Barra Dreaming by Darlene Devery

Barra Dreaming by Darlene Devery

Barra Mind

My favourite fish is Barra,

I don’t know much about them,

But I want to learn about them.

Like how they communicate and talk,

How they survive and change,

And whether people can be that way?

The way they see,

The way they look,

The way they know there’s a hook,

The way they manage to survive,

And how they know they won’t die,

The way they change to fresh and salt,

And where to hide when there’s a storm of bolts,

There senses and feelings,

Then you don’t know what you’re believing.

Do they see the stars every night?

Or how to know what things are like?

How do they change from female to male

From 60cm on the measuring scale?

There’s nothing else more incredible,

Than a Barra’s mind,

Which appears to be edible.

Story by Grace Henderson

Barra Dreaming

While spearfishing with my grandfather in the shallow water at Mandorah I saw a medium-sized barramundi

heading my way. I shot at it and I missed. After trying three times to spear the barramundi I missed again and I

saw a stingray heading my way. Scared that the stingray would get me with his sharp tail I jogged to the bank. I

was safe.

We went to the mangroves to find some big orange mud crabs. I found a hole, I grabbed a stick and poked

through it to see whether there was a crab hiding in it. There was so then grandpa got the hook to break its

claw and then we made fire by rubbing two sticks together. Placing the crab on a stick we cooked it over the

fire for four minutes until its flesh was white and sweet.

We then hopped in Grandpa’s black jeep to travel to Belyuen. Then I went to CJ, my brother’s house and asked

him could I ride his quad bike. CJ agreed and we went to the beach. After riding the quad bike we did some

fishing. We caught two medium sized catfish and then we went back to Belyuen so that we could visit the dam

to go swimming. The water was deep and freezing so I got out quickly.

I got some wet clay from the side of the dam and covered my face with it and it was fun. I went back to CJ’s

house to have dinner. I slept the night at CJ’s and when it was morning I drove the quad bikes at the beach

and we put the tent up and camped there till the next day. The tide was up and the quad bike was stuck in the

water but it was still working….luckily!

After an exhausting weekend of fishing, crabbing and quadbiking I went home to sleep!!!!!!!

Written by Dillen Brown