Lois Cook Aboriginal Heritage Tours Byron Bay,
Ballina and Hinterland.
My name is Lois Cook my Traditional homelands is Bordered by coastal plains, hinterland, rainforests and is ideally positioned as one of the worlds most magnificent relaxation and activity centre. Situated in the most unique echo systems that take in the Brunswick River, Ballina and Evans Head.
The most eastern point of Australia you find yourself exploring the unique heritage of the Bundjalung Coast. Cape Byron is the most eastern point of Australia at high tide, Flat Rock near Ballina is the furtherest point east of Australia at low tide.
My Language group is Nyangbul it is one of 17 dialects or languages spoken within the Bundjalung Nation. The Nyangbul language group was researched and recorded by Margaret Sharpe a linguist who interviewed my Great Grandfather Babba Jack (John) Cook(1858-1963) Douglas his youngest son and brothers in the early 1960's at Cabbage Tree Island. Our Clans Totem is the 'Dolphin' (Nyangbahla) Mythological site of the Dolphin is found in the Richmond River, a special and sacred place and story of 'How Dolphins Came About'. There are many stories of dolphins each has its origin and sacred dreaming site(djurbil).
Bubba Cook's son Douglas recalls stories from his father and mother of the massacres in the 1850's to 1890's. His mother Susan was born at Bangalow her father was Jack Fawcett the last of the Brunswick River Horde and a descendant of the Durrumbul People and King Charlie Drumble from the Brunswick River. Susan met Bubba at a race meeting in Mullumbimby and was married at Whyralla near Lismore they had seven sons and five daughters.
Bubba was known to have use ceremonial sites at Mt Butherm near Mullumbimby, Broken Head, middens and camping area at the Pass and Taylors lake he was also known to be the last man to lead ceremonies at Broken Head, and Evans Head, some of these ceremonies and gatherings he initiated was to celebrate rain its banishment or its forth coming.
Before settlement coastal and inland boundaries of the Nyangbul people were patroled by Nyangbul warriors to keep the uninvited out. Mythological story of the Goanna and Poison Snake Dreaming story create western, northern and Southern tribal boundary of our People. Songlines created by dreamtime giants trails was used by visiting clans as passage to attended gatherings, ceremony, feasts, festivals, initiation of young boys and seasonal gatherings.
Where the Byron Bay Lighthouse stands was once a traditional bora ring used to invite other Bundjalung clans in the north & west to ceremonies initiated by our tribe, when the flames are igniting. Distant clans formed pilgrimage to our festivals returning kidnapped wives and children to our homelands.
Butherm stories or lore established customs, lore/law (Kippara). These stories tell of the legendary journey of the Three Brothers who first came to this land with their families and mother. The Eldest Brother Yarbirin according to legends handed down the lore/law of the land from Bubbarah the Creator (God) whom then taught his brothers Mamoon and Birung.
Nyangbul Custodians are direct descendants of Yarbirin the Lore/Law Maker. Our dreamtime stories beliefs, ceremonial and spiritual stories was past down through customary law and through our elders in ceremony, today we survived as the original inhabitants for over 40,000 years.
Margaret Sharpe records 'Gabenbah' a Nyangbul word from Byron Bay meaning (place of big scrub). To learn more about Lois and her people the Traditional Owners contact her for a a leasurely tour.
Contact Lois on: 0405654280
mailto:culturalconcepts@bigpond.com
