Imminent Demolition of 800-year-old sacred trees compared to Notre-Dame fire

[G_j]

https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/nitv-news/article/2019/04/17/demolition-800-year-old-sacred-trees-compared-notre-dame-fire



Indigenous affairs commentators have compared France’s Notre-Dame cathedral fire to the impending demolition of 800-year-old tree

In Victoria, 200 kilometres west of Melbourne, over 260 trees sacred to the Djap Wurrung peoples - including a traditional birthing tree - have been flagged to be bulldozed in preparation for a $42 million upgrade to the Western Highway

An emergency application was also lodged to protect the trees under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act.

“These beautiful trees include an 800-year-old tree that has seen over 50 generations born inside of a hollow in her trunk and a 350-year-old directions tree that has been shaped and resembles a woman,” the Djab Wurrung Embassy website says.

“This area is part of the song line, the series of scared trees and artefacts we find here regularly prove its significance.”

..more..

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The government wants to bulldoze my inheritance: 800-year-old sacred trees

Nayuka Gorrie

https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/apr/12/the-government-wants-to-bulldoze-my-inheritance-800-year-old-sacred-trees

The limitations and lack of sophistication in the English language, and that there is no word for this feeling, means the Anglo settler doesn’t get to experience this and can not possibly know this feeling. This was long traded by their ancestors. They can’t understand what it means to be able to connect the blood coursing through your body to ancestors blood soaked in ancient soil and ancient trees. To sit in a tree that saw your people birthed, your people massacred, and now your people’s resistance is a feeling that the English language will never be able to capture.

[CharleyDog]

1. terribly sad.

[Duppers]

2. My Gawd. 😢

K&R

[Rhiannon12866]

3. Good Grief!

We can rebuild a building, no matter how great the loss - but there is no replacing an 800-year-old tree!

[KY_EnviroGuy]

4. "It's an act of cultural terrorism" said tribe members....

From the same paper, see:

19 Jun 2018 - 12:23pm
Removal of sacred Djap Wurrung trees an 'act of cultural terrorism'

https://www.sbs.com.au/nitv/nitv-news/article/2018/06/18/removal-sacred-djap-wurrung-trees-act-cultural-terrorism

(snips)

“The government is going to destroy these 800-year-old endangered redgums, instead of planning an alternative route which research shows is safer, quicker and cheaper. This is such shoddy planning," Gunnai-Kurnai Gunditjmara woman and Greens MP Lidia Thorpe said.

“These trees are home to two endangered species and are sacred to Aboriginal families who use them for shelter, cooking and many other culturally significant things."

Just one of thousands of examples of capitalism and capitalism-driven governments destroying pockets of human culture around the globe. Few better examples exist than our own Native American tribes and lands.

Mother Nature will eventually have her revenge.

Thanks for the good OP, G_j.......

[SergeStorms]

5. Their highway engineers...

can't fathom curving the highway around this sacred site?

So it costs a little more. Once these treasured relics are gone, they're gone forever. Their stupid highway will just be replaced in another 25 years anyway. These trees are inherent artifacts.

[malaise]

6. The white man decides what is sacred n/t