Total Bunch of Randoms

River remembers a Bunyip before a warning about the Yowie; do not go looking for them.

A listener phones in with a question about something else... min min lights. River shares a story of a sighting of the spirit of life at a campfire surrounded with semi-trailers.  He also illustrates the appearance of a living bunyip he saw on a moonlit night, and warns of the spirits who live in the water. We chat about the language of the Yowie across Australia and lairs they build in 'places you'd shit yourself'. I finally get to ask River whether the Yowie is a predatory threat to people in the bush.  River asserts that Dooligahl are out there whether you like it or not, and if you've seen one, to seek out him and aboriginal Elders to speak about it. 

An Australian aboriginal elder goes into detail about encounters with the 'Yowie', Dooligahl and Brown Jacks

Part 1 of a live radio interview with the aboriginal Elder River Morris, who has had encounters with the Dooligahl, better known as Australia’s bigfoot or the Yowie. He’s a long time radio presenter who’s just moved to Victor Harbour (Ngarrindjeri land) from Belligen in NSW. I appeared on his radio show Bum Nuts on Toast on Fleurieu FM to ask him about encounters with yowies, min min lights and bunyips, kids playing with Brown Jacks after school, disturbances so bad farmers have to pack up and move, whether the Yowie is animal or human and the powers it possesses, the importance of dreamtime creatures as fables, living with the mental health fallout of an encounter and the judgment, ridicule and stigma that yowie-sighters may experience from the broader public, themselves, and doctors they might seek help from. In this episode; 1) "Shutdown and Ridicule" What makes this such a shutdown topic for people? Why are people who speak about yowie sightings met with ridicule? River Morris explains an encounter whereby he was approached by an Australian farmer couple who were confused by missing livestock.  2) "There's not just one" Colours, sizes, shapes, eyes and smells of the many Dooligahls that roam Australia. River tells the story of an anxiety-ridden yowie-sighter visiting a doctor who implies that she is joking. For some people like the couple with the farm, knowing about the yowie is about putting a personal issue to rest.  3) River remembers being 8 when he had his first encounter of many with the Dooligahl. He feels like they have always been with him. He shares a very personal story about his meetings with his own Elders as he deliberated on whether to share his encounters with the world.  4) What does a creature like the Yowie mean for man-kind? The Yowie possess unique powers that aren't fully understood even to aboriginal people. River talks about feeling nausea and hearing muttering in the Bush. 5) The Dooligahl uses sound masterfully, but what do they think of sounds man makes? River tells a story of playing his yidaki (didgeridoo) to let the yowies know he was there... and they found him. He also discusses child-like, mischevious Brown Jacks, which he has seen and was able to ask a child about.  6) River remembers a story where a taxi driver who sighted Brown Jacks was prompted to quit his job and move, tired of regular sightings. He reveals struggling with asking himself 'Do I share?' Underpinning River's discussion was the message of human encroachment on land. All respect is given to all Elders and to Ngarrindjeri people (where the radio show is broadcasted at Fleurieu FM) and I acknowledge that their stories and knowledge are sacred and signficant to their culture's past, present and future. It was a surreal experience to be able to listen directly to River which I am very thankful for. Keep an eye out for part 2 of this discussion...