Today didn't begin as I planned. I headed off to participate in the 'gene testing project' at the Bio21 Institute at the University of Melbourne, thinking that I would have the inside of my mouth swabbed for those precious bodily cells that would be sent off to some laboratory and eventually show where my ancestors had come from twenty generations ago. But when I got off the tram I saw that about 500 or so other people had also decided to get there early to take advantage of the free gene test. I decided then and there that I would abort all ideas of participating and headed instead for a Segafredo coffee at the market and then to Federation Square. I took the slow route on the City Circle Tram and it was then that I ran into Baba Desi, an acquaintance of mine who is a healer, social activist and maker of ornamental staffs. Although he made the one in his right hand, he had just purchased the snake head staff from the Camberwell Market. So, why I have I written this up this afternoon? It seemed to me that I'd been unwittingly diverted from the rather sterile environment of science, rationality and testing and was instead provided with the opportunity of meeting again a man who occupies a reality that is at the other end of the spectrum - alternative medicine, magic, poetry. Desi is someone who just appears in my life from time to time, I sometimes see him at a distance in the city. Too far away to call out to, I wonder where he is going and where he has come from. The longest time I've ever spent with him was in Hawthorn, at my place. He brought over a large painting, which he unfurled onto the floor and wanted to know whether I thought it was worthwhile preserving. I asked him today whether he still had the painting and he does. He told me that he is eighty years old next week & I thought, he must be doing something right! After I took his photo I noticed that other people were taking photos of us and then after a quick goodbye, he did, as he always does - he disappeared into the crowd! 
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Sunday, October 4, 2009
Baba Desi
Today didn't begin as I planned. I headed off to participate in the 'gene testing project' at the Bio21 Institute at the University of Melbourne, thinking that I would have the inside of my mouth swabbed for those precious bodily cells that would be sent off to some laboratory and eventually show where my ancestors had come from twenty generations ago. But when I got off the tram I saw that about 500 or so other people had also decided to get there early to take advantage of the free gene test. I decided then and there that I would abort all ideas of participating and headed instead for a Segafredo coffee at the market and then to Federation Square. I took the slow route on the City Circle Tram and it was then that I ran into Baba Desi, an acquaintance of mine who is a healer, social activist and maker of ornamental staffs. Although he made the one in his right hand, he had just purchased the snake head staff from the Camberwell Market. So, why I have I written this up this afternoon? It seemed to me that I'd been unwittingly diverted from the rather sterile environment of science, rationality and testing and was instead provided with the opportunity of meeting again a man who occupies a reality that is at the other end of the spectrum - alternative medicine, magic, poetry. Desi is someone who just appears in my life from time to time, I sometimes see him at a distance in the city. Too far away to call out to, I wonder where he is going and where he has come from. The longest time I've ever spent with him was in Hawthorn, at my place. He brought over a large painting, which he unfurled onto the floor and wanted to know whether I thought it was worthwhile preserving. I asked him today whether he still had the painting and he does. He told me that he is eighty years old next week & I thought, he must be doing something right! After I took his photo I noticed that other people were taking photos of us and then after a quick goodbye, he did, as he always does - he disappeared into the crowd! 
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