Nayuka Gorrie shares a reflective story from interactions between the sun and moon, to stars Ancestors have seen and descendants will see; to sensory observations from the warmth of a fire built by their family, to the sounds of birds chirping, frogs croaking and insects humming.
Nayuka Gorrie is a Gunai/Kurnai, Gunditjmara, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta freelance and comedy television writer. Their writing centres on Black, feminist and queer politics.
Chapters
Nayuka Gorrie shares a reflective story from interactions between the sun and moon, to stars Ancestors have seen and descendants will see; to sensory observations from the warmth of a fire built by their family, to the sounds of birds chirping, frogs croaking and insects humming.
Nayuka Gorrie is a Gunai/Kurnai, Gunditjmara, Wiradjuri and Yorta Yorta freelance and comedy television writer. Their writing centres on Black, feminist and queer politics.
What is Dreamy?
A collection of mindful audio stories from the First Storytellers – Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. These stories bring an age-old practice of oral storytelling into the digital space, helping people slow down and connect to Country.
Nayuka Gorrie:
Hello. My favorite thing to do is to walk while the sun is going down. It feels like watching two old and familiar friends, the sun and the moon, interact with each other. Sometimes I imagine the moon entering the room just as the sun is about to leave, but before the sun does, they spot each other and give each other a wave. I imagine the sun laying down for a rest and telling the moon, it's your turn now.
Nayuka Gorrie:
I think the sun is onto something though. I'm feeling the weight of the day. What do you reckon? I reckon here's a nice spot to sit down. Let's watch the sun retreat from its day of warming the earth, providing light and fuel for plants.
Nayuka Gorrie:
I love how in this part of my country, the sun doesn't leave a room quietly, it casts golden light. The sun has that beautiful quality of making everyone it touches, beautiful with it. The river's water twinkles, sometimes a bit cheeky, like it knows something we don't. The flowers know how beautiful they look in this light too, showing off their colours.
Nayuka Gorrie:
I could watch this sunset forever. The birds are busy ey. It's like the sun reaches a certain point in the sky and the birds suddenly remember all the little jobs they have to do before they rest. I like to watch them flit around, bouncing from bush to bush, occasionally stopping to say hi, or moving so quick I can barely see them. Can you hear that? There's a gentle warm wind.
Nayuka Gorrie:
I don't notice the wind as much during the day. I move around so much, but now, because I'm so still, I notice the movement of the wind. Can you feel it? The gum leaves can feel it. As the sun goes down, plants start to settle into the night like us.
Nayuka Gorrie:
They spend all their day converting sunlight, carbon dioxide and water into energy. All of this is busy work for plants. At night, without the effort of conversion, they just breathe and grow. Trees remind me of how important it is to rest, and to breathe. Breathe in through your nose, and out through your mouth.
Nayuka Gorrie:
Give the tree something to work with, breathing in, and out. Let's take a couple more deep breaths. Sometimes I like to think about how there isn't an old tree my Ancestors hadn't seen. Everything I've touched here, they might have also, and my descendants will too. My Ancestors might have seen a seed fall and a young sapling emerge.
Nayuka Gorrie:
I see a tall tree that seems old to me, but young to my Ancestors. My descendants will see something else entirely. It's special that Country connects us to our people in this way. Can you hear that? My family are building a fire nearby.
Nayuka Gorrie:
The sun is just about to close the door, taking its warmth with it. But my family are building a fire. I can hear them putting down logs, kindling in leaves. Let's give it a second. There you go.
Nayuka Gorrie:
I like to remember what the fire looks like at this point, and when it's bigger and more confident, I tell the fire, see, I knew you could do it. Right now the fire is young and bright orange. It's shy like this, not sure if it's allowed to blossom properly, but with some encouragement, it starts to dance. I wonder what music the fire can hear that we can't. What is it dancing to?
Nayuka Gorrie:
What a beautiful thing to be able to dance so brilliantly. You warm up everything around you. What a gift to be able provide comfort and warmth to those close enough to you. Can you feel that? I like to close my eyes, the warmth of the fire beginning on my face and travelling all over my body, down my arms all the way to my fingertips, down to my stomach and back and finding its way down to my legs and feet.
Nayuka Gorrie:
See fire, I knew you could do it. It feels nice ey, I open my eyes and watch its smoke and embers climb towards the sky. The sky's golden light has faded into a deep dark blue and the stars have slowly started to reveal themselves. There are so many out there. Let's lay back and look at them all for a bit.
Nayuka Gorrie:
There are so many of them. I've always wanted to know the names of different stars. I once heard that the oldest star is around 13000000000 years old. I like to think that they are as old as time itself. It's pretty cool that we are looking at the same stars our Ancestors did, and our descendants will.
Nayuka Gorrie:
The same stars I am looking at, are the same you are, and the same your Ancestors did. We are all connected by these stars. Can you hear that? The frogs and insects are in conversation. The croaks and the buzzing and the humming, they begin their night watch.
Nayuka Gorrie:
What are they talking about? Maybe, like me, they're wondering where the moon is. It's shy tonight hiding behind a small cloud. Come out moon, it's a really beautiful night. Ah, there it is, far out.
Nayuka Gorrie:
It's magnificent. Every night the moon is in a different outfit, shifting from full moon, to a young barely visible wane. Yet, no matter the outfit, it is always the same moon. The fire is still relaxing and the moon is out to watch over us. Let's take a few breaths in and out.
Nayuka Gorrie:
Are you tired? What does your body feel like when you're tired? I know I'm tired because my eyelids are heavy. I lay down and my body melts into where I lay, and right now I'm laying near a warm fire, under the watch of the moon, near my family and restful gums. The sun has said goodnight and I think it's time for me to say goodnight too.