U.S. service members experience Australian culture during TS09

Photo By Cpl. Michael Stevens | U.S. service members participating in Exercise Talisman Saber 2009 visit Goma Conlon, a member of the Kalali Tribe indigenous to southern Queensland, to admire the carefully crafted aboriginal art he brought with him to Camp Rocky. Conlon has used the American visit as a chance to educate their minds on the history of the country by telling stories and putting on demonstrations of native past-times and hobbies. TS09 is a biennial combined training activity, designed to train Australian and U.S. forces in planning and conducting combined task force operations, which will help improve ADF and U.S. combat readiness and inter-operability.  

CAMP ROCKY, AUSTRALIA

07.24.2009

Story by Cpl. Michael Stevens 

U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific

CAMP ROCKY, Queensland, Australia — Every nation has a brand of culture and history that makes them unique.

During the final days of Exercise Talisman Saber 2009, U.S. service members are being afforded the opportunity to experience some of Australia's culture here at Camp Rocky.

Goma Conlon, a member of the Kalali Tribe, has used the American visit as a chance to educate their minds on the history of the country by telling stories and putting on demonstrations of native past-times and hobbies.

"It's important that we share our stories with our guests so they can experience our culture from first-hand stories by actual aboriginals," said Conlon, whose Kalali people are mostly located in the southern areas of Queensland. "We've talked about our experiences and lifestyles to help everyone understand our history and have offered the service members a chance to purchase authentic aboriginal art."

Displays of carefully crafted boomerangs and didgeridoo's, an aboriginal musical instrument, are laid out for passerby's to buy and bring home as gifts for family and friends.

Marines, soldiers, sailors, airmen and the occasional Australian defence force service member visit Conlon to hopefully take home a piece of art and listen to the history behind the markings and pictures that appear on each piece and their original intent.

"It's interesting to hear that original boomerangs were used as a means for hunting by the aboriginal warrior," said U.S. Army Sgt. Eric Siverling, a soldier with Company C, 160 California National Guard.

Each day at noon, Conlon takes a group of visitors to an open field and puts on a brief class on how to properly throw a boomerang. As they buzz through the air, Conlon mesmerizes the crowd by successfully throwing it so it returns to him in the very spot he was standing.

"It's not as easy as I thought it would be," said Siverling, a Hermosa Beach, Calif., native. "Besides the actual training we received during the exercise, coming here to Rocky and getting to learn a little bit of the history of Australia is something I can appreciate and bring with me."

The visit by Conlon is more than just about selling art, he explained. The Darumbal Tribe is indigenous to the Rockhampton area and Conlon hopes that by being allowed to come through Camp Rocky, the relationship between the Darumbal and the Kalali people becomes stronger.

"I hope to be able to come back next time the U.S. is back for this exercise," said Conlon.

TS09 is a biennial combined training activity, designed to train Australian and U.S. forces in planning and conducting combined task force operations, which will help improve ADF and U.S. combat readiness and inter-operability.

• Date Taken: 07.24.2009
• Date Posted: 07.24.2009 01:21
• Story ID: 36736
• Location: CAMP ROCKY, AU