, because there's a map behind you with that dog face. 536 00:27:36,656 --> 00:27:38,783 -Nice. -So he's pointing to that area. 537 00:27:39,283 --> 00:27:42,954 The bluish-gray rock over there is where the deepest part of the ocean used to be. 538 00:27:43,538 --> 00:27:47,625 And this area where we are standing on now is the shallow end of the sea. 539 00:27:47,709 --> 00:27:48,584 Right here? 540 00:27:48,668 --> 00:27:52,964 Now I have a prehistoric treat to show to Darin. 541 00:27:53,548 --> 00:27:54,966 This is a marine fossil 542 00:27:55,049 --> 00:27:59,929 that dated back 65 million years ago when this land was underwater. 543 00:28:00,012 --> 00:28:02,056 This was literally part of a reef… 544 00:28:02,140 --> 00:28:03,891 -Right. -…400 million years ago. 545 00:28:03,975 --> 00:28:07,103 -Brother, thank you, man. -No worries. 546 00:28:07,186 --> 00:28:10,565 -Sunrise, sunset. There's the water. -That's right. 547 00:28:11,649 --> 00:28:13,860 As a tour guide, it's important to preserve this 548 00:28:13,943 --> 00:28:16,571 because there's a lot of history in this area here. 549 00:28:16,654 --> 00:28:20,366 I just hope people know how old, and how beautiful this land is, 550 00:28:20,450 --> 00:28:23,786 and they walk away wanting to preserve it. 551 00:28:25,037 --> 00:28:28,040 Each experience brings me back to the same question. 552 00:28:28,124 --> 00:28:29,542 What should we be doing? 553 00:28:30,501 --> 00:28:32,754 I'm reminded of our time with Bruce Pascoe. 554 00:28:32,837 --> 00:28:36,007 How can we learn more from the Indigenous all over the world? 555 00:28:36,090 --> 00:28:39,093 Is there… There seems to be so much magic in the past. 556 00:28:39,177 --> 00:28:41,137 -Cup of tea. -Cup of tea. 557 00:28:41,220 --> 00:28:44,515 -Just like we're doing. -Yeah. Sit down. Get your teapot. 558 00:28:45,057 --> 00:28:49,187 Find out what kind of tea that the old ladies and the old men like. 559 00:28:49,937 --> 00:28:50,897 Um… 560 00:28:50,980 --> 00:28:53,566 -Whether they take milk, they take sugar. -Okay. 561 00:28:53,649 --> 00:28:56,819 -And, you know, but that kind of care-- -The respect. Yeah. 562 00:28:56,903 --> 00:28:59,113 You know, we put our food on the table. 563 00:28:59,197 --> 00:29:03,117 We share it with each other and talk about sustainability. 564 00:29:03,201 --> 00:29:06,579 This is not a cure-all. This is conversation. 565 00:29:06,662 --> 00:29:10,833 And that conversation will produce a better, better place. 566 00:29:10,917 --> 00:29:15,463 But it's not just with Indigenous people. It's with each other. We've stopped… 567 00:29:15,546 --> 00:29:17,131 -Communicating. -…loving each other. 568 00:29:17,215 --> 00:29:20,301 -That is so awesome. -I'm incredibly grateful to you. 569 00:29:20,384 --> 00:29:22,929 -Thank you so much. -Yeah. That's beautiful. 570 00:29:23,012 --> 00:29:24,222 It's so simple. 571 00:29:24,305 --> 00:29:28,184 Sit down. Listen. This world is ours to share. 572 00:29:28,851 --> 00:29:29,685 Thanks, Bruce. 573 00:29:30,770 --> 00:29:33,272 Here's our next opportunity to do just that. 574 00:29:33,356 --> 00:29:35,483 We're going to the Girringun Rainforest area 575 00:29:35,566 --> 00:29:38,236 to meet with Sonya Takau, communication officer, 576 00:29:38,319 --> 00:29:43,407 and Phil Rist, CEO, both of the Girringun Aboriginal Corporation. 577 00:29:43,491 --> 00:29:44,826 My name's Phil Rist. 578 00:29:44,909 --> 00:29:48,204 I'm the executive officer of the very prominent 579 00:29:48,287 --> 00:29:51,123 Aboriginal Land and Sea Management Center in Queensland. 