issue 5 - december issue
DESCRIPTION
Nahko, OKA, Potts (artist), Threeworlds, Dubmarine does Burketown, Island Vibe, Mullum Music Festival, Sustainable Christmas Ideas, Vegan Picnic Ideas, Surf Stories and Bowen TherapyTRANSCRIPT
Photo - Jade Hopeley Issue 5 - December 2014
Editor Josephine Flynn
LayoutJames O’Malley
Cover ImageJade Hopley
It seems like we say the
same thing every year
“Where has this year gone?”
But quite honestly, WHERE
has 2014 gone? We seem to
fill our lives to the point of
breaking and put so much
pressure on ourselves to be
on top of everything, that
we often get to November,
notice the Christmas
decorations coming out and
think “Oh my god…wasn’t it
just New Years?”
This year I have been
practising mindful
meditation as I am
constantly thinking about
what I have to do “next”,
creating lists in my head
of what needs to be done
in the next hour, by the
EDITORS LETTERend of today, tomorrow,
end of week and end of
month. I always knew this
was somtthing I needed to
work on, but it wasn’t until
I moved in with my partner
this year that he said he
could notice when I was
“phasing out.” I was getting
so into my own head and
worrying about what I still
needed to do, that I was
missing out on moments
we were spending together.
This was further brought
home when I had my first
Bowen Therapy treatment
with Ash Perrow (see Bowen
article in this issue.) When
Ash was working on my
head chakra, he could feel
the thoughts flying through
my mind – like a TV set that
was constantly changing
channels. It was after this
that I decided it was time
for me to stop worrying
and start being. I am now
seeing the end of 2014 with
a clearer head, enjoying
moments with those closest
to me and finding myself not
worrying about the things
I cannot change and it is a
refreshing way to see out
the year.
2014 has been a wonderful
year for us here at HL,
with this our fifth (and we
may even say finest) issue
rounding it off. We have
connected with inspirational
musicians, artists,
individuals, businesses and
environmentalists – some
that we have been following
and dreaming of working
with for years! We have
met many of our beautiful
followers and readers and
have had the privilege
of travelling around
the country to promote
wonderful festivals and
network with like-minded
souls. We thank our lucky
stars each and every day
for being able to do this and
we thoroughly look forward
to continuing into 2015
and practising being in the
moment. Live each day as
if it is your last and we wish
you all a very safe, happy,
loving and green Christmas.
Love Josephine x
threeworlds
mullumfest
dubmarinedoes burketown
12 steps to asustainable christmas
POTTSART
islandvibe
006 010 016
020 026 030
nahko oka picnicideas
surfstories
bowen therapy
048036 042
054 064
Words & Photos Jade Hopley
It’s a scorching HOT November morning
in Mullumbimby, a small town around 20
minutes inland from Byron Bay. We are
here for a day of Art, Music and Culture
for the Mullumbimby Music Festival. But
first a quick stop in to meet one incredibly
talented man. To say I am a little excited to
meet this artist and get to spend some time
in his studio is an understatement. Inspired
by the POP Art, and Psychedelic movement
of the 60’s, at the age of 12 Potts picked up
his pen and the rest is history! Starting his
professional graphic design career for Rip
Curl, if you grew up wearing this iconic surf
brand, we can guarantee you have worn
one of Potts designs. He now works from
his home studio which he shares with his
equally talented artist wife Anne Leon, Potts
still creates some of the most unique Surf art
and designs out there. Read on to hear more
about our morning with one of Australia’s
best…
How long have you been creating Art?I remember starting to draw around 1967. I was 12 years old & became inspired by the Pop Art & Psychedelic graphics and posters. I thought the St. Peppers Lonely Hearts LP
art
cover was the most amazing image I had ever seen. What inspired you to study graphic design?The inspiration to study
graphic design came from all
the popular art of the time.
I drew like & copied artists
like, Martin Sharp, Michael
English, Milton Glaser &
Peter Max.
How did you get into Rip Curl and what was it like designing for one of the world’s biggest surf brands?I was designing & printing
my own Tshirts with a friend
in 1982 when I got a phone
call from someone who
knew someone at Rip Curl.
They told me that they were
looking for an artist who
understood
T-shirt design as well as
surfing. Up until then Rip
Curl had only made wetsuits,
clothing was a whole new
area for them. I meet with
their production team, did
some designs which they liked and off we
went. We would design the summer range
in winter and the winter range in summer,
due to the printing at that stage being done
in America. There was no grand plan, if they
liked my designs they would buy it. Some
how I ended up freelancing for them for the
next 10 years.
You have worked and exhibited all over Australia and the World. What is your proudest achievement to date?I don’t think there is a ‘proudest achievement’,
there are more likely a few. Looking back I
would say working for Rip Curl was a high
point, as was my first solo show, which
was in Sydney. I really had no idea how to
go about showing and promoting an event
like this. Then to sell 80% of the work
within the first 2 days, even the Gallery
was pleasantly surprised as they had taken
a big punt on this ‘unknown’ from Byron
Bay. Also being invited to work with the
German glass company Ritzenhoff in 1999.
They use designers from all over the world
and the standard of work is very high. So
being the only Australian designer is a major
achievement. Also topping my year with my
Fine Arts diploma stands out.
We first spotted your work at Café Dbah
Gallery last year and fell in love! Can you
tell us more about the inspiration behind the
Surf-X-Scape collection?
The Surf-X-Scape works were inspired by
a road trip down along the Great Ocean
Road in Victoria. I had not been back there
in over 15 years. This is the area I learned
to surf & spent every weekend surfing and
its lifestyle swallowed me up. It is also the
home of Rip Curl where I had spent many
a creative hour. While on this trip I was
reading Andy Warhol’s biography, mix that
with memories of my lost youth & you have
a lot of inspiration to draw on.
For the first few years I painted and printed
onto canvas, but it was a bit too ‘clean’ for
what I wanted. So I started experimenting
with driftwood & salvaged timbers. After a
few hits & misses it started to work. I love the
unpredictability of salvaged timber & paint
together.
You’re originally from Melbourne, what inspired the sea change to the northern rivers and how has the change in lifestyle influenced your work?My sea change came about with the
disillusionment of running a small design
studio which had grown to a size where I was
forever dealing with clients and delegating
the design work to my staff. The drawing
board & myself had separated leaving me
artistically frustrated. At around this time
I became very ill and was placed in hospital
for 2 weeks, then another month of total
rest. It was during this time that I decided to
move north to warmer water with my wife
& one year old son to find a new life with a
slower pace. So we sold the business and
headed north with plans to live somewhere
in Queensland. We stopped in Mullumbimby
to visit friends and just fell in love with
the Northern Rivers. We kept travelling
north for a few more months, but nothing
compared, so we returned to the area and
have never left.
You also became quite well known for the “Phutts” in the 90’s. How did you come up with these characters and what is the message you were sending to the viewer with the “Phuttsville” Collection?The Phutt characters started as doodles and
sketches while on our 3 month road trip into
the far north and somehow evolved into
paintings & illustrations. It’s a look into the
human condition. They are venerable and
skeptical living on a fragile planet, where
everything is not quite what it seems.
Looking at this work now there was a strong
Mambo/ Reg Mombassa
influence I think. In 2000 I
started a Fine Arts Diploma
and this style fell away as I
explored other mediums &
styles.
Do you have any local exhibitions coming up?The first couple of months in
2015 I will be painting a mural
on the side of a recycled
water tank in Lennox Heads
for the Ballina shire Council
and I have been talking with
D-bar about another show in
the first half of 2015, but no
dates are set yet. I will also
be in a summer group show
at the Manyung Gallery in
Victoria, and Barebones in
Bangalow, NSW.
For more information on
Potts beautiful work, or to
find out where you can see
his work showing, please
visit his website below:
W - www.pottstudio.blogspot.com.au
Words – Josephine Flynn / Pictures – Jade Hopley
If you’re local to the Gold Coast/Byron area or visit our
beautiful shores regularly, chances are you’ve come in
contact with the wonderful souls at Threeworlds. Their
energy, passion, good vibes and super wide smiles have been
gracing the Gold Coast and surrounds since 2001, spreading
love and joy everywhere they go. We were so fortunate to
hang out with Matt and Jason for an afternoon recently and
find out where they draw their inspiration, how they created
the magic of Threeworlds and just how they get away with
having fun all day every day.
