From Ulluru Brett, Hannah and me soared towards South East of Australia to Deniliquin to celebrate New Years at an alternative bush camp out festival called ConFest.
Unlike most music festivals ConFest has no loud speakers and all the fun is purely acoustic. If you are really crazing to get into them beats then they have a silent disco which is surprisingly a lot of fun!! Otherwise people mostly dance to hundreds of people drumming along on their Djembes.
This gathering is held twice a year – one during New Years and one during the Easter break. I normally go to the Easter one but this time it just made sense to make our way to Confest to celebrate New Years.
The concept of Rainbow Serpent is based on an Aboriginal Dreamtime folklore. The Australian aboriginal notion of dreamtime(acheringa) is symbolic of timelessness and Godliness – a divine space where heroes and creators come from. When the aboriginals observed the multicoloured rainbow in the sky; they believed it to be a snake emerging from dreamtime whose movement around earth enabled the foundation of mountains and valleys; which allowed waterbodies like rivers, creeks and lagoons to come into being. They also observed that the multicoloured snake only appeared after a big storm or heavy rainfalls and hence assumed that it resided in the waterholes. They believed that once the storm dissipates it comes out of its waterhole to travel to another waterhole and find a new home. Rainbow Serpent is thus a representation of the water element and is regarded to be one of the most powerful dreamtime creatures – a protector portrayed as one of the greatest forces of nature and spirit.
Aboriginal Art of Rainbow Serpent – Photo Credits Ladymaggic
Rainbow Serpent Festival is Autralia’s largest electronic music festival which is held at the start of every year during Australia Day long weekend. A weekend full of festivities, camping, workshops, shopping, fun with close friends, lots of dancing to all your favorite artists for people who enjoy electronic music and massages and healings from awesome healers in the lifestyle area.
The year is 2011 and Rainbow Serpent – here we come!!! I am in the car filled with camping gear, blankets and pillows, yummy food – booze – mixers and and everything flashy we can possibly fill the car up. With me are some awesome people: Brett, Jason, Harry and John. Brett is my boyfriend and Jason is a really close friend whose son is Harry and John is a friend of a friend (who became a really close friend too) that messaged Brett a few weeks before Rainbow Serpent asking if he could join us for the festival.
Jason with Harry on his shoulder, Brett with the cap and John
We arrive at the site to be welcomed by the very colourful expressions and vibrancy of the festival with a buzz of excitement from all the people; only to look at the sky to witness a rainbow initiating the magic in the festival.
We set off on a walk to find our other friends who have set up camp somewhere around one of the stages and we take a pause to look at the schedule for the upcoming 5 days at the chill space.
Seems like John’s excited about something
As you can see above – the chalkboard is full of really exciting activities and a chance to meet really talented often renowned artisans giving free workshops on art, yoga, dance, capoeira, meditations etc etc etc. One that stands out to me is Alex Grey who is a mystic artist who’s art work is to die for!!! His live art performances added extra sparkles to the festival .. below are a few images:
Live art installation by Alex Grey!
During the four/five days – the space which was empty before very soon becomes a temporary village with main roads and bylanes filled with campsites, dance floors, lounges, wicked artwork and colourful awesome crazy people. The space is alive with the heartbeat of the synchronised dance floors; specially at night with mind-blowing lasers beams and visuals lighting the whole space up. In my experience I felt like everyone present there came together to create a space of timelessness – what the aboriginals believed to be dreamtime – another dimension of psychedelic madness.
We are a tribe celebrating life and joy via music – we are one on the dance floor altogether resonating a frequency which everyone absorbs to travel through space and time experiencing a transcendental journey to the present moment. Here our woes and sorrows disappear – our identity disappears – only presence remains.
The Self
O Master, Tell me how to find Detachment, wisdom and freedom!
Child, If you wish to be free, Shun the poison of the senses.
Seek the nectar of truth. Of love and forgiveness. Simplicity and Happiness.
Earth, fire and water – the wind – the sky – You are none of these.
If you wish to be free, know you are the Self. The witness of all these, The Heart of Awareness.
Set your body aside. Sit in your own awareness.
You will at once be happy. Forever still, Forever free.
You have no caste. No Duties to bind you.
Formess and free. Beyond the reach of the senses. The witness of all things.
So be happy!
The Ashtavakra Gita
More artwork..
Rainbows favorite hangout spot – the Chai Tent!
Taxi anyone?
One of my highlights from this Rainbow is watching this guy bend spoons.. I have heard that people can do things like that but watching it live literally blew me away. Please excuse me for not having the best video to show you from my iPhone 4 camera I had on me back then..
Turiya Tatyana 