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~ with Sunshine Coast wedding celebrant Kari ~
Congratulations to Douglas and Melissa, a gorgeous and fun loving couple, married at The Little White Wedding Church in Maleny.
Both Melissa and her parents are from Paris, and key wedding guests were coming from France especially for this divine wedding. So they sought a celebrant who might be able to weave in a little French to make all the guests feel at home.
What they didn’t know at the time was that even some French ritual could also be woven into the ceremony. So when I suggested the white ribbon ritual, Melissa jumped at the chance for some fun in her ceremony.
In France it is a tradition for a town’s children to stretch white ribbons across the road down which the bride travels. She must cut the ribbons to make a path.
These are symbolic obstacles created for them to overcome together and thus pave a common path in their new life together.
On her wedding day in honour of Melissa’s background we stretched white ribbons across the aisle before she entered the church following the Bridesmaids.
As she strolled down the aisle, she had to cut her way through the “obstacles” to get to her guy. She laughed as she commented that she’d do anything to get to the altar where he was waiting. We hoped she had scissors with her tucked into that bouquet!
And she did.
And what story about a french wedding would be complete without some French Poetry;
Read by her sister and bridesmaid, Savita. Durant l’hiver by Célia Germinario
Durant l’hiver on s’est rencontré,
Amour, gentillesse, beauté à mes yeux tu es,
Mon coeur, mon corps et mon âme je t’ai donné,
Il ne peut rien t’arriver,
Eternellement prêt de toi je serai,
Nos coeurs sont mêlés à jamai
During the winter we met,
You are Love, kindness, beauty to my eyes,
my heart, my body and my soul I have given thee,
there is no more life can bring
Eternally ready for thee I will be,
our hearts mingled forever
What a fun day it was. Thank you to the delightful and subtle Matt Rowe for the images. He is everywhere and nowhere at the same time, capturing each moment, each smile. Thanks Matt. And checkout his new cover image!!!
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Walking River – a pilgrimage
This year was the tenth anniversary of an extraordinary pilgrimage; the Long Yarra Walk, as told in Maya Ward’s book The Comfort of Water.
She says of her book,
” The Comfort of Water: A River Pilgrimage is the story of my three-week journey along the Yarra River. I walked from the sea to the source, through city, forest, farmland, following an ancient songline. In the book I tell of those 21 days and 20 nights, but since it was a journey through my home city, a place I’d lived all my life, I also include anecdotes from before and after the pilgrimage…“
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The Comfort Of Water
The book begins:
Walk the path …………………….. And journey to the source
These are not metaphors …………………. They are instructions.
Maya Ward, the author, is an extraordinary woman, walker and writer. She invites us to listen deeply to the path and to the voices of nature.
This modern reinvention or re-exploration of pilgrimage explored the lessons of River. River can teach the importance of the path of water, and all who live along it’s way. River teaches history and story; connection to place, the importance of flow. Walking a river pilgrimage is essential to understanding all of this.
The ritual of walking a path evokes extraordinary learning, deep understanding and great forgiveness. This is pilgrimage.
Maya’s book is both a true tale and a guidebook for path. I loved following her journey as I imagined my own.
Recently a kindergarten teacher was inspired to use Maya’s text as a guide for a program of education for very young children. A film was made about their learning. Songlines of the Yarra, is an 8 minute short film which explores the children’s intimate relationship with the Yarra River and their sense of belonging to time and place. It has been selected to screen at the Little Big Shots International Film Festival for Kids, Australia’s major annual and travelling children’s film festival.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”40110″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]
Ritual and friendships
Maya is my friend. She has also been a mentor for me in the field of ritual. We met at a wonderful community ritual celebration some dozen or so years ago. The community event was the annual Return of the Sacred Kingfisher Festival held at CERES in Victoria. We were both a part of the artistic team who created the event. Maya inspires me always to do better, and to think more. She is one of the most connected people I have ever met when it comes to understanding place, and environment; deep ecology and connection. Maya helps me to understand the importance of ritual, and the many layers of ritual.
Let me diverge
…to tell the story of a creek.
Another River Ritual
The Merri Creek runs into the Yarra River not far from the centre of Melbourne. A twenty minute tram ride will get you there. Maya took much longer walking the river trail, for the Yarra winds around many bends through the city before you come to Merri Creek.[/vc_column_text][vc_single_image image=”40109″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center”][vc_column_text]
Merri Creek
Decades ago the poor Merri had been reduced to a trickle such was the degradation of the environment. Industry poured raw effluent from pipes directly into the creek. The steep banks had been denuded of vegetation. It was used as a tip. The creek could not flow any more.
Sacred Kingfisher
Sacred Kingfisher’s cry had not been heard along the creek for many years. He had simply flown away. Wouldn’t you?
A community turned their love to the creek and put a stop to the decline of the Merri. The clean up began with bulldozers to remove the rusted car-bodies, rubber tyres and discarded washing machines from the creek bed. Work continues to this day with countless hours by community volunteers, revegetating, weeding, caring.
The Return of the Kingfisher
One day the Kingfisher was heard along the Merri again. Ki Ki Ki Ki They had returned!
The Return of the Sacred Kingfisher Festival is an annual community celebration welcoming the Sacred Kingfisher back to its original habitat, along the banks of the Merri Creek in Brunswick. For the CERES community, the Sacred Kingfisher bird has become a symbol of “hope” connecting people and place.
Community River Ritual
It is a community ritual and a working relationship or collaboration with the Wurundjeri people, various cultural communities and performers of all ages and abilities. As long as the Kingfisher returns each year in Spring, it is a sign that we are taking care of our local environment and the home of the Sacred Kingfisher.
The Sacred Kingfisher on it’s annual migration also stops at the Sunshine Coast, my home of twenty years. Each year I measure the first day of Spring, from the first urgent call of the Kingfisher in my tiny forested garden. It was the Kingfisher festival, and this team of artists who taught me most about ritual and celebration. I bring this experience to all of my work as a celebrant.
River Ritual – Creek Celebration
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