Moon Ceremony
Posted: Tue Aug 23, 2016 6:34 pm
This happened in late 2014 in a place called Antarctica Beech in the border range not far from Kyogle. A carpark for a hiking track.
The area was signed day-use only, but I decided to stay there for a few days anyway. It is situated on the highest peak in the area and horizon to horizon is nothing but dense forest.
I always park my car as well hidden from the road leading in and always facing the road leaving out. Its a camper, converted by the previous owner.
I sleep in the back, with heavy blackout curtains. Black on the outer side, so it looks dark and empty, even when I'm in the back reading, which is by red light.
I was there for two days and two nights all up. Neither nights did I have a fire, cook, play guitar - nothing.
I made my presence there very small, even to the point of slowly closing the doors with the handle up and releasing it quietly.
I do this to speed up the time it takes for the wildlife to become accustomed to me, allowing me to witness what the bush is like when there are no people around. Which is something I love.
The first night passed with not much to report other than it was a full moon - or what I thought it was at the time. It was very close. The sounds of the nightlife were up there with the loudest I've heard before.
The second day passed like the first, and as the sun was setting, I got everything ready to go to bed. All I leave outside the car are two 20 litre water containers and my boots.
Not long after the sun set, the nightlife came alive and the moon rose giant and orange/red? (I'm colour blind) over the trees. It looked fantastic.
I was laying in bed reading, when the forest fell silent. As quick as a light switch.
Its weird, because there was no conscious beginning to the sound. It was almost like it was there for a while, but then I was suddenly aware of it.
A droning sound like a distant aeroplane approaching or when you blow air over an empty beer bottle, getting louder and louder till it was everywhere.
Not far off in the distance, I started to hear big things crashing through the bush and whooping like you hear monkeys at the zoo. All the while the droning sound continued.
Then, just as quick as the nightlife, it all stopped.
I layed there for a minute trying to figure out what just happened when just as quick, there was a bellowing roar right outside my window. Other roaring joined in until I was surrounded and they started running around in a choreographed manner. As on ran down the left side, another ran up the right. And the same back and front, then opposite.
The footfalls were so heavy I could feel them through the ground, tyres, springs and up to me.
It was the loudest sound I've ever heard and I've worked in an engine room with diesel turbines and hung off the moshgate at a Pantera show.
All I could think was to grab my keys which were in my pocket so I got them, held them in my hand, and promised myself if anything touches the car, I'll explode feet first through the front curtain into the drivers seat, flick the highbeam, lean on the horn, fire it up and floor it back down the mountain and if anything was in my way I'd run it over and wouldn't stop.
I went through the process over and over.
Then as quick as it began, it stopped. Nothing touched the car and I layed there wide awake in my own piss till the sun came up.
When it did, I opened the back door, grabbed my boots and water without stepping outside then drove back to kyogle to have a shower.
I feel they were angry because my mere presence interrupted some kind of ceremony correlating with the moon that night.
I understand some of the details were unnecessary, but I feel you guys deserve a detailed account.
I've tried to pinpoint the exact dates, by the rarity of the moon, but I haven't had any success other than there was a full moon on the 2nd sept 2014.
At the time, I didn't wear a watch and didn't even know what month it was.
I've also tried to find the aboriginal names for the Mon phases, but haven't had any luck there either.
The area was signed day-use only, but I decided to stay there for a few days anyway. It is situated on the highest peak in the area and horizon to horizon is nothing but dense forest.
I always park my car as well hidden from the road leading in and always facing the road leaving out. Its a camper, converted by the previous owner.
I sleep in the back, with heavy blackout curtains. Black on the outer side, so it looks dark and empty, even when I'm in the back reading, which is by red light.
I was there for two days and two nights all up. Neither nights did I have a fire, cook, play guitar - nothing.
I made my presence there very small, even to the point of slowly closing the doors with the handle up and releasing it quietly.
I do this to speed up the time it takes for the wildlife to become accustomed to me, allowing me to witness what the bush is like when there are no people around. Which is something I love.
The first night passed with not much to report other than it was a full moon - or what I thought it was at the time. It was very close. The sounds of the nightlife were up there with the loudest I've heard before.
The second day passed like the first, and as the sun was setting, I got everything ready to go to bed. All I leave outside the car are two 20 litre water containers and my boots.
Not long after the sun set, the nightlife came alive and the moon rose giant and orange/red? (I'm colour blind) over the trees. It looked fantastic.
I was laying in bed reading, when the forest fell silent. As quick as a light switch.
Its weird, because there was no conscious beginning to the sound. It was almost like it was there for a while, but then I was suddenly aware of it.
A droning sound like a distant aeroplane approaching or when you blow air over an empty beer bottle, getting louder and louder till it was everywhere.
Not far off in the distance, I started to hear big things crashing through the bush and whooping like you hear monkeys at the zoo. All the while the droning sound continued.
Then, just as quick as the nightlife, it all stopped.
I layed there for a minute trying to figure out what just happened when just as quick, there was a bellowing roar right outside my window. Other roaring joined in until I was surrounded and they started running around in a choreographed manner. As on ran down the left side, another ran up the right. And the same back and front, then opposite.
The footfalls were so heavy I could feel them through the ground, tyres, springs and up to me.
It was the loudest sound I've ever heard and I've worked in an engine room with diesel turbines and hung off the moshgate at a Pantera show.
All I could think was to grab my keys which were in my pocket so I got them, held them in my hand, and promised myself if anything touches the car, I'll explode feet first through the front curtain into the drivers seat, flick the highbeam, lean on the horn, fire it up and floor it back down the mountain and if anything was in my way I'd run it over and wouldn't stop.
I went through the process over and over.
Then as quick as it began, it stopped. Nothing touched the car and I layed there wide awake in my own piss till the sun came up.
When it did, I opened the back door, grabbed my boots and water without stepping outside then drove back to kyogle to have a shower.
I feel they were angry because my mere presence interrupted some kind of ceremony correlating with the moon that night.
I understand some of the details were unnecessary, but I feel you guys deserve a detailed account.
I've tried to pinpoint the exact dates, by the rarity of the moon, but I haven't had any success other than there was a full moon on the 2nd sept 2014.
At the time, I didn't wear a watch and didn't even know what month it was.
I've also tried to find the aboriginal names for the Mon phases, but haven't had any luck there either.