580 00:29:51,207 --> 00:29:54,502 But across Australia as well. So there's nine groups of us, 581 00:29:54,585 --> 00:29:56,587 and it's a big area that we cover. 582 00:29:57,296 --> 00:30:00,049 Australia has a very dark history, you know, in how, 583 00:30:00,633 --> 00:30:04,053 uh, this country treated Indigenous Australians. 584 00:30:04,136 --> 00:30:08,224 And the more people that understand and become aware of 585 00:30:08,307 --> 00:30:11,686 the struggle of Indigenous Australians in general, the better. 586 00:30:11,769 --> 00:30:14,689 We have this saying in our… in that 587 00:30:14,772 --> 00:30:19,318 it's usually the father and the son that really take on the hard-core stuff. 588 00:30:19,402 --> 00:30:22,405 And when the father's had enough, he lays his spear down, 589 00:30:22,488 --> 00:30:26,826 and then the son takes it up, you know, and continues the fight, if you like. 590 00:30:26,909 --> 00:30:29,954 That is changing now, and it's not so much the son. 591 00:30:30,037 --> 00:30:32,415 Now it's the daughter picking up that spear for us. 592 00:30:32,498 --> 00:30:36,043 But you guys are part of that as well. Your willingness to listen and learn, 593 00:30:36,127 --> 00:30:38,087 and it becomes part of that change agency. 594 00:30:38,170 --> 00:30:41,340 Australia's one of the most wealthiest countries on the planet. 595 00:30:41,424 --> 00:30:43,301 But in the heart of Australia 596 00:30:43,926 --> 00:30:48,055 is the struggle that's been going on for generations and generations. 597 00:30:48,139 --> 00:30:53,185 It's part of that assimilation, I suppose, into this dominant culture. 598 00:30:53,269 --> 00:30:55,855 And there are a lot of problems with that. 599 00:30:55,938 --> 00:30:58,941 What I'm just blown away with is 600 00:30:59,025 --> 00:31:04,405 why is that not brought together in terms of the governments 601 00:31:04,488 --> 00:31:06,157 and the other people here 602 00:31:06,741 --> 00:31:11,495 to then take that wisdom together and make a better country? 603 00:31:11,579 --> 00:31:14,790 I struggle with that, really struggle with that question. 604 00:31:14,874 --> 00:31:20,004 For years, white Australia has been saying that we're not as good as everybody else. 605 00:31:20,087 --> 00:31:21,964 And so that becomes ingrained, 606 00:31:22,048 --> 00:31:26,052 and there's a superior-inferior complex that I sometimes refer to. 607 00:31:26,135 --> 00:31:30,681 And I think things are changing now. It's been changing for a little while now. 608 00:31:30,765 --> 00:31:34,727 I feel what you're saying, and I do agree. I think change is coming. 609 00:31:34,810 --> 00:31:41,484 I know that there's a young generation, you know, that's really open-minded, 610 00:31:41,567 --> 00:31:44,070 and forward-thinking, and, um… 611 00:31:45,321 --> 00:31:48,449 It's exciting for me to sit with you guys today, 612 00:31:48,532 --> 00:31:51,035 'cause you were talking about your voice, you know. 613 00:31:51,118 --> 00:31:54,246 And if we can in any way spread the word 614 00:31:54,330 --> 00:31:57,458 and to raise the volume, so to speak, of your voice… 615 00:31:57,541 --> 00:32:00,461 -Thank you. -I'm truly, truly grateful. 616 00:32:00,544 --> 00:32:02,338 We love you. 617 00:32:02,421 --> 00:32:05,007 -This is the coolest thing we've-- -Can we keep you? 618 00:32:05,091 --> 00:32:06,300 We don't want you to go. 619 00:32:06,384 --> 00:32:09,261 -Careful. We may-- -You'll never get rid of us. 620 00:32:09,345 --> 00:32:12,431 Aboriginal people should be heavily involved 621 00:32:12,515 --> 00:32:15,351 in the global issues that we face today. 