Menowercogitatus; Thinking Thursdays

January 26th holds lots of interest for me. As an Australian, I acknowledge it as Australia Day, the anniversary of the landing of the first fleet... though, like many 'woke' Aussies these days, there is some split emotion about celebrating an event that led to what was little more than an invasion upon the people already resident in that land. Just as in the Americas, there was an arrogant assumption of land and superiority of the 'settlers' by virtue of being clothed, book-literate and fair-skinned. In recent years there has been strong recognition of this, and reconciliation ceremonies and other acts of reparation have been witnessed.

Then there is Republic Day in India, my spiritual home and a place I spent an incredible 30 months. This commemorates the Constitution of India finally becoming legal after the partition of August 1947. The partition was between India and two swathes of land, initially known as West and East Pakistan, rather arbitrarily cut away by a line drawn on a map by English lawyer Cyril Radcliffe, who had never been to India and knew nothing of it. What ensued, as families and friends and communities were split asunder, was every bit as horrific and scarring and as indelibly cut into the psyche of these nations as the holocaust to the Jewish people. My first landlady and friend, Harbhajan-aunty, eventually told me a little of her childhood memories, having witnessed things no child should... yet children the world over are still faced with such as that. I also got to know others in India itself who were still affected by those events.

Thirdly, I had Jewish neighbours and friends who all had their stories to tell. What struck me was how even younger, freer generations were touched by their parents' and grandparents' - or even great-grandparents' - trauma. As a counsellor, I had to learn about transgenerational trauma. Marks are left when coping mechanisms become twisted and torn.

January 27th is Holocaust Memorial Day. I am placing the following here as a natural companion to OZ-day and IR-day. I am going to once again switch off comments for this post to allow you the time to absorb and ponder, reflect and remember. By all means, if you wish to feedback, then comments will be back tomorrow.

There are many ways to remember, but (and I risk your ire for this repetition) it is imperative that history continues to tell the stories and keep uncovering more - for papers and photos and film still emerge, whether from official archives or from personal collections as the estates of the deceased are revealed. There are many ways, too, in which the stories can be related. As you are well aware by now, I have opted to utilise the strong musical presentation of history that Sabaton has embarked upon, as well as the narration of events provided by Indy Neidell. This episode rightly has a warning that there are disturbing images, and I reinforce that here. You are encouraged to listen, even if you cannot watch; after the history part, Pär relates his own experience of visiting Auschwitz. It is unflinching but respectful.