Kuranda Spring Fair: Enchanted Rainforest

Kuranda Spring Fair: Enchanted Rainforest

Wanted Magicians, Towncriers, Spell Weavers and Tree Huggers

This year we are going to celebrate the Kuranda Spring Fair in a different way. Due to an initial lack of community involvement, a group of stall holders from the Kuranda Original Rainforest Markets decided to put something together for the Spring Fair.

At one stage it looked like this would be the only venue and then the Kuranda Amphitheatre (where the first Spring Fairs were hosted) decided they would support the event by holding the opening night at the understage.

Shortly after that the Kuranda School P&C answered notices in the Kuranda paper with offers of contributions from the school. After consulting with Cathy Harvey from the Information Centre, it was decided that perhaps the parks could be used for non-for-profit groups, so that they could promote their talents and do some fundraising on the Saturday, and others wishing to hold private stalls could approach the markets about doing so over that weekend.

We know everyone is busy, including us, and if we all take on some small part, collectively we can put on an impressive and enjoyable weekend.

So far we are organising at the markets

Celebrations for the Honey House 50^th anniversary

Poet’s breakfast for the Sunday; coordinated by David Jones

Busking comp at the markets: organised by Jerome

Best dressed for ‘Enchanted Rainforest’

Film for Saturday night in the market pavillion

Face painting

Children’s weaving project

Best decorated bike

treasure hunt

Time capsule ceremony

Fantasy art exhibition

Art Auction (proceeds to go to Cairns Base Hospital)

Food stalls

Drum and fire circle

Night markets

Magic Tree installation

Fashion Show

Song Writing comp at the Nevermind Cafe

Steet Theatre by Focus Theatre

BUT we need more input from you!

If you have skills in organising and would like to help in some area, or if you have a great idea, or want to get involved in any way, PLEASE let us know soon, so we can pull it all together and get the times into the next Kuranda paper. This is about all of us working together to create something special. Remember the theme is Enchanted Rainforest and the community is YOU!

Dates: Friday September 11 KAS understage

Saturday and Sunday 12 &13 September venues to be confirmed.

Look for details in the next Kuranda paper or on this blog.

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Hemp/Silk Mermaid Dress

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Earth Connections Kuranda

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Kuranda: Music in the Village

Kuranda has always been a place that attracts musicians and artists. We are so lucky to have a wealth of talent in such a small region of Australia.

At Earth Connections Kuranda, Rachel Shields, a talented musician and songwriter, has collected a range of musical styles on cds from Kuranda and surrounding areas to showcase independent music from this area. The quality and variety of the music never ceases to amaze me.

No post about music in Kuranda would be complete without a mention of the Kuranda Amphitheatre, a community run venue that has operated with volunteer-only status for the last 25+ years.

Over the years we have been lucky enough to play host to many national and international artists including INXS, Silver Chair, Midnight Oil, Yothu Yindi, Charlie Pride, Jackson Browne,  John Butler Trio, Missy Higgins and countless other performers, as well as both local and touring theatre productions.

This venue is much loved by artists and concert goers alike and it is no wonder as it is such a picturesque setting, with an atmosphere that is only created by people who are passionate  and committed to creating a sense of ‘special place” closely akin to ‘sacred space’ In fact John Butler, from the John Butler Trio, referred to the Kuranda Amphitheatre as “hallowed ground for performers” in a message he sent to congratulate the members on the 25th Anniversary. See www.kurandaamphitheatre.org

A popular event in Kuranda over the last few months has been the drumming circles which happen at the Original Kuranda Rainforest Markets on Sundays.

This is not only popular with the locals, but increasingly with visitors from other parts of Australia and overseas.  The markets have traditionally been a meeting place for locals and visitors. The informality of the markets combined with a space to create and play have proven to be an experience that people want to be part of.  There are many venues in town where music is central to the culture of village life and when this is no longer the case, then it is time to pack up and leave, because as Shakespeare wrote

“If music be the food of love, play on…”

Twelfth Night Act 1, scene 1, 1–3

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Meditation

Quite a few years ago I took part in a Vipassana meditation course: ten days of no talking, no eating meat and no killing anything (including mosquitoes). For most of the day we either sat and meditated or did walking meditation. The point of the course, apart from meditating, was to learn to live with awareness, and be present in the moment.

It was not an easy task and many times over the course of that time, I was tempted to pack up and go home. Sitting for long periods of time being bitten by mosquitoes and thinking about what you could or should be doing, instead of confining yourself to one point on the floor for hours on end, was no fun and hard as I tried the benefits of meditation were eluding me, as I wrestled with my thoughts and body.

Both the early mornings and the no talking policy were also bringing up resistance in me: at that time, for me, talking and breathing were one and the same.  On the other hand, the vegetarian food was delicious, though it was strange to share food at a table with so many people and  with no-one talking. Meals became quite a somber affair, until the facilitator assured us it was ok to smile and make eye contact, and that just because we were on a meditation retreat, did not mean that we had to embody a serious demeanor, and that it was ok to smile and laugh.

