Compelling journey of discovery

The cycle of the Mayan Long Count Calendar ended on Dec 21 but the world did not.

That means we all have to roll up our sleeves and face the challenges of the coming year.

In Malaysia, we have this little business of choosing our next government to take care of sooner rather later – most say it will be in March next year.

By all accounts, the next general election – the 13th since the birth of our nation – promises to be the mother of all elections.

Both sides of the political divide are on overdrive – in fact, for some time now.

For the man in the street, it means more struggles – the inevitable inflation, making ends meet and a host of other problems to overcome.

But there is also the sunny side of the street for us to walk on – friends, families, successes to savour and the very joy of living.

Personally, my view of facing the future has been influenced by a compelling journey of discovery and encountering remarkable human stories of courage, heartbreak, struggle and success as I wove through a foreign land.

I was in Adelaide over the past 10 days and had the privilege to walk the same roads and paths that 19th century South Australians had.

I immersed myself in the captivating and long-forgotten stories of the South Australia’s early pioneers, notable figures and controversial characters.

In the self-guided interpretive walking trail of the award-winning West Terrace Cemetery,  I “met” Sir John Langdon Bonython (1848-1939), a media magnate, politician and philanthropist; international composer Percy Grainger; Chinese community leader Yett Soo War Way Lee (1852-1909); war hero Arthur Seaforth Blackburn and ballerina Madeleine Parker.

Standing tall is Overland Telegraph Monument connecting Australia with the world. And uniquely designed is Caroline Emily Clark Memorial Garden where those buried in unmarked graves are remembered.

It was a discovery of South Australia’s rich history made in a journey of courage, heartbreak, struggle and success as I walked through the cemetery listed as state heritage.

The South Australian government has also honoured the war-fallen with a narrow slither of land marked by a partially-curved pedestrian pathway as well as war memorial plaques and stones.

It was a pedestrian route that evolved in the 1920’s and formalised in the 1980’s to honour the fallen soldiers.

Among the 33 memorial plaques, I found one that read: Dedicated to the memory of the members of the 8th Battalion the Royal Australian Regiment who died while serving Malaysia 1967/69.

Strolling in the historic town of Hahndorf in Adelaide Hills, I was drawn to the story of how 187 German Lutheran immigrants from 38 families (later another 14 families joined) arrived and settled down here with a negotiated contract of 100 acres of rent-free land for the first year.

The families worked and built German-Style farm houses and established businesses. Many of these 19th century buildings are still as they are with over 100-year-old elm and plane trees lining the main street and the original buildings beautifully maintained or restored to original condition.

The town has become a place to visit on the tourist map, and today, it is one of South Australia’s popular tourist destinations.

Like Hahndorf, the town of Lobethal was where the German settlers set up distinctly German villages. It means valley of praise.

The annual Christmas lights festival – The Lights of Lobethal – which began about 55 years ago, saw more than 90 per cent of all homes and businesses lighting up for the Yuletide Season with displays drawing thousands of visitors.

I was excited about going on a fishing trip to Port Hughes. It was there that I had the opportunity to walk through the Moonta Mines heritage site.

But nothing like the excitement in 1859 when two shepherds stumbled upon green rocks and heralded a great mining dynasty on Yorke Peninsula, particularly in the mining town of Moonta, 125km from Adelaide.

A visit to Moonta Mines Museum yielded so much information that visitors came away with an overload of the richness of the town’s history.

The museum formerly housed Moonta Mines School built in 1878 to educate the children of Cornish miners.

The mines closed in 1923, and in 1968, the children were sent to Moonta School, and the museum was subsequently set up in 1969.

I stepped back in time as I entered the classroom of yesteryear – two-seater desks, maps on the walls and a blackboard. A scenario well before the advent of computers and modern teaching aids.

There were nine rules for teachers which included: Any teacher who smokes, uses liquor in any form, frequents pool or public halls or gets shaved in  a barber shop will have good reason to suspect his worth, intention, integrity and honesty.

A pay rise was only given when the teacher performed his work faithfully without a fault for five years.

Male teachers may take one evening each week for courting purposes, or two evenings if they went to church regularly.

There was no mention of female teachers – probably because male teachers were not wooing female teachers! I wonder whether any teacher could survive working under such draconian rules.

Quite clearly, the discipline, courage and pioneering spirit of the early settlers had laid the foundation of present-day Australia.

Inspired by these Australian pioneers, I’m all ready for whatever 2013 has in store. The early trail-blazers Down Under had shown that with strong will and spirit, there is no mountain too high to climb.

So here’s to putting my best foot forward.