THREEWORLDS
business
Three Worlds began in the living room of your old share house. Can you tell us a little bit more about how that happened and your reaction to its success?We were renting this two
storey, 4 bedroom house on
the Gold Coast Hwy in Palm
Beach.
The landlord said we could
do whatever we liked to the
place because in his words
‘it gives me the creeps’ plus
he planned to demolish
the place anyway. It was
a funky old house and the
rent was really cheap, so
we ran amuck, painting the
place, knocking walls out
and basically having a blast!
It was a rare opportunity and
we definitely made the most
of it!!
Jason and I had both been
trading independently at
markets, small festivals
and running workshops.
Jason’s specialty was making
African Drums and mine was
making fire equipment. One
day we merged our market
stalls and so Threeworlds
was born music, movement,
and meditation. It happened
very naturally and the two
worlds just complimented
each other so perfectly.
The meditation aspect is at
the heart of it all, it’s how
Jason and I originally met,
that common interest that
we share and what sets our
intention and vision behind
what we do.
People kept on asking us if
we had a shop so we decided
to transform our living room
into a showroom. One year
after opening the doors
(well back then the doors
were opened only after the
customers rang the doorbell,
and then only if Jason and I
weren’t out the front surfing)
our business had grown to
occupy not just the lounge
room but now the entire
top floor. The bedrooms had
been turned into an office,
a workshop, a stock room, a
UV glow room, a meditation
space, a jam space and an
extension of the growing
shop. Jason, our housemates
(Jodie and Andrea) and I
ended up living downstairs
and in the backyard, which
was now home to three
caravans and a Tipi.
The shop had become a
home of sorts for customers/
friends of the business.
Threeworlds was fast
becoming a community
centre of sorts. There
were jam nights, parties,
workshops and lots of
people coming to help in the
drum making and fire toys
workshop.
The house was painted from
wall to wall with murals and
other abstract art. It was
really fun and exciting times.
Why do you think this area of Australia is a good environment for a business like Three Worlds?People on the Gold Coast
are awesome, they’re super
active and open to trying
new things and having new
experiences. It’s all about the
lifestyle here and that’s what
we are all about too, taking
it to the next level. Whether
it be through drumming
with your friends around
a campfire, playing ukulele
at a party or slack lining in
the park. Everything we do
and share aims to uplift your
mind in some way and bring
you back to that connection
with yourself, your friends,
family and nature. Moving to
Burleigh was one of the best
things we’ve done, there’s
an awesome community feel
and the council is starting to
really get behind some of the
local events, like Burleigh
Beat, which is the local
Sunday night drumming and fire twirling
jam that’s been running for about 15 years.
We’re really lucky to have all these beautiful
parks, beaches and sunny days to play and
enjoy in.
At the end of the day everyone wants to be
happy and that’s what we’re really selling.
It’s not the hula hoop or the guitar that puts
a smile on your face, but the experience that
it creates. You really can’t think about your
problems while you’re drumming or juggling
otherwise you’ll lose the beat and rhythm.
It’s not just distracting your mind but it’s
freeing you up and making you feel lighter
and if you change your thoughts you affect
how you feel. We’re in the control seat of
how we feel and can be the masters of our
mind.
What is your overarching vision for the business and what would you love your customers to get out of their interaction with you?Our vision has always been to spread
happiness, inspire people to be the best
version of themselves and create a
community that supports that lifestyle. Like
a ripple that flows out, spreading positive
vibes into the world.
When someone walks into the shop it’s a
full hands on experience, you can play with
everything. We want you to touch and play
the instruments and circus toys. If you want
to play drums, learn some fire twirling tricks
or a few chords on the slide guitar, juggle or
anything, that’s what we want you to do.
That’s inspiring to you and that’s inspiring
for us.
The business is far more than just a store front now with so many incredible services, (our favourite being the Bongo Bus which seems to have taken on a life of its own.) We understand you’ve travelled with this quite extensively, can you tell us a little bit more about where you’ve been, what you do and the message you send?There’s a lot more to Threeworlds than meets
the eye. Apart from our retail store we have
an online store, we manufacture many of our
own products including African Drums and
Fire Twirling Gear, we wholesale to other
shops, run music and circus skill workshops
and we also offer fire dance and drumming
shows.
The Bongo Bus was one of Matt’s creations.
He loves people, travelling, drumming,
firetwirling and pretty much having fun and
sharing it with as many people as he possibly
can. So he got his bus license, bought an 18
seater Coaster Bus and sprayed it bright
orange (in Threeworlds tradition). That bus
has been on a lot of adventures. From music
festivals all the way up the East Coast to
Cairns, WOMAD Music Festival in Adelaide,
Woodford Folk Festival, Island Vibes and
heaps of local events. Every few weeks we
run drumming jams on the bus, where we’ll
pack the bus out and cruise up to Broadbeach
and Surfers Paradise. The reactions are
classic ‘cause people on the street will usually
hear us coming before they see us. It turns a
lot of heads and gets a lot of toes tapping but
it’s the best when people start dancing in the
street. The main message behind it is to have
fun and be light, never take life too serious.
We’re all still kids deep down.
Can anyone come in and learn an instrument/skill at your workshops or do you need to have some kind of an idea before you walk in?Our workshops are for absolutely anyone
and everyone. We have weekly classes for
beginners in African Drumming, Ukulele,
Didgeridoo and Meditation. There’s a more
advanced class in African Drumming for the
super keen drummers. All our classes are
held weeknightly and usually run for 1 to
1.5 hours. We’re really blessed to have some
amazing facilitators, including Ago, a Master
Drummer from West Africa.
Outside of our normal lesson times you
can pop into the store anytime for a free,
spontaneous lesson or jam with Suki, Luke or
Chris in our shop.
Every Thursday and Sunday between
4pm 6pm Suki and Matt run a Juggle Jam
in Justins Park, right beside the beach at
Burleigh Heads. It’s free and is part of the
Gold Coast Active & Healthy Program. We
bring hula hoops, diabolos, practice poi,
staffs, devilsticks, juggling balls, spinning
plates, slacklines and more for a full on play-
fest in the park.
We’ve seen the Three Worlds shop at festivals and the Bongo Bus around at special events quite a lot. Do you get a good reaction from people when they see you doing what you do?Yeah the reaction is always super positive,
even more so at festivals and events because
people are there to have a good time and let
their hair down. This year will be our 14th
year at Woodford Folk Festival, that’s pretty
crazy. Our market stall has hosted some
really huge, always spontaneous drumming/
music jams where our whole marquee will be
full of people jumping up and down, shaking
maracas, rocking on, beating
on drums and dancing to live
rhythms made by the crowd
of festival goers. It’s really
magic to be a part of and a lot
of people say to us it’s been
their festival highlight.
Whenever we’re out at these
different places we want to
give an experience and to add
to the festival atmosphere.
It‘s way more fun to become
a part of it, engage in it and
be inspired to learn and
create the music yourself,
rather than just watching
your favourite band and
artist playing music. That’s
when it really comes to life.
You can also supply performers for special events i.e fire twirlers, drumming circles etc. Do you get a lot of interest in these services from the general public?Our Fire and African
Drumming shows are pretty
niche, so we find ourselves
at some wild places. Most
recently we drummed at the V8 Supercars in Surfers, a work
Christmas party, a life coach boot camp and an opening of
a franchise fast food store. We get asked to do all sorts of
things and we’ve even drummed for a few brides as they’ve
walk down the aisle. Parties are our favourite because we get
to bring extra drums and firesticks and get guests involved.
That’s when the fun really begins, everyone encourages each
other and has a good laugh at their friends.
