In Alexandra, librarians reach out to nurture communities
With stories, rhymes and dinners and fun filled opportunities
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My name is JB Rowley. I am a storyteller and author and I was honoured to be asked to contribute to the regeneration of the Victorian bushfire communities in Murrindindi shire by providing storytelling for children’s mornings and women’s evenings during October and November 2009. I visited Alexandra, Kinglake, Eildon,Yea, Flowerdale, Buxton, Narbethong, Toolangi and Marysville from my base at the home of fellow storyteller, Cora Zon, in Healesville. Working with these survivors of Saturday, February 7th 2009, was uplifting. Everywhere I went there was a sense of positive renewal despite the tragic memories. I have recorded my impressions from that tour here with couplets and images.
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At Kinglake, the town was ablaze and losses were high
But they share their strength and they’re gonna get by
- Kinglake: October 27th 2009 5pm
In Eildon, they lived in fear for weeks on end
Yet community spirit caresses neighbour and friend
- Eildon: November 10th 2009 5.40pm
At Yea, ‘twas a troubled road of fate and chance
But women lead with courage…and they dance
- Yea: October 28th 2009 12.45pm
In Flowerdale, out of the shadow of loss and gloom,
Houses grow anew and daffodils unexpectedly bloom
- Flowerdale: November 11th 2009 11.55am
At Buxton, pain remains but the journey has begun
And they’re ready to take on…a little fun
- Buxton: November 10th 2009 9.18am
In Narbethong, mothers supporting one another
gather at the Inn
While children play and laugh and run outside and in
- Narbethong: October 29th 2009 11.10am
At Toolangi and Castella, the grieving is long
But the gardens are singing A Spring Song
- Toolangi: October 27th 2009 4.22pm
In Marysville, portables are new and trees are black
But the village rocks and the sign says, ‘we’re coming back’
- Marysville: October 29th 2009 12.45pm
Some of the couplets were inspired by comments made by local residents as follows:
Eildon residents told me how they had to camp by the river in the evenings, fearful that a change of wind would send the fire exploding through their small community.
The residents of Yea were very supportive of their mayor for her courageous efforts to handle the situation since Black Saturday despite enduring some tough times and copping a lot of flack. Also, the ladies in Yea were enthusiastic when invited to get up and dance by our belly dancer, Cate O’Keefe, who followed my telling of Sheherezade’s story.
A Flowerdale resident told me how she had lost her beautiful garden along with her home but, to her surprise and delight, the daffodils popped up this year with a happy show of yellow to honour the home they are rebuilding. Another Flowerdale resident, Tanya, told me how, during the rebuilding of the family home, she typed up the story of the house and the family, laminated it and inserted it in the bathroom wall before the plasterers came, leaving a delightful suprise for future renovators of that home!
Several ladies at the Women’s Dinner in Buxton commented on how they are now ready for a little fun and expressed their sincere appreciation that the library staff offered that to them.
The Inn at Narbethong is the Black Spur Inn which allocates a room for the local playgroup to use.
A Spring Song is a reference to a poem in A Sentimental Bloke written by C.J. Dennis (Australia’s Shakespeare) when he lived in Toolangi.
Sue Hill at Marysville said ‘the village rocks’ and the sign on one of the Marysville cafes reads ‘We’re coming back’.
The librarians in all these communities displayed outstanding commitment, generosity and kindness and a sincere willingness to embrace and nurture their communities thereby radically challenging the idea that librarians are ‘just sitting at the desk, all quiet and everything’ as Michael Moore is quoted as saying when he hailed librarians as ‘subversive’ and ‘a dangerous group’ he ‘wouldn’t mess with’.
