Once you've had your initial insights, go deeper.
Kakadu, Forest of the Gagadju Ritual
I made this photograph in Kakadu, a vast national park bordering the north coast of Australia. Traveling one evening toward Ubirr, the most northern destination, I was astonished to drive past an area of the forest that was burning, apparently without any attempt by the park rangers to control it. Later I learned that the Gagadju, the local Aboriginal people who have lived in the area for at least twenty-three thousand years, regularly request the park service to burn the land in a complex fashion, in accordance with ancient customs and beliefs. In addition to creating a variety of habitats in which different plants and animals can thrive, this ritual burning also helps prevent wild forest fires, promotes new growth, and attracts new game to the area, all necessary for the survival of the Gagadju people and of the land itself.
Fire in many cultures represents change. Its transformative qualities can be dramatic, with far reaching effects.
What part of you does this fire represent?
Are you going through a thorough and purposeful change, or are you like the peaked roof house on the left, staying out of the path of the flames?
Playing it safe is a great way to avoid the heat, but it doesn't make for the possibility of a cleanse.
Does the photograph take on a different meaning for you now that you know the story behind the fire?
Do you know which fires are worth lighting?
Have you found the courage to fan the flames?
