Girl In Aboriginal Gallery

Kakadu National Park, Northern Territory, Australia

Camera: Rolleiflex

The story:  Kakadu National Park in Northern Australia is listed as one of the World's National Heritage Lands. It had been home for the Australian aboriginals for over 20,000 years. A land of contrast, it is rich in form and color, sand and water, life and death. I sat in the back of one of the main galleries looking around at the layers and layers of petro glyphs. The tour guide preached on to the bevy of tourists as we learned the details of Dreamtime and a world mapped out by song. The aboriginals have no written language and yet the knowledge and intricate details of their drawings are still unfolding and transmitted to us today. I listened and watched the ancient space, so awkwardly filled with modern people. The speech stopped and everyone left. All but one little girl. She stood, so small in the cavern and boldly filled the space as if to reach out and taste the other world that once resided where she now stood. I hurried to capture the moment. She looked over at me and smiled, turned and gave the gallery one last look as she walked away.