From the 15th to 17th September, myself, Ashlee Harwood (Softball WA), and Emily Lucey (Woodland Wolves) headed off to West Musgrave with Thuy Acacio (Indigenous Engagement & Social Performance at BHP, as well as beloved Woodland Wolves Junior Development Coordinator). With a two hour flight into Ngaanyatjarra Land, sitting on the edge of the Northern Territory and South Australia border, we landed into the BHP mine site before quickly driving 3 hours across desert towards the Warakuna community - the host of this years annual Dust Up!

Dust Up is an annual festival based on sharing education and knowledge, celebrating across the Ngaanyatjarra Lands (across eight communities) - located around 1,700km North-East of Perth. Majority of children spoke Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara, or Pintupi, making English their second- or third-language, but despite this there was such a huge connection between communities and providers alike. With activities such as Hip Hop, Scitech, Clown Doctors, Athletic Carnivals, and Football. Of course, Softball was the reason for our visit to Warakuna.

Before even arriving at the Dust Up Festival, Erica (a member of the Ngaanyatjarra Council Group, who along with Thuy was incredible at looking after us) drove us to our destination. Along the way, Emily and myself had millions of questions about the surrounding area, culture, and people - and she answered them with the most extreme attention-to-detail, it was like listening to a never ending story. Never, until this week, did I learn that Australia has the largest population of feral camels in the World - which, yes, we did get stuck behind a herd at one point. It was hundreds of kilometres of nothing but desert but somehow every section of that road was significant and unique.

Once we hit Warakuna, Emily and I hit the ground running! Though we missed the Opening Ceremony due to our travel, we shot straight into doing our Softball clinics with the Year 4 to Year 6 children. Goodness, you could literally just eat them up - they're engagement and fundamental skills of the game are (I think) so much greater than that of same-aged metro children. We quickly learnt that they weren't interested in drills and shot straight into game-like sessions. Without anything from us, they pitched, hitting, fielding, and threw some incredible games. The excitement was unreal - pure red dirt and a mountain-desert backdrop while playing simple softball. After an evening of softball with the Year 4 to Year 6 children, it was time for traditional dancing - the boys and girls taking turns from the different communities to represent their cultures, supported by the elder traditional owners. Dinner was delicious, and nothing burns off lasagna than disco for the kids and adults. Emily and I even made friends with Scitech, with Tanya from the Ngaparrtji Ngaparrtji Two-Way Program showing us (while everyone was preparing to disco outside) traditional bush medicines - many of which she encased in resin (bushgum, witchi grubs, nuts, seeds). We even got to make our own bush medicine resin disks, like the inner-children we actually were.

Day Two came quickly, we began the day with the Kindy to Year 2 ECE Warakuna kiddies. With simply foam bats and foam balls, they hit off the tee before quickly moving onto front toss to smash it into the field. Who would chase and throw the ball in first? That was the competition they made for themselves! Sometimes we played King-Of-The-Pack afterwards, sometimes we just played Catch (with possibly a few kids being thrown into the air for funsies). 

After these sessions, it was morning tea. Oh, did I forget to mention? Along with Thuy on the BHP flight, was Nick Natanui (who Emily and I got to spend a few days hanging out with). He spent the first day doing a clinic on Warburton but met us at Warakunrna Dust Up. Oh goodness, you can imagine the chaos he caused. In the best possible way. Playing with the kids, hugging, touching, and having fun with everyone, it was time for softball tournament! 

Year 7 to Year 12s were umpired by myself, while the Year 4 to Year 6s were umpired by Emily. For 2 hours, we played Round Robin games between the communities. Once again, playing barefoot softball on the red desert dirt with the most gorgeous backdrop in Australia - what a time to be there, with clear sunny skies. Although we planned to say for the evening and watch the fireworks, due to transport we had to head back with Thuy and the Eagle members to the Lake Musgrave site. 

On the way back (another 3 hour drive), we did indeed get stuck behind a group of camels. But it was another 3 hours of us talking Erica's ear off about questions, experiences, and stories. So it never truly felt like long drives. We had a more chill night hanging out at the dining hall with Nick Natanui, Thuy, Erica, and the other staff. The next morning, it was a 5am start to prepare for the last day. Instead of being at Dust Up (which Softball WA didn't have a role in for the last leg anyway, as it was the Athletics Carnival), we were invited to attend with them the community gathering that was organised as a thanks for coming down to their towns. When I say it was the most eye opening experience, it was an understatement. The gathering was about an hour from West Musgrave, called Wingburn. We met Senior Knowledge Holders, traditional elders, and other traditional owners who shared the significants of Wingburn to them and their ancestory - family was born and burried here, childhood walks across states, the large rocks that we climbed that were used as slides as children. The women cooked for us kangaroo tails while we sat underneath the shade of the open desert. 

Eventually, we had to head home. Another quick trip back to West Musgrave and we were on our way back. It wasn't before I asked Nick for a quick autograph on an Eagles hat for my cousin though (cheeky, I know). By the end of the trip, Emily and I had walked away with more experiences than anyone else could ever have in their entire life. Being able to visit a closed-off community to be apart of something we love, and share with others who also love it. We also walked away with parts of their culture. One of my favourite gifts, however, was the child's book that the organiser of Dust Up gifted to us two - "my WALK through the SEASONS on NGAANYATJARRA COUNTRY". Written by Daisy Tjuparntarri Ward, an extremely well-respected and influencial senior elder in the community, whom we were also able to meet. Sandy Robertson, a co-illustrator as well as the event coordinator for this years Dust Up, and the students from Ngaanyatjarra Lands School (Warakuna Campus) were all part of the creation of this book - and who we just spent two or three days having the time of our lives with. 

To Sandy Robertson from Ngaanyatjarra Lands School for inviting us to this amazing event, I hope we get to do it against next year. To Jess, the Softball Coordinator for Dust Up, it was really good that we had someone who was experienced in these events to help us out - you were amazing. Emily, this tour wouldn't have been possible if not for the time you'd given to co-coach this with me - I know you had just as an amazing experience as I did.

Erica from the Ngaanyatjarra Land Council, it's so obvious how much these lands and these people mean to you. Thank you for all the knowledge and experiences you gave us, it was so much fun to travel with you.

And, most importantly, to Thuy who without the support from BHP and her experience, connections, and thrive to give more experiences and opportunities to those around her, we'd never been able to say yes to this trip. Thank you Thuy for being such a kind soul and making things happen, even if it's not the easiest job in the world (and, by only three days travelling with you and Erica, I cannot imagine what dedication and love it must take). 

As for a last statement, if anyone ever gets the opportunity to travel rurally - do it. If you have the support and ability to take yourself out of your comfort zone - just do it. You'll never grow outside your own skin if you don't take on experiences where you have no idea what might happen. I may have been fortunate enough to have travelled the world - Japan, Canada, America, New Zealand, and on-going. But no one talks about the incredble opportunity it is to travel within your own country and State to give more to others. That is what I've taken away from this trip. Fingers cross, we'll be back soon (sooner than you might think). 

Written by Ashlee Harwood

Photo Gallery: https://www.wa.softball.org.au/gallery/18096