mike.andrewartha

2008 Mon 20th Oct I can't say this place is quiet...

Posted by Mike on 20 October 2008. There are 150 comments.

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This week has been full on and a lot of work but its been really cool to help the brothers out when needed and feel more like I am part of the community! I don't know if it just has something to do with the time of year or the fact that I am just visiting the right place at the right time but it certainly makes for good blogging :-P

This school week has been reasonably 'normal' (although things for me aren't really that normal here haha... anyway...) with daily school life carrying on as usual with lots of photocopying, reading, writing, colouring in, maths (using plastic coins) to learn how to add up money and fun times with the kids in year 2-3. I think I am being moved into another class so not sure what will happen next week. Outside of the classroom however it was a differen't story...

Monday: we had a BBQ for the school staff at alta creek a few miles out of the controlled area for Santa Teresa. Its a beautiful spot, the creek only runs in the wet season so for most of the year its a dry riverbed which is perfect for BBQs as there is shade from trees, lots of firewood and a perfect flat spot for a fire. Being outside the 'no alcohol' zone also meant that it was a great place for a beer! The organisers brought the beer and wine from Alice and we drank it all... it was a great night!

Tuesday: We had a large combined celebration for 100 years of catholic education in santa teresa and confirmation of the older kids in the school. Got up early to move tables and chairs to the church and then helped out with small jobs till the ceremony got underway. School was cancelled as everyone was at church and as the whole day was taken up with: Songs and an aborigional smoking ceremony as we entered the church, the main mass, morning tea afterwards then everyone headed to the spirituality centre for awards presentation for years of service to the school and a powerpoint presentation of pictures from over the years. Then there was a big BBQ lunch at the school (over 300 people catered for) which I helped out by serving food to the locals and guests. Finally there was a performance from some of the local women who were dressed up in local costume and body paint. There was supposed to be a performance from some of the local men but for some reason this didn't happen. Then it was time to go home, but not before I helped Br Gonz clean up the BBQ and canteen area, then help Br Laurie put back all the chairs and tables we moved in the morning. By then I was hot, tired and went to sleep early!

Wed: Cooked for the brothers tonight but when I went to the local store (for the first time... as most of our food is bought in Alice) I bumped into one of the kids who wasn't at school today. Her father (who was there with her) pointed this out to me. After asking if she was going to be at school tomorrow, wondered why he didn't push her to go? From what I understand its pretty common for the families around here not to worry about their kids not going to school or following up on them if the school asks where they are.

Thursday: After school we has been invited to a BBQ tea with Barbara (works in the canteen with Br Gonz), Marie and Tom (teachers at school). Great food and conversation was had by all and it was nice just to chill out with some of the staff from the school outside school hours and talk about what has been going on in the community. After I got back I ended up sitting in front of the tv for a while but as I was heading off to bed I heard dogs howling and running around near our place and lots of wailing. As I peared from my window to see what was going on I saw a steady stream of locals walking past the school towards the church. I put it down to "sorry business" as one of the locals was to be buried tomorrow however now witnessing this procession it certainly put a differen't light on the coming funeral.

Friday: School was cancelled for the funeral, however the teachers and students met at the school before proceeding to the main road and we all formed a guard of honor for the coffin and it slowly made its way to the church. The young 16 year old girl had attended the school, as far as I know she died from sleepapneia and was supposed to be having an operation which would hopefully help with her health problems and could have prevented this from happening. It was a big funeral with lots of locals attending and most I haven't seen around or even at church. There was heaps or wailing and embracing the coffin, most people brought fake flowers (due to the heat I guess) and the coffin was covered in them. Through out the 2hr+ service there was wailing which was kinda off putting at the start but its part of their culture, a couple of dance items by friends and family which were beautiful and a fitting send off for her and also Br Gonz did really well to read out about 20-25min of tributes and sorry messages from family members all over Australia (one was even accidentally read out three times as multiple people had fowarded the same message to him). The funeral was really sad and even though there was heaps of crying and wailing mainly from the women of the community, seeing her grandfather (who was sitting close by) start crying and then being comforted by one of his friends (or could have been family members) was possibly the saddest part for me. We got into Alice just in time for tea with the brothers and afterwards I went to see Br Red get awarded his medals at the golf club. Every 2 years the Masters Games is held in Alice Springs and Red always enters in the golfing competitions. He ended up winning 4 gold and 1 silver for his age group over the weeks competition. Then I caught up with locals on the town who I met in Melbourne while I was staying there on stopover to Santa Teresa.

Came back to Santa on Saturday after doing a bit of shopping and catching up with a friend for Lunch. Then on Sunday after church, World Youth Day pilgrims from Alice Springs arrived for a social get together and BBQ. It was cool to meet some of the local area pilgrims, see some of their photos and visit one of the 'local watering holes' :-) The water boar we visited for lunch is pumped is controlled by solar power and fills a large tank. Most of the kids swim in it and since the day was sooooo hot, I was very tempted to jump in with my clothes on haha! Some of the local sisters of charity (Mother Teresa's order of nuns) were there, plus I worked out that one of the sisters was even based in Porirua, Wellington for a while.