Yapa


iconThe First Age of Spirit

Book 1 – The Beginning

8   The Count and Name of Country

1Only one who is a true custodian of country,
2May count and name and speak of country.
3It be Law from the First Age,
4Only men and women properly initiated into sacred office,
5Through proper ceremony be true custodians of country.
6A man or woman not a proper custodian,
7Cannot speak for country.
8Such a man or woman is an imposter.
9Only men and women who respect what is sacred,
10May speak of sacred things.
11Sanctuary of country is most important and must not be violated.
12The sacredness of sanctuary is the sacred of all holy places.
13A people who respect nothing of sacredness,
14Have no culture or law.
15A People who defile sanctuary,
16Curse their own spirit and set themselves alone.
17A man or woman who deliberately damage sanctuary,
18Can never be a custodian of land or country.
19Before one be initiated as custodian of country,
20One must know all of country:
21Every rock, every gully, every tree, every path;
22Every stream, every waterhole and song line;
23Every location of sacred sanctuary and temple;
24Every animal that swims, that walks, that crawls, that jumps and flys in country;
25Every species of plant, of grasses and tree in country;
26Every good food and every bad food of country;
27Every right food and every taboo food and drug of country.
28To know the meeting places of family;
29To know the ancient camp sites of tribe;
30To know where one may walk and where one is forbidden to travel.
31This is why we call the count and name of country the fourth knowledge.
32A man or woman who does not know third knowledge, of food cannot learn country.
33A man or woman who does not know second knowledge of species cannot learn country.
34A man or woman who does not know first knowledge of moiety, family and generations cannot learn country.
35When one knows country, one learns dreaming of country.
36One acquires knowledge through ceremony to see country.
37Not just see all that can be seen, but all that is not seen,
38All spirit and disturbance of spirit.
39When one learns country, one can see the tracks of spirit in country,
40Long after the fellow or animal has gone.
41When one learns country, one can sense the changes coming.
42Well before the storm or winds rise up.
43This is why the ancient elders sung:
44"(I) See you; (I) See you; (I) See you"