Part two; Vanishing Cultures & Tradition - rare photos of ceremonial & tribal Aboriginals from Arnhem Land, Australia.
The story behind the photos… Tribal Aboriginals from their sacred land in Arnhem Land to rare ancient rock art & burial ceremonies. (Part two)
Dreamtime… tribal elder, Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Seldom seen images that date back some 30 years, shot on Kodachrome and Ektachrome film, way before the digital age.
Going back in time…Dreamtime “forgotten” cultures and tradition of the Australian Aborigines,
Part two. Arnhem Land Northern Territory.
Please remember that I can't show all the photos I have in my archives, and I also had to keep the text brief, otherwise I end up with a Book.
There were many more images I saw, but could NOT record them in respect for the Aboriginals and their believes, recorded only with my eyes, but the memory still lives very deep inside of me.
“At times I am very contend to take home the memory, instead of pursuing the image, this in turn will gain you respect.”-GD-
Tribal elder in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
During the mid 80th I visited Arnhem Land and Kakadu National Park many times, and during the cause of my visits became friends with some Aboriginal tribal elders. I am grateful for their spiritual guidance that I got to know some places seldom visited by others.
But even more important, I learned how to take care of our environment and only take from the land what is needed to survive.
I like to thank my dear old friend “Nipper” for his friendship and trust for allowing me into areas normally not visited by any outsiders.
Hunting in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Australia's Aboriginal culture probably represents the oldest surviving culture in the world, with the use of stone tool technology and painting with red ochre pigment dating back over 60,000 years.
Arnhem Land is strictly an Aboriginal Reserve located next to Kakadu National Park in the tropical north of Australia. Travel to outside persons is restricted and visitors must obtain an entry permit.
Mysterious Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
There are no paved roads and getting around is difficult most of the time but in particular during the wet season when rivers swell and flood the swampy marches. The rivers, swamps and billabongs are also abundant with the large Australian Salt Water Crocodiles and care should be taken when camping near waterways.
An alternative to Arnhem Land is to visit Kakadu National park, which is more accessible, and the Aboriginals left their mark here too, in particular at Obirri Rock, a fantastic gallery of detailed ancient rock art. Or a visit to the spectacular Jim Jim and Twin Waterfalls along the Arnhem Land Escarpment is just breathtaking.
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
The Black-necked Stork (Ephippiorhynchus asiaticus) is a tall long-necked wading bird in the stork family. It is a resident species across south and southeast Asia with a large population in Australia and is very common at “Yellow Waters” in Kakadu National Park.
A visit to Yellow Waters in Kakadu National Park is a must once in the area, a swamp (flood plains) with its amazing variety and abundant of wildlife, huge congregation of water fowls, white breasted sea eagles on trees, monitor lizards and saltwater crocodiles that make this area a haven for wildlife photographers.
The Aboriginal people of the Northern Territory have left a great legacy of their culture in the form of art that can be found in caves and rock overhangs where it is protected from the elements. One of the richest of these areas is in Kakadu National Park, the traditional lands of the Gagudju people, in the Top End, west Arnhem Land. There are superb examples of Rock Art in the galleries of Nourlangie Rock and Ubirr, where you can view them easily.
Selection of not so common rock-art in Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Compared to the arid region in Central Australia, it comes as no surprise with such an abundance of wildlife in the area that in ancient times the aboriginal artist had a lot of motives for their rock art. The area is not only a source of food but played an important role in their spiritual life “The Dreamtime”.
Ubirr, or Obiri Rock for example in the north east of Kakadu, has some of the finest examples of "X-ray art" in the world. The artist not only painted the outside but also the bones and internal organs of the animals, mostly fish like barramundi, but also turtles, birds and reptiles.
A rare detailed painting of an unusual "Hand stencil", more of a
painting then the commonly found Hand stencils.
Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Hand Stencils are also common all over Australia and some can be dated to 50,000 years old. Aboriginal rock art was still being retouched during my visits in the 80th as seen in the photos from Arnhem Land, thus making it the world’s longest lasting artistic tradition at that time.
Aboriginal art in Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Detailed Bark painting from Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Aboriginal rock art being retouched in Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
A not so common rock-art in Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Dreamtime… Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Rock-art in Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
The “Ruined City” near the Roper River Aboriginal settlement in Arnhem Land is called also “ruined city of the Moon.” The Aboriginals call this place “Burrangie” the legendary home of giant people who live in the realm of dreamtime.
