It’s been 15 days since I came
To the land of Aborigines, at the end of the world,
but I still haven’t seen any Aborigine
At souvenir shops smiling Chinese women are selling
Aboriginal items, bracelets, colourful bowls and
embroidered purses, some dead plants and kangaroo landscapes
Saying that right that item which caught
My eye, right that one, is a true Aboriginal symbol
Leave me alone, woman, my head is full of symbolism
But I’m not telling her that
Instead, I’m asking her: “Where are the Aborigines?”
They aren’t here, they’re up in the mountains,” says the shop assistant
So I went up to the mountains, the blue mountains
And I saw snow on mimosas and magnolia trees
Looking like a veil, and confused fern
And wild cockatoo birds
Waddling on one leg like comedians
And a tiny tea house at the edge of the road
Serving English tea
Fuck, I don’t want tea, where are the Aborigines?
They aren’t here. They’re in the desert,” said the foresters
So I went to the desert
With my eyes covered with a piece of bed sheet, other parts
I might need
When I told my mother where I was
She thought I was joking
“You’re not right in your head,” she told me, and I
confirmed, but nothing could be done now
I’m lighting a cigarette in despair, the sun is scorching
Like Your Word god forbid
I’m looking at the cracked earth Aborigines
Made love with, because earth is god,
I’m watching and I’m not looking for anything anymore
Naida Mujkic
Illustration: Claire Palmer