Where has the year gone?

Where Has The Year Gone? 

  
Today it has been an entire year since my visit to the beautiful Nepal and India. I have found myself thinking a lot about my time there and what I have carried with me the most in reflection. There are many people that come to mind, the made my travels so vibrant and enriching, there are experiences not to be missed when learning the culture of this part of the world. And there are places, majestic, mind blowing sites that for me opened my eyes to all the wonder of the world and how lucky we are to be able to experience it. So as I reflect on the year past, I shall try to impart some knowledge and information of my experiences that have been the groundwork for a transformational year for me, in the hope that others shall seek out the adventure. 

Boudhanath Stupa (also known as Boudha)  

For centuries, Boudhanath has been an important place of pilgrimage and meditation for Tibetan Buddhists & local Nepalis. It is also an incredibly worthwhile place to visit for tourists for its beauty and the opportunity to gain and intimate look at the Buddhist culture in Nepal.  Many maroon clad Tibetan Buddhist monks & nuns can be seen walking around the Stupa as they offer their daily prayer. This ritual entails walking three or more times around the stupa while repeating the mantra 'Om Mani Padme Hum'. 

Patrons and worshipers spin the prayer wheels inset in the Stupa wall and clutch their prayer beads are they meditatively follow the circular wall of the Stupa. Overlooking the prayer and pilgrimage at Boudhanath, are the all-seeing eyes of the Buddha that watch from atop the Stupa.

During the day, Boudhanath is bustling with the busy life and work in Nepal, street sellers, Momo makers and Monks alike walk through the square. At night however, an entirely different atmosphere envelops the Stupa as the air is filled with the rich sent of butter lamps that glow in the hundreds in and around the temple. The square is filled with incense and prayer and the spirituality of Nepal swells with the number of people who make their way to pay their daily homage.

 

Pashupatinath Temple

Pashupatinath, the Hindu Cremation site, is one of the most holy and revered places for Hindu's and Buddhists alike. It also draws the masses from neighbouring regions who make their pilgrimage here or come to commit their dead to the next life. 

 

The holy Bagmati River, which runs next to Pashaputinath Temple, is believed to have highly sacred properties. The banks are lined with many Ghats (bathing spots) for use by pilgrims who come here to be blessed and cleansed by the holy water. 

The temple itself displays some of the most intricate and beautiful Hindu temple architecture. The pagoda style buildings are adorned in gold and silver on the doors and the surrounding grounds have some of the most holy and extravagant statues. Some of the highlights to fit into a walk around Pashupatinath are Gold-painted images of guardian deities, Chaturmukha (the four-faced statue) and Gauri Ghat (holy bath).

One of the most valuable insights I gained from visiting this holy place, was the amalgamation of two religions existing and functioning peacefully together. The holy site, in my experience there, represented the truth and values upheld in Hinduism and Buddhism; to practice peace, tolerance and love for ones neighbours, culture and beliefs. 

 

Pokhara and Sarangkot  

"Imagine a perfect triangular mountain, capped by snow and buffeted by the icy winds of the Himalaya. Imagine a millpond calm lake, perfectly reflecting the snowy peaks. Now imagine a village on the lakeshore, thronged by travellers and reverberating to the sound of 'om mani padme hum' from a hundred shops selling prayer flags, carpets, masks, singing bowls and CDs of Buddhist mantras. That's Pokhara"   

That is the Lonely Planet advertisement for Pokhara and the enticement they present is not over exaggerated. Pokhara could be seen to be the focal point of a clash between western 'needs' and comforts and the frugal and self-sufficient way of mountain living. 

Pokhara and the main high street and tourist area of lakeside offer every comfort to travellers from Kathmandu, or trekkers who are in need of a good massage and relaxing drinks and dinner after days or weeks in the mountains.

