Actively Radical TV presents a landmark documentary, Alyawarr Walk-off protest vs Northern Territory Intervention

Contact ARTV for a copy : (02) 9564 1277

Scott said to me that he was determined to put his album out

I met Scott, 40 and his partner Sandy, 45 at Thirroul station. I chatted with them as always I do with interesting people whom I meet in public space. They were kind enough to permit me taking a few photos of them. Scott and Sandy sing at public places and collect 30~40 dollars a day. Scott was in the paint mixing trade and lost his job six months ago. He is trying to find a new job. Sandy is on pension due to her medical condition. They have been together for last six years. Scott is a country music man. He and Sandy sang a couple of songs for me – John Denver, Glen Campbell, Neil Diamond etc. It didn't take long for them to get and audience around them. A gleaming young blind woman came up to him and said “I can’t see you but your singing is beautiful”. Scott is of Aboriginal background. He was a guitarist cum singer for a band till a few years ago and had had an agent also. That was a good time. Scott has put lyrics his cousin wrote for him, into songs. His album is ready and he is trying to get it out. I told him stories of Johnny Cash and Kris Kristofferson. Scott said to me that he was determined to put his album out. 

Home

I am back home photographing for my most favourite essay "Home". Amanda is enjoying her TV time watching Johnny Cash while Ruch and Milith engaging themselves in drawing and building blocks.

John Pilger & Richard Downs speak against the NT Intervention - April 23 - NSW Teachers’ Federation Auditorium - organised by Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney (STICS)

Prof. John Pilger

Prof. Larissa Behrendt

MUA Sydney Secretary Paul Mcaleer

                                        

Alyawarr Spokesperson for Intervention Walk-off Richard Downs

" John Pilger speaks at major event on Australia's 'intervention' against its first people

A new chapter opens this Friday, April 23, in the struggle of the Aboriginal people when Richard Downs and John Pilger launch the first national call-out of indigenous and non-indigenous Australians in protest against the Rudd government's 'intervention' in the Northern Territory. Richard Downs, community elder and spokesperson for the Alyawarr people, calls on the Australian community to join the 'call out' (civil disobedience), the first since the great Gurindji strike of the 1960s. He said, "This is a struggle for our very survival as Aboriginal people. All control over our lives is being removed. We’re back to where we were 40 years ago. It’s time to start fighting back to defend our rights our county and our culture." John Pilger said, "When the Gurindji went on strike at Wave Hill in the Northern Territory in 1966, they gave white Australia a gimpse of the suffering and injustice in this country. The Alywarr walk off is as important.The Northern Territory Intervention, so called, is not only a step back to Australia's dark past when racism was acceptable, it distorts the law. United Nations' rulings have made this clear. In other words, it's a fraud.Until white Australians end these iniquities and give back to indigenous Australians their nationhood, they can never claim their own." " Quoted from http://www.johnpilger.com/page.asp?partid=573

Also visit Stop the Intervention Collective Sydney (STICS) : http://stoptheintervention.org/

Etiquette. Campbelltown Art Centre

During 2010 Campbelltown Arts Centre is expanding its program of live performance to include a range of works that push at the boundary of contemporary performance and actively engage with audiences, location and site. The first work to be presented as part of the Live Program is Etiquette by innovative UK-based company Rotozaza. It will be performed in Campbelltown Arts Centre’s Café from 19 April until 2 May.

Etiquette is a 30 minute live experience for two people who simultaneously play the roles of performer and audience. Etiquette will quite literally draw you into a gripping and highly personal performance. Taking a seat with a friend or stranger, and using separate headphones, you follow instructions and act out the performance together, inhabiting roles in a series of short scenes, many borrowed from film and theatre. This fascinating show opened in London in 2007 and has been performed around the world, including England, Australia, Canada and Spain.

"gripping... If the line between audience and performer seems blurred, Rotozaza’s 'Etiquette' erases it entirely." New York Times/Herald Tribune

“Etiquette explores the gap between language and meaning. In creating an entirely private space in a public setting, something extraordinary happens.” Lyn Gardner, The Guardian

Etiquette is available at Campbelltown Arts Centre every day from 19 April until 2 May at 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm. There will be afternoon/ evening performances from Wednesday 21 to Saturday 24 April, and on Saturday 1 May at 4pm, 5pm, 6pm and 7pm. Bookings with a friend are advised as participation requires two people per session.

Rotozaza are based in London and Brighton, UK. The writer and director Ant Hampton formed Rotozaza in 1998 and joined with performer Silvia Mercuriali shortly afterwards to make the second show [DUE] in Milan, Italy, 1999. They have been working together in different ways and in various countries and languages on over 20 Rotozaza productions. Since 2003 the work has involved particularly close collaborations with Neil Bennun, Greg McLaren and Melanie Wilson.

Campbelltown Arts Centre is a multidisciplinary contemporary arts centre located in Western Sydney. Since opening in 2005 the Centre has pioneered a contemporary arts program that engages with critical issues of our times. The Centre supports the research, development and production of new work and creates platforms for multidisciplinary arts practice.

To make a booking for Etiquette or for more information, contact the Campbelltown Arts Centre Box Office on 4645 4100 or email artscentre@campbelltown.nsw.gov.au. Campbelltown Arts Centre is located at the corner of Camden and Appin Roads Campbelltown.

Quoted from : http://www.campbelltown.nsw.gov.au/default.asp?iSubCatID=3466&iNavCatID=491

Richard Downs, Alyawarr Elder at UTS, Sydney on a speaking tour

Richard Downs-Alyawarr Elder speaking at the Ampilatwatja Walk Off tour from nat wasley on Vimeo.

Love Britain. It's so cool.

Kafka has a rival. Today, the Foreign Office lectures us on human rights

John Pilger, an Australian born investigative journalist and film maker wrote this piece one and half years ago for the Guardian. Something which has been true for last several hundred years, is true today as well. Therefore I posted my most favourite journalist / film maker's timeless piece.

Martin has a dream

Martin is 20 and a juggler. He's lost his job a couple of months ago. I met him at the Martin Luther King Jr mural in Newtown when I was on a photo shoot there. Martin has got a dream to realize i.e. to become a trainer in juggling. He performs at the space around the 'I have a dream' mural everyday. This space is his theatre. Daniela, 27 met Martin a year ago there. She studies Social Welfare at TAFE. Daniela often brings her study material to Martin's theatre to read.