173. Manchán Magan
On Language & Land, from Ireland to the Kimberley
Welcome to a new series of episodes from the Kimberley, in far north Western Australia.
First up, prepare for a transformative journey as we're joined by Manchán Magan, the acclaimed Irish travel writer, documentary maker, radio producer, theatre performer, builder of the first straw-bale house in Ireland, regenerator of the 10 acre block it stands on, and best-selling author. Manchán’s books include ‘32 Words for Field: Lost words of the Irish landscape’, which is said to have begun as a cult hit in Ireland, but has become one of its most talked-about books in recent times. And his latest book is ‘Listen to the Land Speak: A journey into the wisdom of what lies beneath us’.
“We have that in so many indigenous and old and traditional cultures and heritages in this land. And it’s not too late. That’s the real beauty. It’s still alive in Ireland, it’s still alive in Australia. So much has been lost, but it is there. If we turn to it now, respect it and give the time and respect and awe to those elders who have somehow managed to keep it alive. ”
Manchán masterfully delves into the wealth of knowledge encoded in ancient languages, mythology, and stories of the land. His belief in the power of this wisdom everywhere, and the urgency to understand and protect the cultures of the land – and above all, stemming from a recent visit to Australia, Aboriginal cultures - is compelling.
Remarkably for the life he’s led, Manchán says that this visit to Australia has had a greater impact on him than any other. ‘It has changed everything’, he says. And this encounter might just be changing everything for Anthony too, tapping his Irish roots, and the ancient mycelium network of language and land connecting us all.
Head here for automatic cues to chapter markers (also available on the embedded player above), and a transcript of this conversation (please note the transcript is AI generated and imperfect, but hopefully serves to provide greater access to these conversations for those who need or like to read).
Recorded at 6DBY of the Derby Media Aboriginal Corporation (featured in one of the most popular episodes, no. 95) on 14 July 2023.
Click on the photos below to zoom in, and hover over them to see captions where added.
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Find more:
Manchán’s tour dates for his theatre production Arán & Im.
Tyson Yunkaporta on episode 70.
Margo Neale, co-curator of the exhibition Songlines: Tracking the Seven Sisters, on episode 93.
Heidi Mippy at the Haggerty farm on episode 143, Visited by the Rainbow Serpent.
Join us at the upcoming Regenerative Agriculture Conference in Margaret River in September 2023.
Music:
Regeneration, composed by Amelia Barden, from the soundtrack to the film Regenerating Australia.