But the result of these 10 days was that I exuded  vibrant energy and well-being.  So much so, that many people commented on my return, on how well I looked: “glowing” was one person’s comment. This was my first taste of meditation and has stayed in my mind as a landmark for what benefits meditation can bring to the mind and body. 

What does meditation do for you exactly: well as someone who is just beginning to return to the practice, through the desire to have a more peaceful mind, I can certainly tell you what the absence of some sort of meditative practice can result in : a stressful and chaotic mind, that will not be still and constantly plagues us with worries and anxieties. On the other hand, to reach a ‘meditative state of being’ in which the mind is clear and still, we need to take on a practice of meditation, Where we ‘become’ our ‘True Nature’ as outlined below by Michele Meiche of awakenings:

The Meditative State (of being) – Beingness

This state is called your True Nature, as it is you. Your true nature, divine nature is inherent. You are a spiritual being; therefore you don’t have to “try and be spiritual” you can not be “spiritual” Oneness….. A sense of connectedness…. A knowing, feeling and sensing of the subtle energy of the All That Is. An awareness of this no matter what is going on around you or no matter what fleeting states of being or emotion. An awareness and responding from your True Nature. Expanded consciousness
Living & Being from the I Am – —- I Am That That I Am

http://www.selfinlight.com/meditation.html Discover some simple meditation practices here, or you can learn more about using meditation in your every day life by reading any of the excellent books available on the subject including Michele’s book:

Meditation For Everyday Living available on Amazon- Live the Meditative State   http://bit.ly/mPCXO

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Kuranda: ‘Village in the Rainforest”

The picturesque mountain retreat of Kuranda Village is just 25km northwest of Cairns in Far North Queensland, Australia and is surrounded by World Heritage Rainforest.

Visitors to the village are attracted by not only the magnificant natural environment, but, as well, the relaxed and casual atmosphere of the place.

One of the best things about living in Kuranda, aside from this, is the wonderful sense of ‘community’ that is found through the many local organizations and  networks in the village itself, through the coffee shops and community venues such as the Kuranda Amphitheatre.

Xavier Rudd at the Kuranda Amphitheatre

“Dja-bu-guy” is the name of the tribe of Aboriginal people who lived in the Kuranda region. The present Kuranda village was “Ngunbay”, or place of platypus. An important camping area, with good fishing and hunting for locals, this all changed with the opening up of the hinterland for gold and tin mining. The access was along tracks of the “Bama”(rainforest) people, and through their country. “Gadja” (ghost spirit), or white man, had an immediate impact on the Djabugay people. In May 1886 construction of the Cairns to Herberton railway began over one such walking track, which crossed the ranges and went down to the coast. This was not popular with the Djabugay, who stood up to the white invasion by spearing bullocks and the occasional white man. They took worker’s food, as their traditional food gathering and hunting grounds were now either taken over by new settlers, or over hunted by the 1500 workmen living and working on the railway line. An infamous massacre, known as the Speewah massacre, occurred in the mid 1890s. Early settler, John Atherton, sent native troopers to revenge the death of a bullock. Other unconfirmed reports of similar atrocities occurred locally. Before white man, the population of the Bama people in the Cairns area was estimated at between 4000 and 5000, but by the turn of the century their numbers had rapidly declined, overtaken by the Gadja settlers. Coffee, the regions first cash crop, began in 1896. The Bama people were soon utilized as farm labourers on the rapidly expanding plantations around Kuranda, until well into the twentieth century. Many Bama became fringe dwellers on the edge of white settlements, unable to hunt and fish, or move around as they had for thousands of years.  referenced from

http://www.kuranda.org

The land around Kuranda has been home to the Djabugay Aboriginal people for more than 10,000 years and this vibrant indigenous culture continues to thrive today, showcased in traditional artefacts, fine visual arts, tribal dance (corroboree) and more.

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Journey to Romania: European Organic Hemp

About 3 years ago I traveled to Romania to visit the country where the beautiful organic hemp products made by Ecolution are grown and made.

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Hemp Fashion Show 2005 – Kuranda Resort

In 2005 the inaugural  apart from the spring fair) hemp fashion show was held at the Kuranda Resort ( now known as the Kuranda Resort and Spa). The show featured  outfits made from hemp fabric and decorated with screenprinting and fabric stamping, made by the participants of a training program I was running for QITE at the time.

this shot shows me modeling one of the outfits, made by a participant in the program.

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Tribes of Hemp

This beautiful organic hemp, pink spiral top and  wrap around skirt was made by Leah Kelly for the 2009 Hemp Fashion Show.

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Tribes of Hemp – Friends

Hiromi, Yu and Maki : beautiful friends who helped us out with some hemp resort wear made by pik-a-pockets belts of Kuranda and shirt by Ecolution> I look forward to meeting up with Maki and Yu in Japan in August.

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