622 00:32:15,434 --> 00:32:20,147 You can't fix the natural environment without taking into consideration 623 00:32:20,231 --> 00:32:23,609 those internal connections within the natural environment. 624 00:32:24,110 --> 00:32:25,653 Okay. So Zac and Darin, 625 00:32:25,736 --> 00:32:28,948 we have a very special guest to introduce you to. 626 00:32:29,031 --> 00:32:30,366 This is Khoa. 627 00:32:31,075 --> 00:32:32,118 Hi, Khoa. 628 00:32:32,201 --> 00:32:35,079 Hello, baby. He's very, very timid, very shy. 629 00:32:35,162 --> 00:32:38,666 So he is a purebred rain forest dingo. 630 00:32:38,749 --> 00:32:44,672 Dingoes in this country are highly, highly villainized. 631 00:32:44,755 --> 00:32:49,093 At the present moment, it's a war between the livestock industry, 632 00:32:49,176 --> 00:32:52,847 and those that want to protect them and save them. 633 00:32:52,930 --> 00:32:55,516 Dingoes are classified in the genus Canis, 634 00:32:55,599 --> 00:32:58,894 the same as wolves, coyotes, foxes, and dogs. 635 00:32:59,478 --> 00:33:01,522 And while they look cute and cuddly, 636 00:33:01,605 --> 00:33:05,526 wild dingoes are ferocious predators, the same as most carnivores. 637 00:33:05,609 --> 00:33:11,407 So, currently, in the state of Queensland, you have two legislative acts 638 00:33:11,490 --> 00:33:14,702 that basically want to wipe them out to extinction. 639 00:33:14,785 --> 00:33:17,580 As Aboriginal people, we know that this guy 640 00:33:17,663 --> 00:33:21,292 is highly valuable in the natural environment. 641 00:33:21,375 --> 00:33:25,004 He is Australia's top apex predator. 642 00:33:25,838 --> 00:33:31,427 And for any environmental or ecological system to remain balanced, 643 00:33:31,510 --> 00:33:34,555 you have to have an apex predator. 644 00:33:34,638 --> 00:33:40,436 If you leave him alone to let him do his job as nature's balancer, 645 00:33:40,519 --> 00:33:42,980 everything balances out. 646 00:33:43,647 --> 00:33:46,484 We've been taught growing up, leave nature alone. 647 00:33:47,234 --> 00:33:50,446 It knows how to look after itself. It doesn't need us. 648 00:33:51,447 --> 00:33:54,325 The dingo and the Aboriginal people have more in common. 649 00:33:54,408 --> 00:33:59,455 We've been shot at. We've been poisoned. And we've been trapped. 650 00:33:59,538 --> 00:34:03,793 And when I say trapped, there was a Black slave trade in this country. 651 00:34:03,876 --> 00:34:07,046 Sonya enlightens us with the harsh reality of the parallel 652 00:34:07,129 --> 00:34:10,257 between Aboriginal people and the Australian dingoes. 653 00:34:10,341 --> 00:34:14,720 We've come a little way, but there is a long, long way to go 654 00:34:14,804 --> 00:34:17,723 to change that colonial mindset 655 00:34:17,807 --> 00:34:21,977 that has just been so driven in this country. 656 00:34:22,061 --> 00:34:24,980 It's amazing, the parallels that you would be able to draw on. 657 00:34:25,064 --> 00:34:30,694 If we allowed the dingo to be free and to operate as he would normally in nature, 658 00:34:30,778 --> 00:34:33,322 everything might find its equilibrium again. 659 00:34:33,989 --> 00:34:36,992 It seems similar. If people listened to the Indigenous voice, 660 00:34:37,076 --> 00:34:38,786 then everything would find balance. 661 00:34:38,869 --> 00:34:41,205 When you bring that Western science, 662 00:34:41,831 --> 00:34:44,166 and you bring Indigenous knowledge together, 663 00:34:45,793 --> 00:34:48,796 there are beautiful solutions out there 664 00:34:48,879 --> 00:34:52,508 that can happen for the natural environment. 665 00:34:52,591 --> 00:34:55,553 The Aboriginal culture belongs to the world. 