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Tarwangin - Talking To Me - 02 April 2008
In this edition, the DIA hosts the launch of the Jigeengadi Bush Camp book, a unique educational and cultural resource for all Western Australians, Indigenous tour operators garner international acclaim, and the Aboriginal Women's Network invites membership.
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Mowanjum Artists Launch Important Resource
The Jigeengadi Bu sh Camp Book, a project of the Mowanjum Artists Spirit of the Wanjina Aboriginal corporation was launched at DIA last week.
It came about after the Mowanjum Artists held a series of workshops over a seven-day bush camp, part-funded by the Aboriginal Lands Trust.
At the camp, 65 people from the Ngarinyin, Worrorra and Wunambal language groups, demonstrated traditional bush harvest and tool making methods. This valuable cultural and historical knowledge has been preserved in the book.
It covers a huge range of skills from baking a mouth-watering damper to identifying timber to make musical instruments and how to carve a reliable boomerang.
The grant was part of the Looking After Country program to support
Indigenous community efforts to rejuvenate, maintain and protect country across Western Australia
If you’d like to buy a copy of the book, it costs $20, email mowanjum.art@bigpond.com.au for details.
In a Perth exclusive, Artitja Fine Art is staging an exhibition of works by the Mowanjum artists of the Kimberley, bush sculptures by Janine McAullay Bott and traditional Japanese weaves from Master Weaver Seiji Konishi.
The exhibition runs until Sunday 6 April at the Atwell Art Centre Gallery, on the corner of Canning Highway and North Lake Road, Alfred Cove.
Recruitment Campaign Begins for Metro Justice Roles
People who want to contribute to the rehabilitation of offenders now have the chance to be considered for training.
The Department of Corrective Services is now calling for people interested in working as community corrections officers (CCOs) and juvenile justice officers (JJOs) in metropolitan Community Justice Services offices.
The roles may appeal to people with welfare or counselling skills who want to work closely with young or adult offenders and help turn their lives around. While desirable, no formal qualifications are required to apply.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and others with diverse life and career experiences are encouraged to apply.
Information sessions about work as a CCO or JJO will be held on:
- 9.30–11.30am Saturday 12 April at the Corrective Services Academy, 4 Allen Court, Bentley
- 12.30–2pm Tuesday 15 April at the Multi-Function Room, Aboriginal Alcohol and Drug Service, 211 Royal Street, East Perth.
Applications close at 4.30pm on 21 April 2008.
For more information visit www.correctiveservices.wa.gov.au > Employment & Volunteers > Employment Opportunities > Current Vacancies or phone Anthony Howson on 0418 943 036.
Call for Indigenous Films
Indigenous film-makers are urged to submit work to the Nepal International Indigenous Film Festival (Niiff '08) Kathmandu, June 5-8, 2008.
The film festival is dedicated to the promotion and preservation of the Indigenous culture, customs, and traditional knowledge and skills.
This year it will screen every genre, from fiction, documentary, shorts, experimental, animation and music video. For details about Niiff'08 go to: www.ifanepal.org.np
WA Schools Excel in National Indigenous Education Awards
Schools in Western Australia are leading the way in improving the educational performances of Aboriginal students after achieving outstanding results in a national awards program.
Seven WA schools have been named among the High Achievement winners in the Dare to Lead Excellence in Leadership in Indigenous Education Awards, announced recently by Federal Education Minister Julia Gillard.
The Dare to Lead Excellence in Leadership in Indigenous Education Awards recognise schools that demonstrate high levels of effective leadership, indigenous community involvement and improvements in outcomes.
A panel of Indigenous and non-Indigenous educators determined the winning schools by assessing each school’s application against set criteria.
WA Education and Training Minister Mark McGowan said the achievements highlighted the creative and dedicated work being done in WA schools to give Aboriginal students a better future.
“The work being done by these schools is making a real and positive difference to the lives of Aboriginal students,” Mr McGowan said.
Winning schools in the High Achievement category received $6000 and a commemorative plaque. They include:
Swan View Senior High School, Governor Stirling Senior High School and Lockridge Senior High School -The Midland Indigenous Youth Program is a joint initiative that works with industry and Indigenous organisations to provide opportunities for Aboriginal students to complete Year 12, as well as supporting them to move into meaningful and sustainable education, training or employment. The schools have indigenous student populations of between 11 and 20 per cent.
Yule Brook Community College, Maddington - In 2001, the school formed a working party to begin the process of engaging with the local Aboriginal community. The resulting Aboriginal Community Agreement has contributed to significant improvements in school enrolments and graduation rates and a reduction in suspension rates. Of the school’s 205 students, 65 are indigenous.
Aranmore Catholic College, Leederville -The leadership and commitment of the school’s Aboriginal Student Support team has contributed to a significant increase in Aboriginal student enrolments over the past eight years and an increase in Indigenous student leadership opportunities.
Winning schools in the Achievement category receive $1000 and a Certificate of Achievement. They include:
Challis Early Childhood Education Support Centre, Armadale -The Kartajin Danjoo school-based initiative is building a culture that treats education as a high priority. The school has built solid partnerships with the Aboriginal community and the initiative, although in its infancy, has already led to an improvement in attendance.