With festival season just beginning, are you guys busy over the Christmas and New Year period?Yeah it’s a really busy time for us. The shop is going off,
that’s probably because there’s so many great Christmas
gifts (shameless plug). And we’re getting ready for Woodford
Festival which we’ll be heading up to on Boxing Day.
Where can our readers find out more about what you do or come and see you in action?Come visit our store at 20 James St Burleigh Heads we’re
open 7 days a week. You can check out our workshops times
and our online store.
W - www.threeworlds.com.auA – 20 James St. Burleigh Heads
Words – Mikael Strand (Dubmarine Trombonist) / Pictures – Jeremie Nagabbo (Dubmarine Guitairist)
In late September, Dubmarine had the unique privilege of travelling to Burketown to perform at the Morning Glory Festival.
As part of the festival we also had the opportunity to meet and run some workshops with kids from the local primary school
over ten days.
DUBMARINE DOES BURKETOWN
culture
Burketown is a small town
located on the Gulf of
Carpentaria, in north-west
Queensland. We needed two
planes to get there as well
as stops along the way at
Normanton and Mornington
Island. The band quickly got
a sense of the magic of this
country and its people. We
were made to feel extremely
welcome and the community
spirit was evident in the
incredible hospitality we
received.
Over the 10 days, we worked
with the kids on writing
some new lyrics to the
Dubmarine song None the
Wiser, which reflected the
natural flora and fauna of
Burketown. The kids also
had the opportunity to learn
some drumming skills on
makeshift African drums
(lovingly put together by
African drumming legend
Elliot Orr).
Needless to say, the
festival was an incredible
community gathering and
the kids performed to an
enthusiastic crowd. On our
last day the local council
cooked up a huge feast for
the town, which included
Dugong and Sea Turtle,
caught using traditional
Indigenous methods. It was a
fitting last day for the band as
we farewelled this incredible
part of our country.
We were also blessed to
bear witness to the Morning
Glory clouds on our last
morning. These clouds move
over the area in large banks
of unbroken cloud, and it
is a truly magnificent sight
to behold. This area is the
only place in Australia to
experience these types of
cloud formations.
Dubmarine will never
forget our adventures in
Burketown. A massive
thanks must go to all the
members of the local council
for welcoming us to your
community, as well as to
Arts Queensland. And a
special thanks to the people
of Burketown, who allowed
us to share our passion for
music-making with your
children. It was truly an
unforgettable experience for
all of us and we can’t wait to
come back!
culture
Words and Pictures - Jade Hopley
Last year we headed over to North
Stradbroke Island to bring you the Island
Vibe experience via video (view on our
website www.holisticlivingtv.com This year
we invited our readers to enter a competition
to win season passes to the festival, the only
catch is they had to experience as much as
they could and tell us all about it because
let’s face it, we can’t just keep the Island Vibe
experience all to ourselves. Plus, what better
way to review this amazing festival than
through the eyes and ears of someone new
to the experience.
Sally is our competition winner and mother
of one extremely gorgeous two year old
Annabelle. Our competition judges chose
Sally’s response because she wanted to show
our readers what it’s like to experience this
family friendly festival from the perspective
of an actual family.
Is this your first time at Island Vibe? Yes, first time.
How did you hear about it?Holistic Living. I saw the video from last
year and entered the competition from the
magazine.
What were your favorite acts, workshops, and/or activities? Oh the Kids Space, my daughter loved it
there.
Did the sustainable way the festival was run, make you think about the environmental impact of other festivals? Yes indeed! There was minimal waste and I
feel they thought about the least impact on
the land right down to their choice of toilets!
Do you normally go to festivals, if so what other festivals have you been to? Yes I do. I’ve been to Big Day Out, Soundwave
and Raga muffin
How does Island Vibe compare? Will you come back?
Yes I would definitely return for another
Island Vibe adventure! Such a great location,
especially compared to where most festivals
are held.
Sharon is my mum. She also tagged along to
Kuranda Roots festival. She loved Kuranda
roots (also organized by the rad dudes at
RudeKat), so much that she booked her
accommodation and tickets for Island Vibe
the week we got back from Cairns. Shazza
brings us a festival experience from a
different generation, because just because
your not 25 anymore, doesn’t mean you can’t
party with the cool kids!
Is this your first time at Island Vibe? Yes this is my first Island Vibe
How did you hear about it?I heard about it through the awesome Holistic
Living TV and HL magazine crew.
What were your favorite acts, workshops, and/or activities? Wow so many great acts workshops and/
or activities. Fav acts, Chocolate Strings,
Archie Roach and Bullhorn. Didn’t do any
workshops but liked the Island vibe t-shirt
printing activity and brought my t-shirt
from here so I could pick the design myself.
Did the sustainable way the festival was run, make you think about the environmental impact of other festivals? I was so impressed with the sustainable
practices of the IV Festival. I took pictures
and sent them to people I know on the GC
who work very hard to get the word out
to protect our environment and to use
sustainability practices.
Do you normally go to festivals, if so what other festivals have you been to? Last festival I went to was the Kuranda Roots
festival. They’re hard to separate as they’re
both pretty awesome.
How does Island Vibe compare? Will you come back? I felt the atmosphere, more stalls, location and
activities at Island Vibe were the best. I also
loved location of IV festival will definitely go
again.
Jade is a seasoned festival attendee, but this
was her first Island Vibe experience. She is a
musician, artist and hippy at heart and was
here to help run some activities in the kids
space.
Is this your first time at Island Vibe?Yes it was my first time to the festival.
How did you hear about it?I heard by word of mouth and it was
advertised around the community. Also a lot
of fellow friends were going.
What were your favorite acts, workshops, and/or activities? My favourite acts would have had to have
been OKA and Hugo and Treats. They did
a great job of bringing the crowd together
and connecting collectively. Also the earth
freq stage had some funky fun beats going,
I had an awesome time there too. I was
helping out at an art space with a friend, so
I enjoyed having the kids come in, creating
and bringing such a beautiful spontaneous
energy.
Did the sustainable way the festival was run, make you think about the environmental impact of other festivals? I was very impressed with the compost loo
system, it was innovative and it didn’t stink
or anything! I was really happy to see the
effort put into keeping the environment
clean, considering Stradbroke has been
protected quite well, apart from the
residential development. I didn’t think about
it then, but now I think about other festivals
and how waste management isn’t a priority
as much as it was at Island vibe. Definitely
can say that they were proactive on the
eco-friendly front!
Do you normally go to festivals, if so what other festivals have you been to?Yes I love going to festivals! I go to bush
doofs such as Manifest, Eart freq and usually
Woodford and Blues Fest every year.
How does Island Vibe compare? Will you come back? Island vibe is much more family friendly
which I really loved, seeing children
everywhere added a lovely energy. And I
noticed there are no substances and drinking
like other festivals can involve. The vibe is
very mellow and gentle, and the people were
really nice and approachable. Also the surf is
right there which is really unique and it’s on
an island, time slows down. It will be up there
with my favorites.
November 20-23 2014.
Pictures - Jade Hopley
We are very fortunate here
at HL to be able to attend
some of the most popular
and exciting festivals in
Australia. We had heard
so many wonderful things
about the Mullum Music
Festival that this year we
just had to be there. Held
in the hinterland town
of Mullumbimby, just 15
minutes north of Byron Bay,
this usually quiet town gets
transformed overnight to
a buzzing arts metropolis
with 12 venues hosting over
120 shows and workshops
over 4 days.
Launching in 2008, the
festival grew out of a
realisation from locals that
they had the capacity and
resources to promote art,
music and culture within
the town using the beautiful
facilities they already had
culture
available. Considering the first opening
night back in 2008 nearly didn’t happen
due to severe storms, Mullum Music
Festival has exploded over the last eight
years, drawing international names this
year such as Hurray for the Riff Raff, Nahko
(from Nahko and Medicine for the People),
Andy Brown, Bongeziwe Mabandla and C R
Avery. Aussies lining up this year’s festival
were just as impressive and came from all
over. From locals Bullhorn, Dubmarine,
Kooii, Bobby Alu, and Claire Cottone from
CC the Cat to interstate artists like Declan
Kelly and the Rising Sun, Kim Churchill,
Husky, Bustamento and Jordan Rakei. The
impressive and diverse line up suited all
age levels and had an eclectic mix of roots,
reggae, world, R&B, soul, rock and funk.