Pokhara is the end point for the famous Annapurna Circuit trek and the starting point for a dozen more treks through the mountains of the Annapurna Rang.  It's unashamedly touristy but the setting is spectacular, Pokhara also has numerous museums and there are some fascinating caves, waterfalls and Tibetan villages in the surrounding hills to keep passing tourists busy.

One of my favourite things to do around Lakeside was to take a boat out on to Lake Phewa Tal and get a tour of the mountains as reflected on the still surface of the water. Away from the lake, a day trip to the World Peace Pagoda is only a short walk and offers stunning views of Pokhara and the mountains looming over the city. 

If you do have a whole day to use Pokhara as a base for a trek, a day trip to climb up to the village and point of Sarankot should definitely be on your list. It is not a walk that requires any training and can be taken at a steady pace. It is breathtaking at both dusk and dawn and has plenty of accommodation and tour guides on the way to take you to the highest peak for the most stunning views. You can also make a short journey back down to the flat by paragliding from this 1,592 meter high point.  

 

Jaipur and the Red Fort  

Jaipur an exhausting but beautiful place, the kind of city that is mazed with bustling streets and markets and presents the kind of chaos expected of an overpopulated Indian city. It offers the chance however, to experience the sheer volume of people in this colourful country, without the suffocation that I experienced in other cities such as Varanasi and India. 

Jaipur is one of the first planned cities in the world is surrounded by architectural grandeur within its four city gates. One of the best examples of this and a highlight of this city visit is The Red Fort. As the fort opens it gates, the rich history of this region escapes and offers the chance to understand a history that has experienced conflict and invasion that has been etched into the walls of this great monument. 

Jaipur highlighted just how much I had underestimated India for its full and diverse history and how well the history has been preserved for generations to experience. The mixture of Mughal, Muslim, and Hindu architecture is particularly beautiful and intricate and one of the many outstanding qualities of this region.

Stop Sand Mining on Straddie

Stop Sand Mining on Straddie

The sand mining on Stradbroke Island has long been a heated debate among locals, the mining companies and State Government.

Stradbroke Island is a hugely popular tourist destination for holiday goers from all over Australia, as well as those not so far afield who travel across the water for a day in the peaceful sun, sea and sand. However the tranquillity found in Stradbroke’s natural beauty risks destruction and irrevocable damage to the natural environment on North Stradbroke Island because of the sand mining.  

My weekend tour of Stradbroke Island

There is a long history of sand mining on the island, similar to the mining of Frazer Island. There are three major sand mines on Straddie all owned by a Belgian multinational company, Sibelco Australia Limited. The Enterprise mine, The Yarraman mine and The Vance mine collectively employ over 100 people, about half of whom live on the island.

The mines cover a huge span of North Stradbroke Island and are continually on the move. "Areas in the path of the mines are completely cleared of vegetation, much of which is burned. Then the sand dunes, many of which formed over hundreds of thousands of years and which consist of complex layers are destroyed in the process of extracting the minerals" said 'Save Straddie.com' campaigners.

In recent discussions, despite the campaigning of groups such as 'Friends of Stradbroke Island' and environmental protesters, the State Government bypassed legislation that aimed to end mining, and extended mining contracts for another 9 to 15 years. The sand mining companies, that originally faced a 2013 deadline for closure of mines, are now set for around a decade more of mining should they choose to continue operations.

Much of the debate includes the opinions and campaigning of people living on the mainland, particularly the suburb of Cleveland that encompasses Stradbroke Island in its electorate. However for the locals, the debate hits home for a lot of residents working and living off the varying resources Stradbroke provides.

The immediate impact of job losses of mining employees will affect residents who earn their income working in the mines, of course, but for the miners who do not live on the island, their disappearance will create a significant void in the local business community. Local business owners such as Sonya Bryant will feel the brunt of the loss of miners who worked on the Island. "Even at the moment while we have mining and we have our community and we have people living in all these houses its tough, you know, in business" she said.

