Yabun Poetry

Yabun Poetry

30 Jan 2014


Yabun

We had a great time at the Yabun Festival last weekend, collecting fascinating stories and adding to our ambitious World’s Longest Poem (while we may not have reached those lofty heights, we’re confident we at least collated Yabun’s Longest Poem). Here’s a single poem and an extract from the long poem as a sample of the beautiful writing that was offered up during the day.

REDFERN
Redfern the black heart of Sydney

 Prince Alfred Park
Yellow shade cloths
Blue astro-turf
Green grass
New and beautiful

Mate Redfern Park
Skin white and dark
Pet pig charms the kids
Food, footy, park and people
Visiting dad and talking
Smiling, learning, watching, growing

* * *

Voices of Yabun:

 Yabun – we love it – relaxing, mixing,
Learning – our kids amongst real
Culture – confronting, inclusive – our
Annual shared event

 I love Yabun because we meet up, network for Aboriginal people.
I’m encouraging my granddaughter to do this because it’s an ancestral trait and rite

 Seeing people I know makes me happy
Seeing Aboriginal fella’s getting together
and showing their talents makes me motivated

 I like Yabun because
I like to look and pause
Look at the stalls
My favourite is the church stalls
There were religious pamphlets

 I love the drums
The smoke, the crowd
The fabulous people
You !

Today I’m at Yabun here
Surrounded by m’mob I have no fear
Lots of fun we’ll have you’ll see
‘cause it’s here I’m free to be me!

 You gave us lollies
We forgot our brollies
Thank you for providing a place
Where we don’t have to hang out
With the wallies

 It’s an odd day, this.
For anyone who is at least a little bit awake.
Doesn’t matter.
Nice to be back in the hood
And nice to write it down
It (this place and community) has made quite a difference to who I am, and
Who I want to be

Yabun makes us realize how
young our European culture is

 Today I am at Victoria Park with my best friend
And it’s so fun because today all our mob has come together
Just like one big family
Also everyone is welcome to come together as one!