East Kenwick Primary School, Kenwick -The school has made significant progress in literacy and numeracy, with 100 per cent of its Aboriginal students achieving the Western Australian Literacy and Numeracy Assessment benchmark. The school’s efforts to improve educational outcomes for Indigenous students have received strong community support.
Seminar on the Effects of Alcohol
The Injury Control Council of WA, supported by the Department of Health WA, presents a Westlink Seminar on The Impact of Alcohol on Western Australians Key findings from the State Alcohol Report The Impact of Alcohol on the Population of Western Australia report sends a serious message that Western Australians need to rethink the way they drink.
Dr Alex Xiao, epidemiologist with the Department of Health WA, will present the key findings from this recently released report with a focus on the impact of alcohol on injury. This is particularly relevant for those in rural and remote areas.
Monday 7 April 2008, 2pm – 3pm. RSVP ph 9420 7212, fax: 9486 7955 , email: professionaldevelopment@iccwa.org.au
The Aboriginal Women’s Network and Friends
The Aboriginal Women’s Network and friends is an informal newly formed network of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women from across Western Australia who believe that Aboriginal Women’s voices and perspectives must be heard in the public debates, media commentary and political spheres of all matters relating to Aboriginal peoples and their communities.
The group is seeking to build support and draw on the experiences of women from the broader community and other networks to assist us in building a strong collective voice for Aboriginal women and challenging some of the stereotypes currently being conveyed in the media and provide positive role models for future generations of Aboriginal women and men.
Anyone can join the Aboriginal Women’s Network and Friends by emailing the organising committee at aboriginalwomensnetwork@hotmail.com You will be added to the mailing list and advised regularly of meetings and proposed events and actions.
Western Australian Screen Award Winners
Indigenous people dominated the winners list at the 21st Western Australian Screen Awards.
The Television series The Circuit received three Outstanding Achievement Industry Awards, with writers Dot West and Mitch Torres receiving the Outstanding Achievement Award for excellence in screenwriting, while the series' production company Media World accepted the Outstanding Achievement Awards for excellence in drama production and series production.
Dot West of Goolarri Media took home this year's Outstanding Contribution to the Industry Award.
Dot has played a major role in the development of the Indigenous media sector, both in Western Australia and nationally. She has written and produced many films and television series, and was most recently a writer and co-producer of The Circuit.
In 2005, she was awarded the Tudawali Award in recognition of her contribution to Indigenous Media and in the same year, received the local NAIDOC award for her contribution to Indigenous Affairs.
She has also served on many boards including ScreenWest, the Australian International Documentary Conference and the National Indigenous Television channel.
Early Career Award Winners:
-Best Documentary Production, Irma Woods; Wrong Way
-Directing (Non Drama) Mandy Corunna; Wrong Way
The WASAs are proudly supported by ScreenWest and Lotterywest. A full list of winners is available from the WASA website.
Funding for Screen Culture Projects
Applications for ScreenWest's Screen Culture funding round are now open for projects that occur in the 2008 calendar year.
These activities are eligible for funding under ScreenWest's Screen Culture fund:
- courses/workshops/seminars/networks and alliances;
- projects that are designed to impart advanced level filmmaking skills or knowledge to local practitioners;
- industry events, including visits by interstate and international guests, talks, seminars or conferences which address screen policy issues or other trends and developments relevant to the film industry;
- launches, awards ceremonies and other key industry functions that promote screen practitioners and screen culture;
- screen activities such as festivals, screenings and events that promote screen product and issues in a critical context and enhance community participation.
More information, including the selection criteria and application requirements, is available from the funding section of the ScreenWest website.
ScreenWest's Screen Culture funding program will be reviewed at the close of the April 2008 round. Applications close 5pm on Monday 14 April.
Indigenous Tourism Operators Make Splash in European Tourism Market
 The Western Australian Indigenous Tourism Operators Committee (WAITOC) has won the prestigious To Do Tourism Award at world tourism trade show ITB Berlin.
The award acknowledges international excellence and is presented to people, organisations and associations who conduct projects and activities which place special emphasis on the interests and needs of the local people, and in which the people are involve in the central steering and management functions of the project.
WAITOC Chairman Neville Poelina and board member Ann Preest traveled to Berlin to receive the award (pictured with from right, official Armin Vielhaber), which includes a cash prize of €4000.
The money will be reinvested into WAITOC projects and activities.
There are more than 60 Indigenous tourism operators in WAITOC, who offer visitors from all over the world tours that involve bushwalking, visiting or staying in an Aboriginal community that give them insights into the world’s oldest living culture.
Get Involved in Crime Prevention
The Office of Crime Prevention is running a series of one-day workshops around regional Western Australia to consult on changes to the State Community Safety and Crime Prevention Strategy.
Community groups, local government, government agencies and elected members are encouraged to attend.
The workshops will be held in Bunbury, Carnarvon, Northam, Kalgoorlie, Geraldton, Katanning, Broome, Kununurra and Port Hedland from the end of March until the end of May.
For more information talk to Gerard Daniels on 9222 9733 or Gerald.daniels@ocp.wa.gov.au.
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