As the festival is spread out over the
community, the local businesses benefit
from the influx of festival goers and get to
enjoy the festival atmosphere. Free events
are held over the four days and walking
from venue to venue there is a real sense
of fun, community, collaboration, relaxation
and enjoyment.
Due to the fact the venues are already
existing and capable of holding crowds, the
environmental impact is extremely low.
Festival goers either walk,
ride or catch the eye catching
“magic bus” from venue to
venue (dressing up advised
but not compulsory.) To
offset any carbon footprint
the festival may create, they
have initiated a tree planting
program with the Byron’s
Bush Regeneration team and
Brunswick Valley Landcare,
which has planted more than
1000 trees in the Mullum
area to date.
The promotion and
nurturing of the local youth
and their passion is evident
in every aspect of the
Festival. Young local artists
are encouraged to apply to
perform and many are given
slots throughout the festival
to showcase their work. A
mentoring program is also
set up between professional
artists such as Declan Kelly
and the local kids to help
them hone their skills and
learn from professionals in
their chosen field.
Mullum music festival is a
place where you will run
into old friends, dance to
your favourites and discover
some new ones. Whether
it be a soulful solo act on a
keyboard such as Jordan
Reiki or the Bollywood
infusion of eleven piece
Bombay Royale, this festival
is hitting all the right
notes and we drove away
exhausted, inspired, grateful
and smiling.
Thanks Mullum!
W - www.mullummusicfestival.com
INCLUDES2 hour shoot
5x Hi res digital images
1x 8x10 Print
CHRISTMAS SPECIAL$170 0404359878
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jadehopley.wordpress.com
WEDDINGS | FASHION | FAMILY | PORTFOLIO | SURF | TRAVEL | MUSIC
environment
Words – Josephine Flynn
Christmas is the most enjoyable and exciting time of the
year. Unfortunately, it can also be a time where we create
excessive amounts of waste and put extra pressure on our
environment but this does not have to be the case! Read our
tips below to create a fun filled and sustainable Christmas.
1 – Create homemade cards and gifts.Homemade cards and gifts is one of the easiest (and money
saving) ways to help reduce waste. Instead of buying lots of
cheap little gifts from the two dollar store (all imported from
China), take time either by yourself or with friends or the
kids to make a gift filled with love.
2 – Buy services instead of goods.Buy buying a service from a local business (e.g. massage,
bowen therapy treatment, guitar lessons) you’re not only
helping the environment, you’re supporting local businesses.
Buying gifts online from a website means shipping costs,
packaging and delivery costs, which are all detrimental to
the health of the planet. Reduce the size of the gift (gift
certificate) and by buying local, you’ve created a nearly zero
impact gift and supported a local in the process – win win!
3 – Support a charity and give a gift that gives back.This is one of our favourites here at HL and we’ll give a lot
of these this Christmas. We LOVE giving gifts that give
back. Our favourite is a gift from Oxfam. They send a card
to your recipient telling them what gift you
have bought in their name for someone in
the World in need. We love giving chickens,
kids pencil packs, a goat, even fresh water to
people who need it the most. PLUS no gift
that’s going to go out of fashion or run out
of batteries that will get thrown out. This
is the perfect gift for absolutely anyone and
most importantly, those in need benefit from
it too!
4 – Start a tradition.This Christmas start a tradition with your
family that gets everyone thinking about
how lucky we are. Take a bush walk, create a
birds Christmas tree in your back yard with
peanut butter, pine cones, tinsel, anything
that the birds love to play with and watch
them enjoying Christmas too, plant a tree,
take one hour to head to your local beach/
park/river and clean up, anything that gets
your working as a group or family to get
outdoors and enjoy the wonderful world we
live in.
5 – Gift give back.Prior to Christmas, get the kids to go through
their toys and pick toys they want to give to
those in need while explaining how others
aren’t as fortunate as they are. Take the toys
down to the local Op Shop with the kiddies
and let them give them to
the staff – it gives them a
sense of helping and giving
– which is what Christmas is
all about.
6 – Recycled wrapping paper.My Mum always told me to
save my wrapping paper and
I’ve kept doing that through
my adult life – this has created
a myriad of mish mashed
coverings and a world of
possibilities! You can always
reuse wrapping paper! Get
inventive by sticking pieces
together, using greenery
from the backyard as your
decoration and then keep
your wrapping paper from
this year! Alternatively, use
pieces of fabric as wrapping
paper and give a unique
twist to your gift giving.
7 – Reusable dinnerware.It’s so easy at this hectic
time to rely on plastic plates
and cutlery. STOP before
you pick up that $2 bag
of plastic forks, about the
environmental impact that would have if
we ALL bought just one of those packets…
and being plastic, they’re around FOREVER!
Instead, use the plates you have, if you need
more, go to the local op shop and create a
unique and vintage look at your Christmas
table this year with plates from tables past.
Alternatively, borrow from friends! It’ll be
a talking point at the dinner table and you’ll
look like you’re totally “on trend” with your
vintage inspired table.
8 – Eco-friendly Xmas TreeThis has been a great debate for some time…
which Christmas tree is the most sustainable?
Some say the good old real Christmas tree, as
long as it has come from a specific Christmas
tree farm and not from the forest. Although,
others question the sprays used to keep the
trees alive. Some people opt for the fake
Christmas tree, however, once these are
used a few times they become rather ratty
and end up in landfill. We at HL like to use
what we already have or something we’re
going to keep. E.g. decorating a tree in your
yard or a plant in your home to look like a
Christmas tree. Alternatively, but a plant
that looks like a Christmas tree and watch it
grow over the years while giving joy to your
family at Christmas time. Money saved each
year on buying one and an
environmentally friendly
option for the planet! Yay!
9 – Environmentally friendly decorations.Now we all know Christmas
trees look the best of a night
time with the lights on! This
year, make sure you use LED
lights or energy efficient
lights to keep both the cost
of running the lights down
and if they’re LED, they’ll
last you much longer…saving
money and keeping them out
of landfill.
For the decorations, instead
of buying a big cheap box
of plastic ornaments that
will break and die before
next year, choose to make
decorations at home (an
awesome activity with the
kids) or buy local and support
a local business. My parents
buy one new Christmas
ornament each year
from a local shop or from
somewhere they’ve been
during the year. Their tree
is always full of memories
from years past and each
piece tells a story.
10 – Shop Local for your dinner table.Visit your local fruit and
veg shop, butcher, baker or
organic markets to create
your Christmas feasts. Large
grocery stores ship in their
produce and is stored in
freezer trucks up to months
before it’s in your fridge. Cut
the cost down and get your
plates as fresh as from the
paddock as possible. More
nutrients for you and your
family, support local and
cut down transport costs for
produce.
11 – Compost.
After serving the masses,
ensure any food scraps go
into the compost and not
into the bin. At least 40%
of house waste comes from
food wastage and that’s
gorgeous nutrients that can
be going into your plants!
Organic material that ends
up in landfill is eventually
compacted and covered,
which reduces the amount
of oxygen it receives. These
materials then release
methane, a flammable
greenhouse gas 21 times
more potent than carbon
dioxide! Create a compost
or worm farm, make your
garden beautiful and protect
the ozone layer all at the
same time.
12 - Clean Green.Once the guests have left
and the Christmas pudding
has settled, make sure you
clean up using all natural
cleaning products that you
can make yourself using
products from your kitchen
cupboard. No toxins, so not
harmful to the family and
no negative impact on the
environment. Use products
such as white vinegar or
lemon juice (inhibits the
growth of bacteria), baking
soda (natural scouring agent,
deodoriser and cleanser),
Olive oil to polish furniture
and hydrogen peroxide to
help remove stains. Essential
oils mixed in to any of these
will give a pleasant smell and
depending on the oil, will
give added benefits to the
task.
