Brian White, Baba Desi (PEOPLE 2026)

While visiting Burrinja Cultural Centre in Upwey not far from where "The Belgrave Wizard" Baba Desi (Desmon Bergin) lives, I noticed some artists showing Desi around their new magnificent art exhibitions that included a large framed tapestry of his costumed image. Desi now 96 years old has a great many bizarre and colourful costumes and is known locally as an "activist", "wizard", "healer" and "pirate". Desi was happy for me to take his photo that indicates his calm positive agreeable deliberate empathetic smiling body language that reinforces his soft slow supportive speech that has endeared him to the local community.

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