The story of a female doctor who goes on a walkabout
with some Aborigines in the Australian Outback
| During her journey she gets to know a totally new way of
living. After hearing about the different culture of the Aborigines, the
book presents its most interesting part. The author compares the culture
of the Western civilization with the culture she just experienced. The
lives the Aborigines lead are very spiritual and close to the earth and to
nature. Also, they have faith in their emotions and their inner knowledge.
For example they are not bothered by insects in their ears or noses
because they see their functional purpose of cleaning. This is a very
important aspect of their thinking. For them every single thing in the
world is good because it has a function. This shows the image of a world
in peace and harmony.
The comparison gets even more striking regarding the possession of material things - since the Aborigines have none. They do not carry along food with them, they simply take from nature what they need for life. To quote the author:
The comparison is so interesting because it can make us aware of how weird, crazy, unnatural and stressed out our civilized lives are. Another example: The Aborigines have no birthday celebrations, they only celebrate personal improvement. Or: they don't need to talk to each other to communicate. They use telepathy, meditation or whatever you like to call it. The reason for having this ability is that they do not lie. They always speak the truth, think the truth and live the truth.
After reading this book any Westerner gets the impression of our world being a rather sad one that concentrates only on material things, money, fame, and mostly on itself. In a way it is the Aboriginal equivalent of TO HAVE OR TO BE by Erich Fromm...
What can be the consequences? Reschedule your holiday plans and go to Australia next summer? Go there immediately and start a new life? Or at least tell everyone about this book and advise them to change their lifestyles?
No. I think the only possibility we have is to change ourselves, to question everything we usually do, to live in harmony with ourselves and to be aware of what is really essential to live our lives.
|
Julian Culp / LK Englisch 2001