Inspiration, Music
Picture care of Nahko Australianmanagement Heapsaflash
{NahkoWords - Jade Hopley
A few years back we had the pleasure
of covering an event in Byron Bay for a
community organization called Positive
Change for Marine Life. As we interviewed
the Director of the organization, Karl Goodsell
for Holistic Living TV, we hear a distant
drumming and chanting, slowing making its
way closer and closer. I run off up the street
to be greeted by this amazing crew, lead by
one of the most beautiful beings I’ve ever had
the pleasure of meeting. Overwhelmed by the
magic of moment, I quickly forget my mission;
suddenly I’m snapped back to reality and
continue to run towards the group. In the heat
of the moment, my professional composure
is lost, and I yell, “You are beautiful but you
need to shut up!” Instantly I regret my words,
but before I could recoil, the man with the
drum grabs me and hugs me… I eventually
introduce myself, officially, and explain what
the deal is. We all have a laugh as we walk
towards the venue together.
Fast forward to November
2014 and here I am writing
an interview for that very
man. In the years following
that first encounter I have
found a deep love for the
music and the message of
Nahko and Medicine for the
Peopl. There is so much I
want to ask, but alas I have
a word count… so ill leave it
here and let you discover the
magic of the man they call
Nahko Bear.
We hear you have a very interesting background. We would love to hear your story, and how you came to be a musician. Everyone’s story is unique.
Mine just happens to be
translatable through music
and storytelling...or maybe
I’ve just been gifted to share
it as such. There are so many
twists and turns and ups
and downs in this story that
reflect the rawness of the
human condition and experience. There’s something in there
that everyone can relate to. I started playing piano at age 6,
kept up with it through teenage years, taught myself guitar
at 14, started writing little songs during that time. All very
angsty teen love songs, ya know? It wasn’t until I moved to
Hawaii in my early twenties that I really started digging deep
into self-discovery and a spiritual path.
You always seem to be on the road, what is your favorite gig to date?Bluesfest this past year was pretty full power. That’s a hard
one. I find so much depth in every performance. A different
beauty is found in each transmission. Playing in the Black
Hills of South Dakota alongside my brother Xavier Rudd this
past fall was also very powerful.
Where is home? And how often do you get to head back there?I go back and forth between Hawaii and Los Angeles. I’m not
in either of those places much, but when I am I soak it up and
ground in as much as possible.
Your music is very socially & environmentally conscious. Do you get much feedback from your fans on how they have been inspired/touched by your words?A lot of the feedback comes from the heart. I’ve heard a lot of
“I’ve turned my life around” stories which is really beautiful
to hear so much because that means we’re doing the right
thing.
We recently interviewed Australian musician Akova who is doing a ‘Time To stand’ campaign, asking his fans to post photos and videos of the sign which will be featured in his
upcoming video clip. It is a very similar concept to your ‘I believe in the good things coming’ campaign. Can you tell us more about it?Oh, yeah I saw that. That’s so awesome. The
“I believe” campaign is really simple. And it’s
turning into a really cool interactive sharing
stage for our tribe. It’s a picture message,
essentially. It’s a way to show the tribe what
we’re working on and where work needs to
be done still. It’s a hopeful visual collage of
the world we want to live in. And, of course,
it came from the song ‘Black As Night’ that is
all about moving on to the next phase of time
and washing away the old paradigm.
How did you come together with your band Medicine For The People?I met everyone at different times and very
different locations. And what is so beautiful
I think too is that we all have been friends
for some time now and we get to travel and
share healing and ceremony with our tribe.
It’s pretty special.
You seem to be in Australia more and more each year; what is it that draws you to our beautiful part of the world?I have a deep connection to the red land. The
story of the indigenous people of America
and the Aboriginal people of Australia Picture care of Jade Hopley
are very similar and my work with native
communities here in the states is easily
translatable in the red country. Also, our
music has caught like a wildfire over there
and the people and land seem to be calling us
back all the time. I’m in love.
What’s next for you and the band? We’re on a little break finally so we’re soaking
up some island sun here in Hawaii. Then off
for the four weeks of ‘Water Is Life’ tour in
Australia.
How can our readers find out when and where you will be playing?www.nahko.com
Lastly, what independent music, are you digging at the moment that our readers should be checking out?Trevor Hall, Ed Sheeran, Dustin Thomas,
First Aid Kit, The Tallest Man On Earth,
Tribe Called Red, The Earth Guardians,
Frank Waln.
W – www.nahko.comFB – www.facebook.com/nahkoandmedicineforthepeople
Picture care of Jade Hopley
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music
How did OKA start and how long have you been together now?OKA started in 2001 as a street busking
jam connection that continued into a jam
in my parents lounge room. Our first
album ‘elements’ was born 3 days later and
we started on this crazy journey that still
continues today.
At your recent Island Vibe gig, you spoke about a strong connection to country and culture. Can you please tell our readers about this connection? You hear a lot of black fellas talk of
their connection to ‘country’, this is their
connection to the spirit of the land/mother
earth. Indigenous communities, culture
and customs have evolved from this direct
Words - Jade Hopley
Pictures - Care of OKA
Walking through Island Vibe 2014 on
Sunday afternoon with my counterparts,
all of us on a high after just seeing Archie
Roach perform, reminiscing about the past
two and a half days, I suddenly see Stu from
OKA in the distance. Without a word I run
off to catch him. He stops and gives me a big
hug, and we have a chat about his band OKA,
our shared love and respect for Island Vibe
Festival, culture, family and collaborations.
He introduces me to Marcus Berg, whose
vocals blew the crowds minds the previous
evening; then we bid each other goodbye and
promise to catch up on the dance floor later…
connection to country. It’s a connection that connects us all as Australians,
we just need to learn to listen and relate to country again. By respecting
& connecting to country we connect to each other through respect, which
builds a stronger community built around looking after earth and each other
and not existing in a world of greed.
You also mentioned that your Yidaki (didgeridoo) has been passed down through generations, what is the story behind that? The Yidaki literally translates to: the sound of mother earth. It’s used in
ceremony to connect to the spirit of country. It is an instrument that is passed
from generation to generation as part of keeping that connection to country,
keeping culture alive.
On your new album Free spirit and at recent gigs we have had the pleasure of hearing the incredible vocal styling of Marcus Berg. How did this collaboration come about? Marcus Berg aka MARKANDEYA is an amazing roots vocalist from Sweden
that we met a few years ago in Bali. We were performing at the Bali Spirit
Festival and he was in the audience listening. By chance we connected the
next day walking through
the streets of Ubud where he
gave me some of his music.
Instantly we connected and
started collaborating on
some new tracks that ended
up on the latest album ‘Free
Spirit’.
What was the inspiration behind the Mt Wollumbin (Mt Warning) camp outs? The site is very sacred to the local Indigenous community, however sadly a lot of people I talk to have no idea about its history. Is this something you talk to the revelers about when you’re there? The whole idea of the OKA
Camp Out was to reconnect
to the spirit of the land.
OKA music is all about,
Culture, Connection, Family,
Community, Dance, Relaxing
and living life in the positive.
So the Camp Out is a way
for us to celebrate all those
things in a two day event.
We wanted to give people the opportunity
to dance to an extended OKA sound track, to
share a night connected as a community and
even experiencing YOGA in a new way with
an OKA flavour. The true focus however,
was to create an environment for people to
learn and experience Indigenous culture in a
new way and by absorbing the spirituality of
the sacred country. Hopefully people gain a
stronger connection to country, Indigenous
culture and community.
Are you the main songwriter or is it a team effort? Although I’m the main musical and creative
director in OKA the sound is a colour created
by all the musicians involved. It really is the
OKA collective, each player brings a certain
flavour and energy to the sound.
Who are your main inspirations when it comes to songwriting? My inspirations when songwriting are
my family, my culture, my travels, the
communities we connect with along the
way, but most importantly the connection to
earth/country & culture.
We hear you’re also a pretty mean artist! Is this something you have always done? Yeah art has always balanced my life along
with music, I’ve always done it from a little
kid to now. It’s a big part of my life for sure and a nice
connection I share with my little daughter who is exploring
her own culture, identity & self expression through both
art and music.
