Jonathan Hill, 25, of Turramurra NSW, submitted two essays to win the 2006 Margaret Dooley Young Writers Award. His essays—"Reclaiming our imagination" and "Why reconciliation matters"—are published below. In a statement released last week, the Eureka Street publishers said they were very pleased to present the $2000 prize to Jonathan, who has spent the past two years travelling between Darwin and Sydney, working with Aboriginal kids and volunteering with homeless people.
The runners-up—Christine Kearney and Angelica Hannan—will have their essays published in Eureka Street next month. Further details of the award are at: www.margaretdooleyaward.com
Long essay: Reclaiming our imagination
Visiting Arnhem Land changes a person’s life. The land is rich with spirit, the rivers tell stories from centuries past, the birds fly with unrestrained grace, and the sunsets powerfully whisper the promise of peace.
Earlier this year I had the privilege of spending a week in Ngukurr—a remote Aboriginal community in southeast Arnhem Land situated beside the spectacular Roper River. My friend had been appointed acting principal of the local school, and I decided to visit him as well as get a brief insight into community life.
Several months have passed since my visit but the images from that week are fresh and vibrant in my mind: the innocence and enthusiasm that shone in the eyes of the year four class I helped teach; the melancholic confusion from the movements of teenagers who wandered the streets; the compassion, love and respect of older members in the community; dilapidated houses, weary roads, abused cars and a football field void of grass.
The central image however that still haunts me is that of a grieving woman who began to smash a brick against her head during a ceremony for the return of the body of a deceased young man. Her helplessness, sadness and despair entered me as I watched her wail and mourn.
Shortly after my stay in Ngukurr I found myself back in Sydney trying to get on with life. Returning to such a spiritually destructive place was highly traumatic. I had been removed from one world and placed in another. My new reality was a man made environment consisting of cars, pollution, advertising, skyscrapers and mobile phones. There was no sense of community, as all the people walked to the oppressive rhythm of selfishness and fear.
My experiences in these contrasting milieus revealed a poignant truth: Australia exists on Aboriginal land, and