Could the Bhutanese belief in their Shangri-La status be naive? Bhutanese lama Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse Rinpoche asked this question in the Bhutan Observer on Friday. It’s very similar to one of the central themes of Dragon Bones and he raises many of the points that I describe anecdotally. There’s a snake in this garden of… Continue reading Bhutanese Belief in Shangri-La Naive
Category: Countries
Dragon Bones For Charity
I’m very excited to say that the first copies of Dragon Bones have been shipped. This is a good time to announce that 50% of the royalties for all editions of Dragon Bones will go to Bhutanese organisations. Two years living in Bhutan convinced me that local people are best placed to identify and address… Continue reading Dragon Bones For Charity
Samson & Delilah
In 2009, Samson and Delilah took Cannes by storm, gaining a standing ovation and winning the Camera d’Or. The honour is doubled since it was the first Aboriginal film ever to be presented at Cannes, proving that Aborigines can hold their own with the world’s best if given the chance. I only saw the film… Continue reading Samson & Delilah
ANZAC Day – A New Perspective
A small ceremony in Armidale gave me new perspective on ANZAC Day. I’ve always understood it as a day to remember the fallen soldiers and the sacrifice they made for our countries. When in Bhutan, I began to see it as a day to look towards a peaceful future. The service began at 9am, well… Continue reading ANZAC Day – A New Perspective
Easter Bilby
Many would be aware that in Australia, Santa comes on a surfboard. You probably wouldn’t be aware that a bilby brings chocolate eggs to Australian children at Easter. The Easter bunny was sacked some time in the 70s because his brethren had become a nuisance to wildlife since being introduced to Australia. You’ll still find… Continue reading Easter Bilby
Archery
Archery is the national sport of Bhutan, but that wasn’t the only reason I wanted to try it while I was living there. I’ve loved the stories of King Arthur, Robin Hood and the Three Musketeers since I first heard them decades ago so I have always wanted to try fencing and archery. I looked… Continue reading Archery
Free Speech
I knew when I wrote Dragon Bones that it wouldn’t be loved by everyone. My collection of people’s perspectives was meant to be holistic, not good or bad, but some people were bound to object. It was likely that I would never be able to return to Bhutan – that they would never issue me… Continue reading Free Speech
Is Anywhere Free of Bullies?
Last week, Sydneysiders took a break from discussing the earthquake in Japan to share their opinions on a video of a schoolboy bullying incident in an Australian school. The video, taken on a mobile phone, showed a school boy being hit repeatedly in the face by a much smaller boy. At first the larger boy… Continue reading Is Anywhere Free of Bullies?
The Joy of Camping
I’ve been so busy with uni and Dragon Bones that I’d forgotten how much of a refuge the Australian bush has been for me. I was reminded last weekend when I went hiking with my brother. We’ve grown closer since he started travelling, but we haven’t spent much time together so he suggested a camping… Continue reading The Joy of Camping
Earthquake Gets Personal
I only experienced one significant earthquake when I lived in Japan. Five years after the famous Kobe earthquake, I was sitting at my desk on the 17th floor of a 30-story office building on a reclaimed island just off the Kobe coast. The building I was in had been evacuated after the Great Hanshin Earthquake,… Continue reading Earthquake Gets Personal