What’s next for OKA and where can our readers keep up to date? We are deep in the creation of a new album, recording new
music and preparing a 2015/2016 tour that will see us back
in Europe, UK, Nth America, Asia and in new territories
for us like south America, India, Nepal and South Africa.
A big part of the tour will be sharing our music in remote
communities both here in OZ and over in Canada which is
very exciting. That will definitely keep us busy, so wish us
luck… the OKA journey continues…
Lastly what Aussie artists are you digging at the moment? Well there are some amazing aussie artists at the moment
and some of my fave reggae - roots groups are coming out
of brizzy based studio - ‘Tanuki Lounge’ like Kingfisha
and Bobby Alu. Check out the big sounds of Bullhorn and
the crazy sound of my favourite ‘up n coming’ blackfella
guitarist - Chris Tamwoy.
W – www.okamusic.comFB – www.facebook.com/okamusic
Find the largest range of frames, albums,
photo gift ideas and more at Capture That
Photographics.
Share those special moments with friends and
family this christmas.
View our full range onlinewww.capturethatphotographics.com.au
Phone: 02 9233 5840
Words and Pictures - Kelly Fielding
There is something I really love about eating outdoors. A
big rug on the grass, a spread of healthy colorful food, plates
balanced on knees, the smell of summer in the air, good friends
and beautiful nature- it doesn’t get much better really.
I love eating with my fingers, letting time roll by without any
need to know the hour, allowing laughter and conversation to
flow over the passing of plates and pouring of drinks.
My idea of picnic food isn’t really sandwiches, chips and soda.
Instead, these simple raw vegan picnic recipes are vibrant and
nourishing, full of the flavors of Summer and the colors of all
seasons combined!
I like to make simple food that allows the robust flavors of
seasonal produce to shine- there is nothing quite like the taste of
summer strawberries or biting into fresh ripe cherry tomatoes.
So visit your local Farmers market, grab your favorite picnic rug
and head into the wildness to laze about and enjoy the taste of
summer goodness.
The following recipes serve two to four people.
W - www.bellaandbhakti.com
PICNIC IDEASnutrition
C l e a n G r e e n N o r i R o l l s w i t h a v o c a d o s p r o u t s a n d t a h i n iThis was my staple travel food for a while, sometimes minus
the fresh sunflower sprouts! I found that if I traveled with
nori sheets and macadamia butter or tahini and some good
quality salt, I could usually pick up an avocado or some fresh
greens somewhere, and this was just heaven.
4 raw nori sheets
4 tablespoons of tahini
2 cups of fresh sunflower
sprouts
2 avocados
a dozen sun dried tomatoes
Himalayan salt
Lay the nori sheets flat and fill
each one with one tablespoon
of macadamia butter, ½ a
cup of fresh sprouts, ½ of an
avocado, a few sliced sun dried
tomatoes and a pinch of salt.
Roll the nori up and eat fresh
with your hands!
You can choose to add any
fillings you like, but I find this
particular combination so
simple and so tasty. Sometimes
I will add a spread of miso
paste instead of the salt.
C h o c o l a t e , B e e t r o o t a n d O r a n g e C a k e w i t h R a s p b e r r y C a s h e w C r e a m F r o s t i n gThis was a cake created in part by one of my all time favorite kitchen partners.
How much fun we used to have creating new recipes and going on foodie
adventures! This is a light chocolate cake, lightened by the addition of orange
zest and coconut flour. It is a brilliant red color when sliced and always delights
dinner guests!
2 ½ cups of brazil nuts
½ cup of coconut nectar
1 ½ cups of coconut flour
1 cup of soft or soaked dates
2 beetroots grated
1 orange- zest only
1 cup of cacao powder
Process brazil nuts until they form a fine
powder. Add all of the other ingredients
and process until smooth and the mixture
combines easily. You may need to do this in
batches if your food processor is small.
Press the mixture into a spring form cake tin
and refrigerate while you make the icing.
Icing
1 cup of soaked and strained
cashews (try to soak your
cashew for 2-4 hours)
1 tablespoon of coconut nectar
¼ teaspoon of vanilla essence
2 tablespoons of coconut oil
½ cup of fresh raspberries
1-2 tablespoons of almond milk
Blend all ingredients in a high-speed blender
until smooth and creamy. You may need
to add a little extra almond milk so that it
blends easily.
Spread the icing over the cake and decorate
with coconut and pistachios.
R a w Z u c c h i n i H u m m u sI think it is almost impossible to have a picnic without
hummus- they were just made to be together. This hummus
uses zucchini in place of the usual chickpeas. You can still
make a raw hummus with chickpeas, you just need to soak
and sprout them for a few days before making. This one
though is simple, fast and really delicious!
2 large zucchinis
peeled and chopped
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons
of tahini
1 ½ teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons cumin
2 cloves of garlic
Paprika and sesame
seeds to garnish
Blend all of the ingredients in
a high speed blender or in a
food processor until smooth
and creamy. I find grating
the zucchini first enables it
to blend really easily.
Taste and season to your
liking.
Serve on top of salad or as a
dip sprinkled with paprika
and sesame seeds.
A S I A N S U M M E R S L A W½ a large green or purple
cabbage finely sliced
2 carrots grated
1 spring onion finely sliced
1 red capsicum finely diced
1 cucumber finely diced
2 teaspoons of sesame seeds
1 tablespoon of raisons
Dressing
¼ cup dried apricots soaked
+ 2 tablespoons soak water
1/4 cup of tahini
2 tablespoons of tamari
1 tablespoon of fresh ginger
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1 tablespoons of raw
untoasted sesame oil
Blend dressing ingredients
until smooth, using enough
of the apricot soak water to
create a smooth consistency.
Mix the dressing through
the coleslaw until well
combined, massaging well
with your hands.
Sprinkle with fresh mint and
sesame seeds
Q u i n o a T a b b o u l e h w i t h m i n t a n d s u n d r i e d o l i v e sTabbouleh is a bit of a staple picnic salad! Fresh and full of flavor with mint,
lime and parsley, this is a delicious salad on its own or with a dollop of zucchini
hummus (see recipe below!) Here the wheat is substituted with quinoa for a
light, gluten free alternative
1 ½ cups of cooked quinoa
1 large Cucumber diced
1 red bell pepper diced
¼ cup of sun ripened black
olives
1 handful of mint leaves, finely
chopped
1 handful of coriander leaves,
finely chopped
1 cup of parsley finely chopped
1 handful of pea shoots or
sunflower sprouts
½ a punnet of cherry tomatoes
halved
1 lime juiced
1 tablespoon of olive oil
Freshly cracked Himalayan salt
and black pepper
Chop the cauliflower into large chunks then
add them to the food processor. Pulse until
the texture is a rice-like consistency.
Place in a bowl and add the cucumber,
capsicum, coriander, parsley and mint.
Squeeze the juice of 1 lime over the vegetable
mix and top with cherry tomatoes, pea shoots
and lots of freshly ground black pepper.
‘Tis the season to be jolly and
we cannot believe how fast
it has come around this year.
Thinking about Christmas
brings back memories of
summer holidays. Growing
up in western Sydney, I
was not lucky enough to
grow up next to the ocean.
Being a surfer meant that
my summer holidays as a
teenager were spent with
my friends catching public
transport, taking up to 3
or more hours to get to the
surf. This all went down
pre internet, pre surf cam
and no magic seaweed to
check before we left. We
just grabbed our boards and
jumped on those trains with
the faith that Huey would
come through… On the
days we arrived after our
epic journey and the surf
was flat, we made the most
of it. Soaking up the rays,
eating chiko rolls, drinking
chocolate milk, reading
our favorite surf mags and
fantasizing about the age
old surfer’s right to passage-
The Surf Trip. We would
read tales from other surfers
heading north to surf the
famous Kirra Beach (which
I now view from my lounge
room window), or better
still jumping on a plane to
Indo, or Tonga, or Hawaii.
