| 11 December 2009
There are those who don’t like the wave of tourists who swamp our shores in the holiday season, and there are those who don’t like the ‘hippies’—and none of us like the traffic. But what do we like about Byron... the sun, the sand, the surf, and the immense interest in spirituality and creativity that permeates this area?
Fast-paced development may seem to shadow threads of mystery that weave the unique fabric of a Byron’s lifestyle, but the magic won’t be eradicated because it belongs to the spirit of the land as much as it pulses through the people who feel blessed to call this place ‘home’.
Historically, Byron Bay was a meeting place for different Indigenous tribes who came here to gather and share and to celebrate, and this is echoed in current times by people from different countries and cultures who choose to come to gather in this little coastal town.
Tourists are drawn to this region for the magnificence of the beaches, the picturesque landscape and all the wonderfully creative characters you will find. There is a rich stream of community initiatives consistently sprouting new ways to live sustainably and alternatively, as well as a myriad of healing techniques intended to raise levels of consciousness—all of which invite us to drop our baggage and open to the beauty of life on this planet.
Recently I visited Queenstown, in the south island of New Zealand because it’s often described as kindred to Byron. While I was completely blown away by the breathtaking beauty of NZ, I was even more impressed by the friendliness of the people—all the people, from taxi drivers to local traders, custom officers to tour operators, and the list just goes on.
Maori culture seemed to be integrated and respected in the everyday life of New Zealand, and I wonder if this may account for the sweet softness that was evident in the place, and the people.
I returned to Australia from New Zealand and wondered about Indigenous peoples of Australia and flashes of Aboriginal mobs gathering in Railway Park, often self-medicated and agitated, made me sad. Domestic violence also makes me sad but we don’t often see this story on the streets because it is locked away in little boxes neatly stacked along grid lines that formulate the suburbs inherent to a colonised society.
The language of Indigenous cultures are (as far as I know) written in the land and dreamtime, so it is natural to find space outdoors, to gather together with nature and each other, to share story-but where can we find places to freely be?
Australian land is renowned for being strong, but we can tread softly with great strength and find our way back to remembering our innocence whilst also honouring the heart of our culture... because Indigenous matters really do matter!
Injoy Magazine is all about appreciating things that bring people the experience of being in joy, building bridges that can allow for the blending of cultural diversity through community and global exchange, all the while reflecting uniquely creative experiences of a ‘Byron lifestyle’.
A year and a half after conception this heart-felt publication continues to emerge, with love, Bhadrena