The government initiative to end sand mining, although supported by groups who advocate for the environment, is making locals nervous who do not believe the suggested 'focus on increase in tourism' will be enough to fill the hole in the economy.  “I don't see that there's going to be an incredible increase in tourism. I think they're dreaming" said Mrs Bryant.

Mining Company Sibelco has announced plans to close one of their smaller mines prior to the re-drawn deadline of 2019. This comes after policies were introduced to preserve Stradbroke as a series of protected National Parks, a bill introduced by former Premier Anna Bligh. However with this deadline pushing down, there is a collective sense of worry that the Stradbroke community may not be able to boost tourism enough to replace mining income in under a decade.

There are some locals who said that mining has made Straddie what it is today, including making it much more accessible for locals getting to work or tourists sightseeing around the Island. However, as the mining destruction continues, it is certain that the Eco-systems of Stradbroke and the habitats will never be fully recovered. 

A Stradbroke sunset

I have recently spent a weekend on the Island and I was lucky enough to be shown the beauty of the island by a local. I was captivated by what seemed to be a thriving environment as we walked through the Headlands and along the white sandy beaches. However, away from the tourist side of the Island, the mining continues and I have not been able to shake a sense of loss for the beautiful environment that risks destruction. I spoke to local Maddy Humphreys who was kind enough to show me around, to gain more insight into what closure of the mines means for locals.

I asked Maddy, "How do you think the local community feels about ending mining on Straddie? Does the mean justify the end"?" 

"The overall general consensus is everyone is sitting on the fence – everyone is torn and they don’t think either option is either right or wrong" Maddy said. 
"It’s ‘nature vs. nurture’ for most, as the mines nurture the economy, jobs and welfare of everyone."

Maddy, who grew up on Stradbroke Island at Point Lookout, acknowledged the Islander People and the sacredness of the Island environment. She explained that their Native Title should hold strong value in the mining debate as they religiously work to protect their island. 
"If anything were to bring the Islanders together as a unifying community, it would be their love of the island and all its creatures and fernery" said Maddy. 
There are several community initiatives that support the protection of the Island that Maddy has grown up with such as 'Clean up Straddie Days'. Beyond the community support, there are environmental ceremonies (some lasting for a whole month) that the Islander People celebrate such as ‘the whale welcoming ceremony’, ‘green turtle ceremony’, ‘Shark Gully ceremony’. 

Maddy said that in regards to protecting the Straddie environment that she grew up in, she is all for the National Park Project to preserve the Island. However like much of the community, she is torn by the impact she knows the loss of mining will bring to the economy. 

She is concerned that some small business especially in the less tourist attractive areas of Stradbroke will feel the brunt of the change. "Areas such as Point Look Out rely mainly on tourism so closing the mines would be somewhat insignificant. Many people rely on the mining industry for their weekly income. Pretty much most my friend’s fathers I know personally work in the mines and if they lose their job, it would mean they would have to move to the mainland."

Maddy knows only too well the knock on effect of such a huge change in a small community, for example a drop in the number of children who are enrolled into the local school as mining families leave and therefore a cut to teaching positions. This domino effect may not ripple to the mainland but will be significant for the Island community. One local man said to ABC news that "No one really cares about Stradbroke, but the changes for them would be huge." 

For the 'outside world' on the mainland, the problem seems easily fixed. ‘Cut mining and increase tourism’ seems to be the solution to protect what would otherwise be lost. However there is also community concern that, should the mining industry pull out of Straddie, there will be such an influx of tourism that the effects could be as easily detrimental to the environment. The over population of tourism in the Barrier Reef is the example Maddy uses to explain her concern.

Maddy, similar to other opinions throughout this debate, agrees that there are many fence sitters in this argument. For the community she sums up the relaxed, 'take it as it comes' feel of the community that attracts so many of us to Straddie in the first place. "As long as the surf continues to pump – they won’t take action until they see the unfavourable change and by then it’s all too late." 

It is inevitable that change is coming, driven by the stopwatch on the Islands health as mining continues. Maddy knows that people are torn between protecting their beloved island or protecting the lifestyle they have there, a life wrapped in the bubble of beautiful beaches and rolling surf. 

