http://www.hemamaps.comSOUTHEAST ARNHEM LAND, NT
place that afternoon. Quicker than a politician’s promise on
Election Day, we were loaded into the Troop Carrier.
It’s a huge honour to be invited to watch one of these
special events take place. Called a ‘skin’ ceremony, it can
be best related to a coming of age celebration, where a boy
becomes a man. Upon arrival at the ceremony I was ushered
to where all the women from town were sitting on the dirt,
with their backs to the men. I had no idea what was going
on as I sat there as the only fair-skinned woman, listening
to the tribal music filter through the paper barks. Some
ladies beside me were kind enough to tell me to listen to
the beat of the drums, which signalled when to get up and
walk towards the men. I must have missed the apparently
distinctive drum sound, as they urgently shouted “Penny,
get up!” I sprung to my feet and walked with them
towards two totem poles. What I saw next was incredible:
I watched two tribes challenge each other through dance,
as the ground shook and the air filled with the sound
of clapping sticks. The whole ceremony lasted only 10
minutes, but it was electrifying.
To travel into a remote community like Numbulwar
and to be completely immersed in its history, culture
and landscape is the essence of 4WDing in Australia. To
get the most out of the trip, be prepared, don’t rush
and always talk to the locals; they know their stuff, and
by having a chat you’ll often discover great places to
check out.Our mob were welcome
at this Numbulwar skin
ceremony.http://www.4X4australia.com.au 1131