The “Ruined City” is considered and ultra-sacred Aboriginal site and is strictly off-limits to outsiders.
The "Ruined City" before sunrise in Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
In the early 80th I was extremely lucky to gain permission from the tribal elders in visiting and exploring the area on foot for a couple of days. This is an amazing and eerie place and no wonder it is considered very sacred to the local Aboriginal tribe.
Burial Cave in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
After my visit to the “Ruined City” a burial ceremony took place a few days later at the Roper River aboriginal settlement and after some discussions with the Elders I was permitted to take part in this ceremony…well at least for the first part of the burial, an experience that I never forget.
As for the second part of the ceremony, the elders denied permission and no outsiders were allowed to take part, it is known as the most sacred part of the burial ceremony.
Burial ceremony Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Burial ceremony Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
This is another important time for ceremonies on the death of a person, when people paint themselves white as seen in my photos, cut their own bodies to show their remorse for the loss of their loved one, and conduct a series of rituals, songs and dances to ensure the person’s spirit leaves the area and returns to its birth place, from where it can later be reborn.
Burial ceremony Arnhem Land,
Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Burial ceremony Arnhem Land, Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Bathurst Island, home of the Tiwi people, just of the coast of Darwin the capital of the Northern Territory. The facial and body painting of the people here have been described as the most colorful and elaborate of any Australian group.
Bathurst Island - The decorations essentially relate to the Tiwi people occasions for major ceremonies, for example the pukumani (mortuary or burial) by painting their bodies with white clay and pulling out their beards.
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
A deep red ochre is obtained from the oval polished red stones found on the beach, which are ground then mixed with water; yellow is obtained from a soft yellow ochre stone, also ground to a powder. (The Tiwi sometimes burn the yellow to produce red.) White is generally taken from a clay found all over the island, and black is obtained from charcoal.
Traditional food sources... Northern Territory, Australia
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Aboriginal women collecting fresh water turtles and File snakes in the vast swamps of the Northern Territory. (Freshwater streams and billabongs of the Northern Territory are home to the non-venomous file snakes; the Arafura file snake gets its name from its rough, baggy skin, which feels like a file. A nocturnal reptile, the Arafura file snake keeps in the shadows of overhanging trees during the day and forages for food during the night.)
Dingo running across the dry flood plains in
northern Australia, Northern Territory,
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
The Australian Dingo plays an important role in Aboriginal society but they did not arrive in Australia with the first aboriginals some 60,000 years ago as previously thought.
They arrived some 6000 years ago in Australia and were then adopted by the native aboriginals. Dingo bones first appear in faunal deposits between about 3500 and 4000 BP.
Please Note: The following LINKS provided me with some information on the Australian Aboriginals; they are also a good source for further and more detailed reading. Thank You!
GD
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corroboree
http://www.aboriginalculture.com.au/index.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black-necked_Stork
http://ozoutback.com.au/Australia/rockartkakadu/index.html
http://www.janesoceania.com/australia_aboriginal_mythology/index1.htm
http://www.aboriginalculture.com.au/religion.shtml
http://ozoutback.com.au/Australia/rockartkakadu/index.html
Discover & Explore ASIA with GD Photo Workshops: Updated Calendar & site for 2012 & 2013
Updated Calendar & GD Photo Workshop Site for
2012 and 2013.
We are pleased to announce a complete update and revised Calendar for 2012 & 2013 on our GD Photo Workshop Site. Added new destinations and exciting places like Indonesia-Australia plus additional special Myanmar tours.
All 2012 dates are confirmed, our itineraries and full details are available upon request or by our agent's Exotissimo website. We're traveling to some places rarely visited by others, hence making our workshops more unique and flexible that makes a lifetime experience for you to remember.
Take for example our new and next Myanmar Journey in 2012 - this Special Trip was designed by Photographers for Photographers.
June 29 - July 09, 2012 - 11 special days of pure adventure and amazing photography.
Max. of 10 Participants only
On this journey we will explore the remote parts of the country but also some of the known places. We promise that this will be a very exciting and special trip.
For more info and details please CLICK this LINK.
GD
Photography: How I love this Quote by Ernst Haas & so fitting prior my Journey to Laos - Cambodia & Myanmar
Through the car window… using the iPhone & my little
Leica, plus my favorite Quote by Ernst Haas.