Give Straddie a hug

Assignment: Annotated Bibliography

Annotated Bibliography

McNair, B. (2011) ‘Journalists in Film: Heroes and Villains’, Australian Journalism Review, v.33, no.1, PP. 133-138. 

The author, Brian McNair, is a Professor of Journalism, Media and Communications in the Creative Industries faculty at the Queensland University of Technology. In his book, ‘Journalists in Film’ (McNair 2010), he analyses the varying portrayals of journalists in film. McNair questions why journalism has been a source of inspiration for filmmakers and why portrayals of journalists are both ‘heroic’ and ‘villainous’. McNair explores the cultural duality of societies’ love and hate relationship with journalists.  He sees heroic journalism as maintaining the role of journalists in a liberal democracy; to scrutinise, tell truth to power and make authority accountable. McNair looks at film as a Fifth Estate or watchdog to hold the fourth estate accountable. He cites the confrontation that occurs between truth and authority, as seen most recently in the Wikileaks affair, as the theme that captures film maker’s attention. Cited below are three pieces of media coverage on Julian Assange and Wikileaks. Coverage of Julian Assange looks at whether he is an advocate of truth telling and holding authority accountable or if his whistleblowing is reckless and fame-seeking. They each vary in their portrayal of Assange as a hero or villain according to popular media.

Milne S, (2012) ‘Don't lose sight of why the US is out to get Julian Assange’, The Guardian: Tuesday 21 August 2012

 

In this article Seamus Milne follows developments in the charges against Julian Assange, his asylum in the Ecuadorian Embassy and the motives behind Sweden and the US’s attempts to extradite him. The Guardian is a British national daily newspaper that identifies with Social Liberalism but is widely regarded as unbiased and trustworthy by its readers. However much of British media coverage of Assange, including coverage by The Guardian, is hostile and consistently negative with much of the British press claiming Assange is a bail jumper and an exhibitionist (Milne 2012). However this article differs as it indirectly supports Assange through highlighting the ulterior motives of The US and Sweden.  Consequently this article sustains the opinion that The Guardian presents considered and balanced coverage of news events and strays from popular journalism that is buys in to the ‘hero’ or ‘villain’ spin. The Guardian differs from other British newspapers, for example The Sun who support the British press’ attempt to smear Assange on the basis of sexual assault allegations rather than reporting on any other agendas. In this article The Guardian acts as a mirror to the British press, government, and public to highlight their villainizing of Assange and to hold them accountable, therefore upholding the role of the fourth estate.  

ABC Radio National: Breakfast, Presented by Fran Kelly (2012), ‘Interview with Julian Assange’s US lawyer, Michael Ratner’: Monday 20 August

Fran Kelly for ABC Radio National interviewed Michael Ratner, Julian Assange’s US Lawyer, following Assange’s speech from the Ecuadorian Embassy.  The ABC is a public media outlet and does not represent agendas from outside power players. During this interview the presenter informs the audience of recent developments in the Assange case and quotes verbatim the speech given by Assange. Radio National identify themselves as playing a vital role in developing the relationship between Australians and the media, therefore this interview does not conform to an agenda of celebrating or discrediting Assange, and rather reports on Assange’s current situation involving the other major players; that being the UK, the US and Sweden. This interview differs from the piece in The Guardian as the ABC does not challenge the views of their government but focuses on their ideal to enable national conversations centred on knowledge and accurate information.  This interview showed no reflection of a culturally determined idea of the ‘good’ or ‘bad’ journalist Assange is painted to be, which is a result of the ABC being part of the Public media opposed to Commercial media that follows that popular social trend. 

