Wandjina rock art

The Aboriginal people of Australia had been creating rock art for millennia. Okra paint was used to paint on rocks, and so archeologists have been able to date some of the oldest rock art to as far back as 60,000 years ago.

The caves in the Kimberly hold some of the most spectacular examples of Wandjina art, and are famous for their striking figures that have baffled academics since their discovery in 1837. Some wild theories of Alien visitations were even fueled by the first white explorers who “discovered” the Wandjina figures depicted on thousands of cliffs and cave walls in the Western Kimberley. (I must admit that seeing those striking human-like shapes looming in the darkness of the caves steered up similar thoughts of extraterrestrial visitations). However, from the Aboriginal guides, we learned that to the First people from that region, the large, looming Wandjina are spirit beings – creators of all life. They are the guides and protectors not only of the people but also of animals, trees, rocks, and all the precious water flowing through this ancient land’s veins. 

Aside from my “alien visitation” thought, another distant memory came to me when visiting Kimberley. It was of the time I was exploring the amazing caves and stone temples in the 1990s in India. (In the fourth chapter of The Spirit Journey, “Forbidden Journey,” I will take you there, so please be patient)!

And like me, Kajtek also remembered experiencing something similar back in… one of Christa’s stories. Can you guess where and what it was about? If not, here is the clue –

 

 

This illustration is collaged from various elements of Christa’s famous story “W kosmosie”, published in “Wieczór Wybrzeża” in 1968-1972.

Excerpt from my journal, from our trip across Australia, 2023.