Out to Space

Cavendish Lane, Stanmore

28 December 2007

7 January 2008 Morning

7 January 2008 Afternoon

8 January 2008

9 January 2008

10 January 2008

11 January 2008

14 January 2008

I am not surprising myself that for six year living in Sydney Australia Day has never been anything but another public holiday. However, since my Australian citizenship application has been approved late last year and I will take an oath to be become an Aussie sooner or later, I decide to explore the celebration of the country’s national day which I trouble with.

Two young girls watching a concert at the Rocks on Australia Day celebration.

National day is normally set on the birth of the modern nation: a revolution or an independence from the colony. In Thailand, it was designated on 10 December when the first official Thai constitution was, in theory, handed to the people but later on it was moved to the King’s Birthday. In general, it is a significant event in the history that reminds the people and draws them together to value the pride of the nation.

On the other hand, Australia Day is on 26 January, the day British first fleet of convicts arrived. What is to be proud of? It neglects the fact that there were indigenous tribes living here thousands years ago and the settlement has never been reconciled with them. I have not seen any message of this history in any publicity piece of the day at all. It seems to be suppressed everywhere. Therefore the core content of the day is very shallow. What to feed the punter are just public live show, fireworks and getting drunk, not any difference from New Year Eve, Melbourne Cup or even Mardi Gras.

Maybe I am just being too serious. Stilgherrian has a much better way to celebrate the day.

Canvendish Lane, Enmore, NSW, Australia.

Thais are very connected to spiritual worlds. Gods and guardians are placed everywhere to make sure that there is something to hold on and look forward to. The divine powers may grant their wishes, give them strengths or, at least, ease their minds. The people are very good at making sense of this tangible world by referring to the beyond.

There are many ways to get in touch with those in the unknown territories. Burning joss sticks seems to be a symbol of making contacts and a tool for the communication. Spots where incense are burnt and stuck indicates the spiritual significances of the areas and the relationships of the people and their lands.

Change is inevitable and it come at a cost.

First morning light in Thailand trip revealed an empty marshland in the back of my brother’s house where I stayed for a few weeks. This property was left unoccupied quite sometime ago. I was really glad that there were many green areas remained untouched in Bangkok.

It created a nature micro ecology as an oasis in Bangkok’s urban desert. Bird’s habitats were protected by willows and plants grew organically as well as frogs and snakes in the marshland.

Then the land owner decided to develop the property and profit from this investment. The marshland has to go and give way to another housing estate. An excavator squashed the unwanted weeds down to the ground and concrete rubble from other demolition was used for filling the marshland.

A new ecology was generated from this transforming landscape. It welcomed people into once an abandoned field. Local members seized the opportunity to collect scrap metal and sell it.

The flattening made it easier for a predator to look for food on the ground since the hide was destroyed whereas some found that its dwelling had gone in a flash. However, sooner or later, there would not be any food or home left for the wildlife benefited from this vanishing green.

It was a heart-broken to witness this change. It was happening in front of my eyes nd I am sure it is everywhere.