Category Archives: Communities

Tiwi: Art, History, Culture

Among the Aboriginal peoples of Australia, with all the variety of language and culture they encompass, the Tiwi still stand apart.  Their language is an isolate, unrelated to those of the mainland.  Despite being among the first people to come … Continue reading

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No Mere Survival

From over here in America, I usually have a hard time finding an appropriate subject with which to mark Survival Day.  But this year, I’ve just finished watching Redfern Now, the first dramatic series to emerge from the ABC’s Indigenous … Continue reading

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The Tall Man of Palm Island

A few weeks ago, a boxful of DVD’s that I’d ordered from Australia arrived and, in the evenings after work, we settled down to watch the televised adaptation of Christos Tsiolkas’s The Slap.  I’d enjoyed the book immensely; I thought its … Continue reading

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Revisiting Palm Island

It’s sometimes best not to (pre)judge a book by its title. I confess that when I first heard about the publication of Joanne Watson’s Palm Island: through a long lens (Aboriginal Studies Press, 2010), my first reaction was to wonder … Continue reading

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Building a Camp in Arnhem Land

The Bulman-Weemol community is located in the heart of Arnhem Land, halfway between Katherine and Blue Mud Bay off the Gulf of Carpentaria.  Nearby is Bodeidei Camp, an eco-tourism venture operated by Dreamtime Safaris that offers the experience of visiting … Continue reading

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Don’t Forget, Darwin, Christmas is Coming Soon!

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Christmas Spirit

Darwinians, mark your calendars.  Top Enders and outsiders, make your reservations.  Christmas is coming to town.  And you do not want to miss it this year. On December 7, at the Chan Contemporary Art Space in Darwin’s CBD, Miyarrka Media … Continue reading

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Story About Holding

Today I want to offer up a story, or a parable.  I suppose one could say “inspired by true events.”  Some characters may bear an intentional resemblance to people I have met, and certainly some of the incidents I describe … Continue reading

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Desert Mob 2011

Curators, journalists, and visitors, even the ABC (“Desert Mob sales strong“), have all pronounced the 2011 edition of Desert Mob a resounding success, and I can find no reason to disagree with them.  This year there are 33 art centres … Continue reading

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Tjukurpa Anangu

Gallery visits that we made on our recent trip around Australia began and ended with shows from Tjala Arts in Amata, SA.  We opened with Anangu Maruku Mulapa (This is our real way) at Alcaston Gallery in Melbourne and spent … Continue reading

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