All this reminiscing and
also planning of my own
surf trip got us thinking,
what if we asked some of
our fellow surfer buddies
about some adventure they
have had whilst on the
search for the perfect wave…
Read on to hear Shannon’s
treacherous journey to get to
a deserted wave somewhere
in Indonesia, Joel’s tales
of meeting the all too
famous Bali Monkeys and
Colbey’s (aka Rubber ducky)
memories from this year’s
Bluesfest.
surf
N i c k C O L B Y
While Easter time for
surfing is focused around
the Bells contest, in Byron
Bay it marks the annual
Blues & Roots Festival
with this year boasting
its 25th happening. It’s a
pilgrimage undertaken by
all sorts of folk – the die-
hard older couples who have
also been together as long
as the festival. They cruise
around with armchairs and
laminated line-up guides
happily watching everything
from the edge of the tent.
Then there’s the families
out and about, the teens
who have just legged it
over the fence, the hippies,
the trippies, the skegs, the
bogans from Queensland,
the Sydney-siders, the
Melbourne-ites and all the
international travellers
who happen to be floating
around Byron the same time
as the festival. Then there
are people like me. I grew
up in Byron and now living
in Sydney (a.k.a The Squid)
it always seems fitting to go
home this time of year and
get amongst the action and
my word, what a bunch of
fucking action that went
down.
I jumped in my mate’s car
on Wednesday, also a born
and bred Byronian and as I
write this it’s been exactly a
week of amazement, hilarity,
challenges, confrontations,
dancing and bewilderment
since we left Sydney. The
journey up alone was a
worthy experience for a
long weekend. We surfed a
pumping 4-5 foot beachie
with 20 idiots surfing in the
corner getting amongst the
close outs leaving the far
more peaky bank down the
beach left un-ridden and
solely for our enjoyment.
In Sydney, if someone even
paddles for a wave down
the beach you’d see sheep
come flocking to the peak
from everywhere as if it
were Jesus himself. The first
session was already worth
escaping the smog. You see,
my mate and I spend a whole
lot of time wondering why
the fuck we left Byron in the
first place and coming home
just re-enforces the question
to ring even louder in our
heads.
That night we rolled into
Angourie quite late and
heckled Rod Dahlberg’s
daughter for a spare couch
to crash on but she knew
better then to let two hedgy
dudes who’d been sitting in
a car for 8 hours into the
house. So we jumped in a
bush with our board bags
sporting all things warm.
But it wasn’t enough as the autumn chill
was freezing under a very bright and full
moon. You could watch lines roll through the
point and build over the hours of paranoid
tossing and turning on our board bags. We
woke up totally cooked from a long day prior
with no sleep and got a few out the point but
not having the best session, we opted to cut
it early and then continued north. Arriving
into the shire my brother and another local
lord who had flown home from Karratha in
West Oz took us to the best banks and we
had another challenging surf. All this and
Blues hadn’t even started. Before I knew it
the cans of beer were on ice at the back of
a friends house and the drunken foolery
began. Although that first beer tasted like
pure heaven it wasn’t easy to keep up to speed
with the rest of the crew on the first day. It’s
not easy either coming home to a small town
where everyone knows what your up to
and everyone wants to make a joke of your
“hipster” or “squirrel” antics moving to the
big smoke. Working at a surf mag, playing in
a band and studying are all excellent ammo
to give it to a once long time local and one
exhausted human from the drive up. Plus all
you want to do is get into the festival spirit
and all your Mum wants you to do is hang
out with her and yarn the same gossip you
heard the last time you were up. But that’s
just how it is, you give and get given.
There’s nothing quite like a great music
festival. Everyone is high on life, talented
humans are blessing you with organized
sounds you swear are from outer space,
there’s amazing food available everywhere,
there’s beautiful women all around
letting their hair down and you’re usually
surrounded by your good friends kicking up
dust dancing your heart out or standing in
awe at a performance. Now drink a shitload
of beer and add other enhancements to that
concoction and your in for something very,
very special. And that’s how every night was
for 5 days – a hypnotic dance off filled with
laughter and weirdness and cooked brains
that later washed on into town with everyone
getting split up and somehow getting back to
Byron in the wee hours of the morning in
one piece. One thing is for sure is that most
surfers know how to have a great time day or
night. But the best thing about being a surfer
during this madness is that if the surfs good
your up regardless of your state, and that’s
how I got the new nickname “rubber ducky.”
Saturday morning I came too and was in
a car on my way to surf quite solid Lennox
down the beach. My mate got an absolute
ripper of a right in front of me. A 6 foot beast
that barrelled for 6 seconds before he stroked
in and got completely slotted for a further
50 meters. Being far from sober to say the
least watching this moment was incredible
and made me want to out do him. Huey
disagreed with a commanding no in the form
of an 8-ft whitewash chucked straight on
my head. I should of went in then as Huey
was definitely telling me to wash on up the
beach and stick to dancing this weekend but
I couldn’t walk away from the sight of empty
6 footers barreling down the bank. I then
proceeded to seriously struggle to get back
out the back for half an hour. Eventually
my stubbornness got me back out and after
all this I took off on one gem but it ran off
and sucked me over the falls. The next three
waves smoked me and my leg-rope came off.
I started to panic but luckily my board was
floating a mere 20-metres away. I turned and
started swimming as fast as I could thinking
I could get there based on my hazy judgment
between the next wave coming and my board
bobbing in the whitewash. The frothy wave
was rearing up fast at my back but I was only
just a few strokes away from my saviour so
I thought I was in the clear. I latched onto
my board and tried with all
my strength to cling on. The
board ripped out from my
exhausted arms. I started
freaking out. This wasn’t
the most hairy situation
I’ve had in the water but I
was completely zapped of
all of my energy. I looked
around with pure panic to
see something that was of
a mirage – a rubber ducky
boat with two lifesavers
patrolling the gutter closer
towards the beach. I yelled
out and somehow they
heard and were there in a
heartbeat to drag my sorry
arse to the beach. I told them
about my night previous and
they suggested I get some
rest. I also stupidly told my
mate about where I had been
the last hour upon arriving
to him cruising in the car
park eating a pie and he had
no sympathy whatsoever,
with a simply reply to my
tale saying “You’re fucking
washed up.”
And yeah to my defence of
course I am washed up, it’s
Easter weekend, half the
town of Byron is severely
hung over every morning
over this 5 day experience,
bar a fair few locals who
head for the hills every time
Blues Fest rolls around. It
was the dumbest thing I’ve
done pushing myself to
exhaustion on that Saturday
morning. But after being
barrelled all weekend and
ending up on stage with the
closing act Watussi on one of
the smaller stages on the last
day of the festival dancing
around with a makeshift
shaker made from a drink
bottle full of the dirt I was
dancing on all weekend with
thousands cheering me on
well, I knew I’d had enjoyed
the weekend for all it’s
worth.
- Colbey
J o e l H u r r e ySurfing and adventure has
always been my life. I feel
if you take life too seriously
then you’re not “in the
moment” and that moment
will be lost.
With 17 years of surfing
under my belt and some
stunning locations stored in
my mind, life can only be
good.
As a television surf
commentator / wildlife
expert I am very blessed to
be able to travel the world
and do what I love, surf and
work. Wherever my travel
bag goes, so does my board
bag and after traveling for
so many years I feel I haven’t
even scratched the surface.
A surfing life is a life with
dedication and passion.
Growing up in Melb (I’m sure
it’s both) as a young gromy
in a non-surfing family, with
no license and the closest
beach 300 miles away, I had
to beg for my Dad to take me
surfing. Lucky for him the
Victorian winters kept me
in the car next to the heater
more than in the water. Ice
cream headaches, frozen
fingers and toes and no hot
showers for miles around
showed me I was born to be
a surfer.
With age came strength,
advanced surfing and of
course my license, a great
recipe for any young surfer.
Free to travel the open road
and find endless waves with
no one on them, it sure
did sound like something I
wanted to be apart of.
Just like any sport as you
progress so does your drive
to become better, hence
the move the one of the
best surfing spots in the
world, The Gold Coast. I
have travelled to Hawaii,
Indonesia and still agree
with the surfing world that
when the Goldy is on, it’s by
far one of the best waves in
the world.
