Page 95 - Port Douglas Magazine 39

THE FORCE IS

STRONG WITH

THIS ONE!

WORDS by Roy Weavers
People of the western world were first introduced to what George Lucas called the ‘force’ back
in 1976 when he released Episode VI of his Star Wars movie series with the Jedi battling Darth
Vader and the ‘dark side’. We have subsequently grown up with these movies over the past 40
odd years.
What George Lucas didn’t know was that what he called the ‘force’ had been known to the
indigenous peoples of Australia for over 50,000 years and was far from fictional. During these
millennia, the power to harness and process the natural energy of the world and its treasure trove
of life has been granted to a select few within the indigenous population who have used it only
for the good of their people.
My guest in this issue of the Port Douglas Magazine is such a man. He is a gentle, quiet man
called ‘Mooks’ Harold Tayley. His nickname “Mooks” can be literally translated as ‘Friend’ and
his nickname is well earned. I met him up at Mossman Gorge, where he works, for a cup of coffee
during his lunch break and right from our handshake he made me feel very welcome.
He is a modern day healer within his people, better known as a Shaman to his people, a much
revered position. He was born into the Kuku Yalanji peoples in Laura on a cattle station. His
mother gave birth to him in water, so it wasn’t a surprise to him in later life that as a ‘water baby’
he always had an affinity to water. Back in those dark days there was no place for a baby on the
cattle stations so soon after his birth he was taken from the cattle station to live in the bush with
his Grandad and Uncle (Mums Brother) and grew up in and around Mossman, Wujal Wujal and
Cooktown. These two great influences in his life taught him everything about the life force he
possesses just as their fore fathers had taught them from all the way back beyond anyone’s living
memories.
I feel a little awkward mentioning the fictional and perhaps trivial Star Wars ‘force’ because
without any doubt Mooks is the real deal. There is nothing fictional about his powers or his
position within Kuku Yalanji society
There is something very spiritual about Mooks. He has a positive energy around him that seems to
protect both he and the people around him from what he calls ‘bad energy’. That ‘bad energy’ can
come in many forms from emotions, attitude and not least genuine illness and diseases. Mooks
has the gift to be able to cast off that bad energy to prevent it from doing any more damage. He
channels his healing powers through his hands and when necessary various natural relics and
tools he has gathered from his homeland rainforest.