Wilkinson M (2012), ‘Above the law, Assange emerges at last...on embassy balcony’ The Sun: Sunday September 30^th

The author of this piece, Matt Wilkinson, maintains the characteristics of tabloid journalism, which is the style of the British tabloid, The Sun. This article, as suggested by the title 'Above the law, Assange emerges at last', sensationalises the negative view of Assange in the British press. The article is written with a tone of sarcasm that delivers the anecdotes that their audience looks for in a tabloid. The Sun has taken part in the 'villainizing' of the journalist by painting Assange as a dangerous media force who does not uphold the 'heroic' values of journalism. This is ironic considering The Sun has a bad track record for upholding ethics or presenting fair and accurate coverage, as seen during the investigations into corruption at The Sun; a paper owned by Rupert Murdoch (Gallagher, I. 2012). The focus put on Assange as the 'villain' fulfills expectations that The Sun propagates the most dramatized and thrilling spin of a story, even if the values that are questioned, are not values upheld by this tabloid. This correlates with the public scrutiny of journalism's capacity to "manufacture reality,  to manipulate and mould events for the purpose not of enlightening or informing citizens, but to sell newspapers, without regard to the interests of the people involved" (McNair 2011).  

Word Count: 805                                                                       Lauren Binns s43011478

References

McNair, I. (2011) ‘Journalists in Film: Heroes and Villains’, Australian Journalism Review, Volume 33: Issue 1, PP 133-138

Milne S, (2012) ‘Don't lose sight of why the US is out to get Julian Assange’, The Guardian: Tuesday August 21th

Fran Kelly (2012), ‘Interview with Julian Assange’s US lawyer Michael Ratner’, ABC Radio National – Breakfast: Monday August 20^th

Wilkinson M (2012), ‘Above the law, Assange emerges at last...on embassy balcony’ The Sun: Sunday September 30^th

Gallagher, I. (2012),’ Rebekah Brooks' deputy editor, The Sun's Head of News and crime editor arrested by phone-hacking police over corrupt payments’, Mail Online: Sunday January 29^th

Radio National, ‘About Radio National’, www.abc.net.au/radionational

River Fire!

Celebrating Brisbane with my first

RIVER FIRE!

I have extremely fond memories of growing up in England and having our annual celebration with light, fire and explosions on the 5th of November; Guy Fawkes Night. The children would all have sparklers at hand, Dad's would be hammering Katherine Wheels to the fence and Mothers watched on with caution as the glow and crackle of bonfires, or backyard fireworks captivated the children who perhaps new not the dangers, or the tale behind Guy Fawkes.

From backyard firework shows, to the mother of all light shows, I watched Sydney Harbor light up on New Year's Eve, 2006, and was blown (almost literally) out of the water at the magnitude and extravagance of this firework display.  

However, my first few months living in Brisbane have out done all these experiences, as I have never seen such collaboration between state, buildings and the public that resulted in the truly breathtaking scenes in the month leading up to River Fire.

Throughout the Brisbane Festival, a central hub for activities for families and people of all ages is South Bank. The organizers of the festival light up the night with a delicate lantern display that creates a whimsical and ever so romantic atmosphere beside the river. 

I strolled freely through the displays, milling among the rest of the crowds, and soaking up the atmosphere. The lanterns were a perfect back drop for the Pièce de résistance of the festival in South Bank, which was the stunningly beautiful 'Santos GLNG City of Lights', a laser, water and music show orchestrated from a raft on the river. I have never before witnessed something so innovated and intricate with the water reflecting the lasers to form shapes and move in coordination to the music of Bjork, Hans Zimmer and Peter Gabriel to name a few. What I loved most about this light show most though, was that as a part of truly honouring our beautiful city, it did not overly abuse the environment with fireworks but rather harnessed our location and used the river and community to illuminate Brisbane.

And on the final night, at the closing ceremony, the Brisbane community gathered riverside, under the bridges and above them, to watch the sky explode for River Fire. I was lucky enough to see the show at 27 stories high and was almost parallel to the bursts of colour in front of the Story Bridge.

All in all the Brisbane Festival made for one colourful month and an extremely starry-eyed night!