666 00:34:55,636 --> 00:34:56,554 Mm. 667 00:34:57,179 --> 00:35:01,183 And if it's the oldest-living culture on this planet, 668 00:35:01,892 --> 00:35:03,602 then it's up to every one of us… 669 00:35:03,686 --> 00:35:06,188 -To be grateful for it. -Be grateful for it. Absolutely. 670 00:35:06,272 --> 00:35:11,318 I can't wait to share this with as many people as I possibly can. 671 00:35:11,402 --> 00:35:16,532 The fact that Zac and Darin are here and listening means the world 672 00:35:16,615 --> 00:35:21,912 because someone finally listened to an Aboriginal voice. 673 00:35:21,996 --> 00:35:23,747 And from that point on, 674 00:35:23,831 --> 00:35:28,252 it's that flow-on effect that when you share something positive, 675 00:35:28,335 --> 00:35:31,463 that is good not just for Aboriginal people, but for everybody, 676 00:35:31,547 --> 00:35:34,258 and most importantly, the natural environment, 677 00:35:35,009 --> 00:35:36,886 then you're doing something right. 678 00:35:41,307 --> 00:35:43,726 You know, I, I walk away from those things… 679 00:35:44,518 --> 00:35:46,687 My heart is exploding. 680 00:35:46,770 --> 00:35:50,524 Having these conversations with people, it's complex. 681 00:35:50,608 --> 00:35:54,028 -Absolutely. -There's so many different aspects to it. 682 00:35:54,111 --> 00:35:56,071 But one thing I do know, 683 00:35:57,698 --> 00:35:59,158 Bruce Pascoe was right. 684 00:35:59,241 --> 00:36:00,075 Mm-hmm. 685 00:36:00,159 --> 00:36:01,952 You have to sit down and talk. 686 00:36:02,036 --> 00:36:05,080 Sitting there, being with them, 687 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:07,750 feeling the energies… 688 00:36:07,833 --> 00:36:08,667 Yeah. 689 00:36:09,168 --> 00:36:12,379 …and having a discussion honestly and openly, 690 00:36:13,464 --> 00:36:17,218 I think that's a superpower that we're missing in the world, you know? 691 00:36:17,301 --> 00:36:20,596 Yes, I know what you mean. The world's so much bigger than your backyard, 692 00:36:20,679 --> 00:36:25,893 your school, or your job, you know? We get to see it on so many levels. 693 00:36:25,976 --> 00:36:28,520 I come back with such… so much more appreciation. 694 00:36:29,230 --> 00:36:33,400 -It feels really special, huh? -This is it. I'm happy. 695 00:36:33,484 --> 00:36:36,028 I figured out what I want to do for the rest of my life. I'm 33. 696 00:36:38,197 --> 00:36:39,031 Doing pretty good. 697 00:36:39,114 --> 00:36:43,619 -Season 53 of Down to Earth… -I wanna be David Attenborough. 698 00:36:46,038 --> 00:36:48,332 We can't change the past, 699 00:36:48,415 --> 00:36:51,252 and we might not ever be able to right the wrongs of it, 700 00:36:51,335 --> 00:36:54,171 but we can take time to learn the history of others 701 00:36:54,255 --> 00:36:56,090 and to listen to their voices today. 702 00:36:56,173 --> 00:36:58,259 Although they have a long way to go, 703 00:36:58,342 --> 00:37:02,721 Australia has begun a dialogue and acknowledgment of those who came before. 704 00:37:02,805 --> 00:37:06,350 All countries that have yet to do so should follow that lead. 705 00:37:06,433 --> 00:37:08,352 Everyone deserves a seat at the table, 706 00:37:08,435 --> 00:37:10,980 to be heard, to be a part of the discussion. 707 00:37:11,855 --> 00:37:15,859 The world isn't such a big place anymore. We're all neighbors now. 708 00:37:16,443 --> 00:37:20,781 And even the smallest things we do, good or bad, have an effect on each other. 709 00:37:21,865 --> 00:37:25,452 Yes, we can collectively preserve the culture of yesterday, 710 00:37:25,536 --> 00:37:28,998 and at the same time, make plans for a better tomorrow. 711 00:37:29,623 --> 00:37:32,918 But we do it by all working together today.