A Valuable Symbol and Reminder

It was early morning, probably about 6, as my aged Kelpie, Bunya, and I trundled up the “Stewie” Highway towards Alice after spending a cold month on my farm in Boorolite. Yep cold - it snowed just as I was leaving.

The welcome glow of the dawn was painted across the sky revealing the dreaded road kill from the chaos of the previous night. The crows and eagles were eagerly at the fresh kill, eating a well anticipated breakfast. My mind naturally turned to a poem I had written as I sat on the hillside verandah of my farm “Woorukkubunya”. I have always admired the beauty, strength, and wisdom of the Wedge Tailed Eagle and love watching them and allowing their beauty and skill to seep into my spirit and generate multiple symbols of life. I am also sad about the negativity thrown at the Eagle which was by and large found to be inaccurate.

I’m proud of the fact that the “Wedgie” is the Official Bird of the Northern Territory. The small and beautiful Hemeted Honeyeater is Victoria’s, the Kookaburra is New South Wales’s, the Piping Shrike was South Australia’s, the unofficial one for Tasmania is the Yellow Wattlebird, Western Australia has the Black Swan, Queensland the Brogla, ACT the Gang-gang Cockatoo and of course Australia is the Emu. All these birds are beautiful and wonderful in their own way, but also unique. I guess this analysis of official birds parallels that of people who are sadly often considered as the same when actually they are all unique and special, and can be, more often than not, reduced to a number in a barrel of statistics.

So what is special about the Eagle? As it circles above it can be seen as a predator to be feared. Or it can alternatively be appreciated in a positive light, as a protector providing care in its own way. It may be protecting its large nest, and in this if its family is to survive, it must be a smart protector. So it can be seen as a symbol of the importance of being a smart and able protector.

It can be seen as a powerful friend, but for this to be realised, it must be understood and respected. In this it may be seen also as a symbol of safety on which we can ride so long as we are prepared to treat it properly. Of course the analogy can be interpreted that we as humans must treat people in the same way.

The Eagle can be endorsed as a symbol of hope as it circles looking for food for itself and its family, and as it stares down at the landscape with its amazingly acute sight, we know that it is usually a successful hunter.

It is also a symbol for me of true freedom, as I close my eyes and imagine myself soaring through the sky on the back of a Wedge Tailed Eagle.

Finally it is a symbol of gratitude for one should be grateful for its successful role in clearing up carrion and keeping populations of rats and mice, rabbits, foxes and feral cats under control. It is also for me a symbol of gratitude, that as a Territorian our symbolic bird is in fact the mighty Wedge Tailed Eagle which to me is a wonderful symbol of success.

So the Wedge Tailed Eagle always reminds me of being a:

• Smart Protector
• Powerful Friend
• Symbol of Hope
• Symbol of Gratitude
• Symbol of Success
• Symbol of Freedom

It is indeed a mighty bird, with its 2.3 meter wing span.

A symbol is only valuable as a reminder if indeed you visit it and have it locked in your mind. It can then be useful and help direct thoughts. At St Philips students can be awarded a very worthy eagle badge if their success needs to be acknowledged. I’m hoping the poem above may help people remember the symbolic value of our beautiful bird.

The great value of an analogy is that when you see the subject, in this case the Wedge Tailed Eagle, it sparks off key relationships and perhaps stimulates your mind for further creativity and becomes a helpful guide in how life may be constructively lived. May you be also able to soar high above your valley.

Written by Chris Tudor