After just returning from
an epic stint in Indonesia I
learnt two things, 7-11ft is
my limit and monkey’s can
fly (attached picture) It’s
great to be home.....
If adventure is in your
blood and you just happen
to love surfing as well, be
sure to tune in to watch
Joel on Mysurf.tv, Sunday
4pm on One HD to follow
some seriously good surfing
at some seriously good
locations. Joel can also be
caught on his wildlife and
surfing segment on The
Daily Edition on Ch 7.
S h a n n o n D a v i d s o nWith no sign of any Westerner, she
passed cautiously through the rotted
wooden boat catching glimpses of dark
faces peering through the shanty cabins
intrigued by her blonde hair and tan
skin. Given the spontaneity of the six
month journey she quickly realised
that her basic Indonesian would not
serve her in this situation. There was
a task she had been putting off for as
long as she could bear but she was now
desperately needing to locate some
form of a toilet. The rear of the boat
was dark and unexplored, a kerosene
lamp clattered noisily against the wall,
hung by a tattered rope giving just
enough light to locate the only door
she hadn’t attempted to enter, a door
barely hanging upright on its hinges.
An Indonesian man sat nearby, cigarette
poised between his lips, his dark eyes
staring her down, she passed with little
care as she was at the point of bursting. Sea
sickness hadn’t bothered her until the sight
of the apparent toilet, perhaps it was lucky
to not be so well lit as she closed the rusty
door, barely managing to fit in the small area,
the rock of the sea causing her to slip and
slide on the mouldy floor, the stench almost
unbearable. She noticed a small coke bottle
and plastic pipe letting water pass through
the drilled hole in the wooden deck, barely
keeping up to its intended task but assuring
her she must have been in the right place.
She returned to her sleeping area, stomach
now churning, once again finding her spot
nestled between dozens of Indonesians
on the floor. Chickens noisily contained in
woven cages, cockroaches scrambling past
avoiding the heavy footprint of restless
children. Her iPod became her saviour,
relieving the anxiety and reality of how far
she had stepped out of her comfort zone, the
lyrics of her favourite songs meaning more
than ever before, each beat matching the beat
of her heavy heart as she eventually drifted
to sleep only to be woken by the violent sway
of the boat in the treacherous swells. She
lay quietly observing the movement of life
around her. She began to cultivate thoughts
of the human condition, the basic need for
survival and safety, food
and water, love and equality.
Later she would discover a
boat travelling that night
on the very same route had
capsized in the rough seas
killing seven locals. She had
risked it all for the prospect
of perfect waves.
She was two hours away
from her destination,
now travelling by a small
dugout canoe navigating
bays lined in palm trees
and mesmerising crystal
blue waters. It had taken
almost three days of travel.
The sight was absolutely
spellbinding. A surfer
standing tall in a perfectly
groomed overhead barrel
breaking along a pristine
reef. An immense grin crept
over her weary face and
shivers lit up her spine, her
previously held doubts of
the journey vanished and
she had finally reached the
ultimate surfer’s dreamland.
Words – Ash Perrow / Pictures - Jade Hopley
Bowen Therapy is a gentle, holistic method of bodywork encouraging
healing and pain relief. It was originally developed by Australian Tom
Bowen. In 1975, several years before his death, a public inquiry (government
of Victoria, Australia) reported that Bowen treated an estimated 13,000
patients per year with an 80 per cent success rate in symptoms that were
associated with a wide range of conditions.
B O W E N T H E R A P Y
well-being
B O W E N T H E R A P Y
Bowen believed that
the cause or source of
many musculoskeletal,
neurological, neuromuscular
and other health problems
could be found in the soft
tissue or fascia. Fascia is
a structure of connective
tissue that surrounds
muscles, blood vessels,
and nerves, binding some
structures together, whilst
facilitating others to slide
smoothly over each other.
Releasing the fascia tissue
reduces pain and stimulates
the body to heal in targeted
areas. Fascia has become
the subject of increasing
research and recent studies
have shown it to be the
largest sensory organ in the
body. It is rich in a range of
receptors that impact upon
the body’s neuro-muscular
physiology.
Being a holistic modality
Bowen Therapy treats the
whole body. This means that
Bowen treatments can not only reduce pain
and encourage healing but also impact upon
stress and energy levels, toxicology in the
body, immunity, circulation and lymphatic
drainage. Treatments involve a series of
gentle moves or procedures on targeted
areas of the body. Clients report muscle
relaxation, tingling, hot or cold sensations
and an improvement in their general sense
of wellbeing. The non-invasive nature of
Bowen Therapy means that it is suitable for
newborns, infants, toddlers, children, adults
and the elderly.
Bowen Therapy now has more than 26,000
practitioners working in over 40 countries
around the world. One such practitioner is
Ash Perrow on the Gold Coast. We dropped
by to ask Ash a few questions about this
emerging therapy.
How did you get into Natural Therapies?My partner Kylie Lowe has a social enterprise
called Joining Hands (see August Issue 3 for
a full article). A percentage of profits from
Joining Hands goes towards giving homeless
and vulnerable young people health and
wellbeing services including Bowen Therapy.
I was playing in a band called ‘The Lamplights’
and found that I had spare time during the
week. I wanted to help out
and so started learning some
Bowen Therapy modules.
I knew Bowen Therapy
worked as I had treatments
to recover from a minor back
injury and was amazed at
the results. Once I started
studying I found that I
loved Bowen and the results
with clients were beyond
expectation.
How is Bowen Therapy different from other natural therapies like acupuncture or massage? Bowen is based on sets of
gentle moves across muscles
and joints. These moves
stimulate the fascia which
is a layer of tissue just
below the skin. Messages
are then sent through the
fascia to the brain which in
turn stimulates the Central
Nervous System to exact a
bodily response. This can
be in the form of relaxing
muscles, healing joints or
healing organs. I often say that Bowen works
on similar energy lines to acupuncture. It’s
different from massage in that there’s not a
continual touch between practitioner and
client. The Bowen moves are specifically
targeted to certain points on the body and
a wait time where the practitioner doesn’t
touch the client is crucial to eliciting a body
response. If I put my hands on the client while
their body is processing the information and
response the body may get distracted and the
results may be reduced.
Having said that you do have more of a ‘hands on’ approach than classical Bowen Therapists. Is that true?You could certainly say that. My practice is
always evolving. At this point I use Bowen
Therapy to initiate healing, relaxation and
balance in the body and then I use more
specific energy work to heal the spirit. The
energy work includes Reiki and I’ve recently
been exploring something called Quantum
Touch which has been very interesting.
People often come to see me about physical
ailments but then we discover underlying
causes, such as grief or feeling stagnant, and
we work towards a deeper more sustainable
healing through connection to the heart,
their thoughts and purpose in life. This
in turn gives them the
opportunity to go forward
and create deeper, life long
healing. Changing their
lives and acting in ways
more in line with their ‘path’
and who they are as unique
beings on this planet means
that their bodies and spirits
are happier.
So a sore neck is not necessarily just a sore neck?I believe that we create
many of our own illnesses
and bodily pains. If someone
is stressed their neck often
gets tight or if they are
trying to meet expectations
not congruent to their path
the upper back may get
tight between the scapulae.
Every thought we have is
communicated to every cell
in our bodies. If we’re in
joy our body feels that and
responds accordingly. If
someone’s worried about
money or depressed they
may get a sore lower back.
It’s a form of communication
from the body, kind of like a
wake up call. ‘These thoughts
and actions are harming you and you need
to make a change’. I love that the body
communicates in this way. I love seeing clients
shift their pain and replace this with joy.
True healing takes courage and dedication on
behalf of the client and it can take significant
lifestyle changes and developing a greater
self awareness - the outcome being greater
freedom and happiness which is a core
purpose for all of us.
Ash Perrow can be contacted on the below
details:
W - www.GoldCoastBowenTherapy.com.auE - [email protected] - www.facebook.com/GoldCoastBowenTherapy
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