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The Corroboree

teonanacatl

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Posts posted by teonanacatl


  1. I saw a girl on a beach, the title gave it context that she was an aboriginal girl, otherwise I would have thought it was just any girl on the beach. I live in an indigenous community so often I forget the actual ratio black:white ratio is not 90% black:white. So what struck me was more the metaphor of indigenous relations that I see; her being indigenous standing amongst a massive crowd of white people, on her land; with so many people oblivious to her; to the history and plight of indigenous people; oohing and arrhing taking photos- the notion of her being alone in her own country. Sure some people hugged her but almost all did with lots of show, for the camera perhaps? maybe making themselves feel better about being racist- Im not racist I hugged a black girl today?

    Sure hardly scientific (I dont even know the credibility of the 13% but in my experience Id say that is about right or too much) and no control of a white girl on a beach. But then again that would be a scientific study not a statement on youtube.

    An unfortunate predicament for which I do not claim to know the answer. Can-O-Worms.

    • Like 2

  2. Thanks everyone for the stories and photos. Im truly gutted. Im not a big people person so she was everything- I dont click with many people. The only loss I could put on par with loosing her would be my brother. Ive always felt alone in this world, even with friends and in a crowd, she was my friend, my whole life was based around her.

    Cremated her on top of the hill near my house overlooking the ocean, might carve her name in a rock and leave it there.

    The future will happen slowly I guess.

    • Like 1

  3. Sad day for me, amazing the depth of human emotion. She was just over 4 and just had an unplanned (people nearby who dont like me let their male roam onto my property I assume to annoy me, I let her off the chain to go piss/shit and he got her) litter (2 weeks old) which Im now bottle feeding. Ive got two of her pups from a previous litter and another bitch that was pups with her but there are dogs, and then there are those special dogs. She was one of the special ones to me. Wonder how many of those one gets in a lifetime. Good signal for change I think!

    Bush Dogs

    Once a bush dog, who chased bull and pig,

    Now a city dog, must chase ball and stick.

    Once we chase animals, and eat what we kill,

    Now we go to the dog park for a quick thrill.

    Once no fences, yeah we roamed free,

    Now all tied up, get let off to pee.

    Once we jumped over, dead logs and plants,

    Now we line up, jump onetime over fence.

    Once we roam free, out upon the plains,

    Now all leashes, collars and clinking chains.

    There we bark to warn of danger,

    Here we bark at every stranger.

    There we knew freedom like no one else could,

    Here we still hear the call, when no one else would.

    Nothing here will break us, no person, fence or tether.

    For we are strong, unbreakable, as long as were are together.

    Yasi

    A mongrel dog, black and tan,

    Barely skin and bone,

    A bush dog if there was one

    Free in the bush she roams.

    She helps me hunt, she is my life,

    She keeps me warm at night.

    As long as she’s alive,

    I know she’ll be by my side.

    • Like 8

  4. My internet is to slow for youtube so I havent been able to hear its sound. Found a few pictures though, one was made from jade. Id estimate the cost of it to be around $1500-2k, the size of presumably Guatemalan jadeite needed for the skull alone would be $1000+. I look forward to one day hearing its noise.


  5. The pounamu I bought from trademe. Unfortunately most of it is to prone to cracking and chipping to carve anything with much detail. Also the pieces were poorly slabbed by who ever slabbed them meaning a lot were cut across grain rather then with grain which doesnt give much size to work with and is the reason they are so chippy. The freeform pieces were basically just hit with a hammer then ground to shape till they stopped chipping and have strength.

    You like the cobble stone? Or the yellow flower jade? The cobble was the top of the slab I cut the green kawakawa necklaces from. It is chatoyant and rather then wreck it trying to make pendants I decided to smooth it all and polish it up. Its pretty cool and I Figure oneday it might make a nice base, otherwise Ill just use it as a hot rock and fondle stone :)


  6. Was trying to do some commission pieces for a lady who has bought some of my stuff, she only buys stuff from NZ jade (pounamu). She wanted some stuff with crossovers in so after 15 hours of drilling holes and roughing out stone I had one fall to pieces in my hands and realised that the others wouldnt be strong enough for my intended designs. The jade is lovely, just chatoyant and very "chippy" which makes it difficult. So instead I went along with what the stone wanted and made these pieces. Will make some more tomorrow as they were a fair bit of fun and gives me a lower $80-$150 market. The dark green stone is very hard and if I can get a suitable piece should take an awesome polish. Anway they are more simple than normal and much more organic and natural- I like them, I hope you do to!

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    • Like 5

  7. Ive actually been looking at making my own burrs. At the world jade symposium there was a talk by a fellow in Europe that does cameo pieces. They use a metal burr with diamond paste and they make all their burrs on a lathe each week. Only this way could one achieve the details they do!

    Im the same with learning- I learnt all I needed in 1.5years for my 4 year degree. But polishing is one of those things that I wish I could have seen done in person a few times. I spent my time trying to achieve a perfect water wet shine but when I saw pieces in the flesh I found many left them matte, or did what I considered terrible orange peel jobs, ie they werent finished. If your wanting to do many types of stone Id imagine this would be a bigger issue. Going to a club/event allows you to find good finishes and talk to those who themselves do them. The internet was full of opinions on how to polish jade but mostly I think time is what worked. Most seemed like witchcraft to me :P

    Thanks for the torch info!


  8. Diamond and silicon carbide both out rank Aluminium oxide in hardness so I doubt its too hard. Polishing opals which are soft is different to polishing hardstone.

    If I could start from scratch with my tools I would, for example Ive got a double arbor grinder. Id happily fork out the $ to buy a 6 or 8 wheeled setup with a good trim saw, also Id love a good slabbing saw- mine is shit. But Im working with the $ Ive got. Having all the wheels you need ready to go saves time. Likewise for polishing. There is a never ending list to the tools Id have/find a use for!

    Your tools sound interesting, have you got plans for the torch? Ive been meaning buy one but Im remote so getting gas is a pain except LPG. Ive just been using my stove and a cheap butane torch.

    My best advice if you get into stones is join a lapidary club, things I could have learnt from people in 10mins took me 10 hours. Another way to look at spending $ on it is a uni degree will cost you $20-30k and 3 years, if I invested that in carving/jewellery Id be well on my way! But the no interest loans on uni courses helps :P

    Keen to see some of your work, got a link??

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