Through the Taxi window with the iPhone, Manila Philippines
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Finished the last Aperture 3 advanced tutorial at the Power Mac Center last week, got some important meetings out of my way and now the TIME has come…the packing has started (mind you very light) for our Cultural - Archaeological, Travel and Adventure GD Photo Workshops to Laos - Cambodia and Myanmar.
I report whenever possible but my Blog Posts will be a bit thin from now on, however I try to stay in touch via Facebook and Twitter.
Through the car window with the iPhone, street vendor during heavy
rain selling Sampaguita ... the national flower of the
Philippines, Manila Philippines
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
With the iPhone, on the road from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
In todays post, definitely the last one prior my departure (next one I have no clue from where) I have chosen only images taken with my iPhone and my little Leica D-Lux 4 which are my companion most of the time and the reason for my favorite quote by Ernst Haas; read the complete story below:
Street Children - through the Taxi window with my little Leica,
Manila Philippines
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Ernst Haas commented on this in a workshop in 1985:
Two laddies from Nova Scotia had made a huge effort to be there and were great Leica fans, worked in a camera store, saved to have them and held Ernst on high for being a Leica user (although he used Nikons on his Marlboro shoots, when the chips were down).
About four days into the workshop, he finally maxxed out on the Leica adoration these kids displayed, and in the midst of a discussion, when one of them asked one more question aimed at establishing the superiority of Wetzlar;
Ernst said, "Leica, schmeica. The camera doesn't make a bit of difference. All of them can record what you are seeing. But, you have to SEE."
Nobody talked about Leica, Nikon, Canon or any other brand of camera equipment for the rest of the workshop.
He also said, "Best wide-angle lens? 'Two steps backward' and 'look for the ah-ha'."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernst_Haas
Street Children - through the Taxi window with my little Leica,
Manila Philippines
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Street Children cleaning the car windows for a few centavos -
through the Taxi window with my little Leica,
Manila Philippines
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Just one more…
Ferme le Lundi - French for "Closed on Monday"
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© Gunther Deichmann - www.deichmann-photo.com
Yep, that is me in 1992 outside a French Cafe in Phnom Penh and my first visit to Cambodia covering a story on the Mekong River for Animan Magazine, no digital…no laptops, etc. just the good old film…and a bit younger mind you. Since then I have been visiting Cambodia almost yearly, continuously discovering the undiscovered…
and definitely Ferme Le Lundi!
Now the endless Journey continuos…until soon from where ever I might be…GD.
More on Lion OS X plus Aperture 3 training, six days at Power Mac Center in cooperation with Filipinas Heritage Library Manila Philippines
Digital Dark Room and Aperture 3 plus some more
interesting info on the Big Cat the Lion OS X
Hands on…The Digital Dark Room and Aperture 3, we finished yesterday our first session for this week, (three hours per session) now another 2 more to go and a special advanced one at the Power Mac Center on the weekend. All this week we have Aperture 3 action, and 3 more days next week.
The Digital Dark Room with Aperture 3 has been organized in cooperation with Power Mac Center and Filipinas Heritage Library. Special thanks to my Assistant Arj, Mark, Joseph and Jeoffrey from the technical support team at PMC for helping out behind the scene. And of course thanks for the ever so organized Cecille from the Filipinas Heritage Library.
Yesterday afternoon Aperture 3 and the Digital Dark Room at
Power Mac Center Makati, Manila Philippines
We show you the ultimate way of editing your photos with Apple's Aperture 3 software, creating proper back ups, how to add music to your Aperture 3 slideshow using GarageBand plus a lot more. The technical staff from Power Mac Center is also around to help with technical questions and trouble shooting on Apple's latest operating system the OS X Lion.
Very busy for the next few weeks, plus one more advanced course on Aperture 3 in September at PMC, all this before I have to get ready for my GD Photo Workshops to Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar.
See below some additional and interesting info on the OS X Lion
There is some good news and bad news, some older Mac's don't support Airdrop so if you installed Lion and can't find the AirDrop Icon then most likely your machine does not support AirDrop. However you can always use DropCopy and that works fine a cool little application, very useful also for your iPhone and iPad (Mobile DropCopy) to transfer files, OK on OS X Lion.
