"This Saltwater Story is important for everyone, especially those coming onto country so they learn and become part of our story so we can move and work together."
One of the oldest trade routes has been travelled in traditional canoes (Gundal) over the Australia Day weekend, highlighting the ancient connection of the Saltwater Story for the Goories of South East Queensland to the waterways of the Gold Coast and Minjerribah, Nth Stradbroke Island.
A team of men arrived at Goompin (Dunwich) North Stradbroke Island, Quandamooka country on Monday 29 January after a 70 KM journey in two traditionally made canoes alongside a support team.
Bundjalung canoe maker Kyle Slabb, his nephew Jaralah and author Ben Allman set off from Evandale Park along the Nerang River on Saturday recording the journey for the production of a documentary and photo gallery set to premiere at the Arts Centre for visitors of the Gold Coast in 2018.
The cultural history of the canoe’s (Gundal) continues, for this journey up to fifty people contributed to the story.
Jaralah says this story is good to be shared all the time. "The reason why we chose Australia Day weekend is because the tides were right. It was a good time to go."
"This journey connects the communities through to Minjerribah, this trade route was the one written down. A good one to paddle.
The Nyalangi Ceremony was the traditional send off and local people from the Pacific Islands, Maori and Chinese communities who live on the Gold Coast joined in with their traditional songs, dances and canoes.
Jaralah says Nyalangi means farewell, we will see you again.
"Nyalangi means we’ll see you again, we got to go for this paddle. It’s not just the end it’s the beginning, we’ll always come back, we’ve got to move forward together and we’ll see each other again.
Jaralah Slabb says there a few different trade routes through this region and the waters are important for his people.
"This journey connects the communities through to Minjerribah, this trade route was the one written down. A good one to paddle."
"This Saltwater Story is important for everyone especially those coming onto country so they learn and become part of our story so we can move and work together"
For thousands of years the Goorie's traded Bunya Nuts for Eugarie (Pipis) from the region using the ancient routes and waterways.
The people traveled across boundaries and nations using language, protocols and knowledge as a way of life.
"There a few different trade routes through this region and the waters are important for our people."
Languages from the region
Jarah Slabb's Grandmother is a Bundjalung woman from the Cudgiburra clan and his grandfather is Yugembeh
He says "The place that we are going to be paddling into is Yugembeh and the Yugembeh chain of speakers.
Where here is South of Tallebudgera Creek, Minjungbal and Cudgiburra we’re speaking Nyangbal."
"We are still out there everyday and still fishing and still living off what we’ve got and what we’ve been given, and looking after it."
Custom of the Gundal (canoe)
Jaralah says traditionally there are two types of canoes that his people make.
"The first one being bark, that one we use the skin of the tree or certain types of tree and you peel that back and you make the canoe.
The second one for us was the dug out. That one was getting the log off the tree and carving it and making a canoe out of it."
Even though this cultural knowledge wasn't taught in schools in South east Queensland, Jaralah's Grandparents kept the languages and shared it and the children have a strong understanding of their language and culture.
"We pass on and learn the cultural knowledge and the new information that we've been learning on this journey
"We are still out there everyday and still fishing and still living off what we’ve got and what we’ve been given, and looking after it."
