By Taylah Eastwell
Sitting at a bustling Belgrave cafe with the town’s very own “wizard“ Baba Desi, the love for the quirky Hills local quickly becomes apparent.
From small children yelling out ’It’s the pirate!“, to local shopkeepers and curious tourists, 91-year-old Des Burgen takes the time to strike up a conversation with each and every human that glances his way.
Mesmerised by his colourful robes, turbaned head, ever-growing collection of rustic jewels and his hand-crafted wooden staff that makes him all the more wizard–like, there aren’t many who would pass up the opportunity to get to know the loved Hills local.
But when Baba Desi was approached by Upwey documentary photographer Pauline Klemm late last year, he had no idea the friendship that was about to form.
“Anyone that lives in the Hills sees him walking around all the time, and so had I. You always have thoughts when you see him, you think gosh he’s an interesting guy, I’d love to go talk to him,” Ms Klemm said.
“For the last six months or so, every time I saw him I thought – he is a photographer’s dream, I need to ask if I can photograph him, but I just kept passing him thinking it,” she said.
One day, as Ms Klemm was driving past Upwey train station, she saw Baba Desi walk past. After doing a quick U-turn, she pulled up and approached the friendly wizard, asking if she could take a photo of him for her portfolio.
“He said he’s used to it, that’s he’s been on TV, on this show and interviewed by this and that, and I thought wow, this man has such a story,” she said.
Ms Klemm asked Baba Desi if she could sit down with him over a coffee.
“He said you can catch me anytime, I’m always in Belgrave. I sat down with him for about three hours and when I walked away I just thought wow, this is so much more than three or four photos,” she said.
“I realised he has got a story that needs to be told and we got on really well, it would be so suitable as an Australian Story, he’s woven into the fabric of the Hills,” she said.
Since then, Ms Klemm has spent a lot of time with Baba Desi, learning about his past, teaching him how to use his mobile phone, even spending Christmas together – but perhaps most importantly, Ms Klemm has worked with Baba Desi to recreate his life in multi-media form.
The pair have been all over Melbourne to take photos at places of significance throughout Baba’s life in hopes of compiling enough media to leave behind a time-capsule for Baba Desi’s family.
“My project involves documenting his life so he can leave behind a time capsule for his family because some of them he has very little contact with,” Ms Klemm said.
“The most important thing to him is his family and the fact he is not as connected to them as he would like. The aim is to leave behind a legacy so they know who their father and grandfather was, and to honour the man that is so loved in the Hills.”
Ms Klemm and Baba Desi’s adventures have included a day shooting at Melbourne’s Gas Works, where he was once on a steering committee, and a day at RJ Hamer Arboretum in Olinda.
“I took him there (Gasworks) and he had a coffee with the CEO for 40 minutes and we got some photos and I filmed him walking around,” she said.
Ms Klemm has also tried to locate places where Baba Desi ran jazz dances in the 1950’s, and aims to take videos and photos in locations that have been a part of his life over his 91 years.
She has also recorded some of their conversations to add an audio aspect to the overall project recounting his life, which he has devoted to activism and healing others.
“He will say start telling me some outrageous story and I say, are you kidding me, hang on a minute, I’ve got to record this,” she said.
Ms Klemm said her overall aim is to put on a multi-media exhibition at Burrinja Cultural Centre, with audiovisual elements, photographs, and a tactile of Baba Desi’s quirky clothes on display in a “really creative way”.
She said she had received an “overwhelming” amount of support from other creative locals.
“I am utilising the skills of local community to fill in the gaps of skills that I don’t have to get this happening,” she said.
“I’ve never done anything like this, it is huge. I feel like I’ve unleashed a monster, but it is making me very happy doing it and it is making Des very happy. It’s good for him because we talk about things and he is always coming out with anecdotes and stories. He really wants his family to know who he was,” she said.
Baba Desi is getting just as much joy out of the project and his newfound friendship with Pauline, smiling as he describes it as “rewarding“.
“It’s great. I’ve always wanted a daughter,“ he said.
He hopes the time capsule of his life inspires others to stand up for what is right in society.
“Being an activist, I hope it makes people realise that if I can get out there and fight the system, they can do it too. We can’t just rollover and say yes sir, no sir, three bags full sir, it’s not the Australian way. Our ancestors gave us the go-ahead when they fought for our independence, we need to stand up, stand together and be counted,“ he said.
