Hello my fellow bloggers, Annaliese here! After another hectic week, literature has amazed my tamed, young soul yet again.
Following some intense debating an idea that has stuck with me this week in Australian Literature (mainly focusing on Indigenous writings) is that the term ‘Dreaming’ is everything. The in’s and the out’s of one’s indigenous identity, culture, land, art and the heritage is all time-less. Not one person can change the way history was told, because it just happens, so in the continuous time frame of the Indigenous people the dreaming literally encompassed their ‘Everywhen’.
* Everywhen is a term used to describe the history that is ongoing and following from the past, present and the future.
During the week, the author Lisa Bellear allowed me to experience this through her painted poetry of “Urbanised Reebocks”. One of the many assets that drew me deeper into the poem was her opaque writing style. At first glance it was difficult to read into one or multiple meanings, all that was seen was her scarce experiences of being apart from the land. Metaphorically speaking when she proclaims “I lose myself amongst the spirit of life..” , I faintly recognised her attachment to land and but I realised without it, it drowns out who she is.
Another key insight I hovered across was that it is truly up to the reader how the poem gets interpreted. Some may feel that it can be a contrast between the life she has with the land and with society as it is now with it’s materialistic changes. She created the word ‘Reeban’ as her sign of love for the Reebock shoes and the Rayban sunglasses. This inventive play on the word can be second-guessed by the meaning behind it. This I also did not see. The materialistic sense can be an obvious one; the repetition of the ‘R’ shows the flow upon a tongue of words not noticing the change (Reeban).
As I am signing off, I’ll leave you with a couple of things to think about;
- The Indigenous inhabitants will always see the ‘Dreaming’ as everything. It makes up who they are, and nothing will change their beliefs and traditions. If it hasn’t worked before it won’t work now.
- As well, Lisa Bellear’s visual creation “Urbanised Reebocks”, is an outstanding read, if you haven’t already you must do so.
So if you are stuck with understand the Indigenous beliefs, traditions, culture, who they are you should look towards the Dreaming, you’re sure to find amazing things in there! Hopefully, this piece opens your mind to a new landscape.
Enjoy!! I’ll see you all same time next week!
-Annaliese Ferraro
^ above a photo of the author. Lisa Bellear
*Lisa Bellear “Urbanised Reebocks” from the “Macquarie Pen Anthology of Australian Literature”
Annaliese Ferraro's Blog 
Positive, Great and Informative Blog! The way you introduced this week’s blog not only shows your character but also engages your target audience. Thus, you have not only analysed Lisa Bellear’s ‘Urbanised Reebocks’ but you have also placed your own interpretation of it. Overall, your blog this week was very engaging, as you have also asserted significant information about the essence of the Indigenous people’s culture, spiritual connection with the land and the importance of ‘Dreaming’.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I really am thankful for your input into my 2nd Blog. I appreciate your understanding with the way I’ve interpreted it!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog! This week provided some insightful views and opinions on the importance of the “Dreaming.” You kept me engaged, and I like the way you approach the tone and setting of your blog.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much @hmmuscatblog. I really appreciate your comment and the comments of the majority of other people, they’ve been so positive. Thank you also for having the time to read mine, I’ll keep your opinions in my mind for the next blog post!!
LikeLike
Hi Annaliese,
This is a great entry, as you start off with an engaging introduction and have analysed the insightful poem, ‘Urbanised Reebocks’. You’ve also provided your own discoveries of the many contrasting interpretations one can have about a poem because it is all about perspective and experiences that can shape our understanding of texts or art works. Although I would suggest proof reading some of the sentences you wrote, to check for any spelling and grammatical errors, such as this sentence, “when she proclaims “I lose myself amongst the spirit of life..”, I faintly recognized her attachment to land and but I realized without it, it drowns who she is out.” It’s actually spelt ‘recognised’ and ‘realised’ in Australia and Britain, which is different from the way Americans spell it. The use of “and but” doesn’t make sense, this seems to be a typo so I would just remove the ‘but I’ and say ‘and realised that etc’ instead. I would also change “it drowns who she is out” to “it drowns out who she is” or “her connection to the land is a part of who she is”. Overall, keep up the fantastic work!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you so much for your comment, I realised what I did which was wrong. Before I add a new post I type it in a Word Doc first, therefore it changes to an the American form. I’m so sorry, i’ll make sure it’s fix.
LikeLike
I love the way in which Annaliese has discovered that a poem is interpreted by it’s readers, that is, many meanings and theme can arise from one single quote, but numerous amounts of reasons flow from the same quote and this decision is influenced by who the person is, their past experience and their current mindset. Annaliese’s insights toward the way the Aboriginal Inhabitants consider dreaming as their everything is inspiring – however, elaborating on this to a deeper level would truly express, i believe anyway, their spiritual connection with the land.
Overall, her insights and her mind is appreciated and enjoyable to discover.
LikeLike
Thanks Belle!!!
I really appreciate your comment on my blog post! I took a while to write, I’m glad that you enjoyed i!
LikeLike