Read below specs by Apple re AirDrop...
OS X Lion: Can I use AirDrop with my computer?
AirDrop is one of the great new features of Lion that provides a really easy way to share files between supported, Wi-Fi enabled Macs, without having to connect through the local Wi-Fi network.
AirDrop will automatically discover all the other Wi-Fi-enabled Macs running AirDrop that are near your computer (this may take a few seconds). To make sure you’re in the Finder, click the desktop (the background area of your screen), or click Finder on the Dock.
Note: If AirDrop isn't listed under the Go menu or doesn't appear in Finder window sidebars, your Mac doesn't support this feature.
Macs that support AirDrop in OS X Lion
If your Mac is the same as, or newer than, the models listed below, then it supports AirDrop.
- MacBook Pro (Late 2008 or newer)*
- MacBook Air (Late 2010 or newer)
- MacBook (Late 2008 or newer)*
- iMac (Early 2009 or newer)
- Mac Mini (Mid 2010 or newer)
- Mac Pro (Early 2009 with AirPort Extreme card, or Mid 2010)
Additional Information
For assistance with identifying your Apple product, refer to the Tech Specs website.
NEWS: Aperture 2 or now Aperture 2.1.1 at the Beijing Olympics, an interesting article by David Schloss from the AUN...Photoshop, Bridge, Aperture...the race is on…or is it won already?
In his article David is absolutely right, many Photographers dont have the time, (try to make time) or could not be bothered to change. I know many such cases...but I know also many others who are willing to listening and try very hard to make the switch from Photoshop to Aperture, in the end it is for their own benefit. I had similar reports from India where Photographers like to make the change but find it difficult to switch from their existing workflow, the lack of “HANDS ON” a common problem...but how can we solve this?
Websites like AUN (http://www.apertureprofessional.com/) and O’Reily (http://digitalmedia.oreilly.com/aperture/certainly) can help you a lot, or the Tutorials from the Apple Aperture site, (http://www.apple.com/aperture/tutorials/) events like the Olympic Games in Beijing are certainly a great help for all our News/Sports Photographers, and gauging from the sheer scale Apple has put up at the Beijing Olympics there is no doubt in my mind on the SOLID COMMITMENT for the Pro and Amateur Photographer by Apple.
© Gunther Deichmann - Kite surfing action Philippines &
as David Schloss put it so nice...
"How to shoot at 10-frames-per-second and edit at 12-frames-per-hour."
Local and regional Retail Apple/Mac shops can contribute in hosting some Aperture events, introducing Aperture 2 at least to a basic level, I know some of these event have been organized in the US and we have done quiet a few in the Philippines with the support of the Power Mac Center in Manila, for Training schedules go to: http://www.powermaccenter.com/
My personal opinion and closing words...get familiar with one software instead messing around with many different ones. You find Aperture is not that difficult to learn or to digest, it might be a bit strange in the beginning (no need to SAVE anything) but as time goes by you going to love it...like I do. Plus you have all the integration on the Mac, perfect for events like the Olympic Games.
But now to Beijing...
Beijing Olympics and the Photoshop Paradox
( posted by David Schloss on Yesterday, 08:37 AM )
The AUN's been on the scene at the Olympics for nearly two weeks, working with Apple in the Main Press Center helping to provide support for the one-thousand-plus journalists who have descended on Beijing to cover the world's largest sporting event. While I've just arrived in country to replace someone who has been here for weeks, I've already noticed examples of what I like to call the Photoshop Paradox or "How to shoot at 10-frames-per-second and edit at 12-frames-per-hour."
Apple's got a rather large amount of support available in the MPC, (we're in the lower level, relatively near the McDonalds) with fifty MacPro desktop systems set up connected to 30-inch Cinema Displays. Members of the media are welcome to come and hook up to them and work on Aperture or any of a number of other programs on the machines, and the "broadband" connections mean that photographers can go from shooting to submission in no time.
That is, unless they are still using Photoshop as their main image management tool. I'm not talking about Bridge, I've seen a few photographers who are using various iterations of that image preview and editing tool, but for some reason many of the shooters—at least many of those who bring their own laptops in to work on their images—still have a workflow whereby they open up dozens of images at a time in Photoshop, and use that interface as the way to make their image selection...
read the complete story & more @
http://www.apertureprofessional.com/showthread.php?t=18615
