The Festival of Indigenous Studies and a Happy Christmas

Autonomedia inspired. We had some incredible content at last month's Practitioners Forum which we will disseminate in an Autonomedia style publication titled Same but Different; and what a privilege to share the podium with so many gifted, intact, Aboriginal men and women.  Same but Different will be on the streets in July 2014.

The Festival of Indigenous Studies. For the AIS team, and our constituency, 2014 will be a year long celebration of Indigenous Studies. in the first part of the year we'll be presenting symposiums on Whiteness, and the fiction of B. Wongar, as well as launching two more film productions. On 2&3 October we'll be convening a major symposium  Reading the Country: After 30 years to mark the 30th anniversary of Reading the Country's publication.  Stephen Muecke and some of the leading scholars of that generation will be in attendance. As well as giving papers they'll interact with emerging, young, and unincorporated scholars addressing the multi-facted themes of Reading the Country: Introduction to Nomadology. We'll conclude the year with a major film launch in early December.

Baraka, spiritual radiance, whatever - Nile Rogers was in town last week emphasising the importance of affirming, seeking, and doing - now, before what is written comes to pass. And what is written? Nobody knows.*

A happy Christmas from Australian Indigenous Studies.

*Conrad, The Rescue

The Swan Book

The Swan Book. An inspiring celebration of Alexis Wright  and her latest novel  The Swan Book at the Ginger Garlic restaurant in Eltham. Meera Govill, proprietor of The Eltham Bookstore MC'd the event. Ivor Indyk, Giramondo publisher and Alexis' editor spoke of working with Alexis on  Carpentaria  and The Swan Book, Alexis spoke of her writing method and philosophy and the inspiration she derived from Italo Calvino's, Six Memos for the Next Millenium, i.e., the qualities of lightness, quickness, exactitude, visibility and multiplicity. Finally, our students Jon Ricketson and Kate Rendell delivered succinct lectures that combined appreciation with critique of Alexis' work. All this with delicious Indian food and a Southern twilight.

Healing Cards. I've just seen these fabulous cards produced by the Boorndawan Willam Women's Art Therapy group. Each card features their original artwork and inspirational quotes.

Christmas presents? Purchase them from Boorndawan Willam Aboriginal Healing Service

Mosley vs Mundine. Noteworthy points: i) the playing of national anthems was dispensed with. (The playing of anthems at prize fights is a late 20th century innovation now sacrosanct for many.) ii) The crowd was largely Lebanese Muslim or Aboriginal: it was suggested that Team Mundine had given away a lot free tickets to the fight. iii)Aboriginal dancers entered the ring before the fight and appeared to sweep it clean for both fighters.  iv)This was one of those rare occasions when Anthony was cheered into the ring  and his opponent booed.)

Diversity. Finally, the work of diversity never ends and for the selfless workers there is no rest but here's an uplifting story about a brother who found his place in a corporation. 

2013 Golden Bilbys. A Thousand Plateaus scooped the Bilby's with Sam Taylor and Meredith Hinze taking out awards  for production and educational design respectively, and Justin Clemens scoring Best Actor and Lauren Bliss Best Actress. (The film was developed for Australian Indigenous Studies students but will be available for general use by anyone with an interest in Deleuze and Guattari.) Edward Morrissey took the Frog D'or for the design and engineering of an app that allows Australian Indigenous studies students to view course readers on an iOS device with the benefits of speedy navigation and easy access to citations. Works on iPad or iPhone, and an Android version is now in production. No excuses for not getting the reading done for tutorial!



 And this week:

Australian Indigenous Studies 2013 Practitioner’s Forum

Friday 15th November

“Same but Different: Indigeneity and Diversity in the Corporate University”

9:30am – 4:30pm, Friday 15th November Yasuko Hiraoka Room, Sidney Myer Asia Centre

Australian Indigenous Studies Practitioner’s Forum 2013: “Same but Different: Indigeneity and Diversity in the Corporate University” – a practical forum for people working within Indigenous Studies, developing Indigenous content or working with Indigenous Australian students.

Speakers: Celeste Liddle (Arrernte), Jason Mifsud (Gunditjmara), Philip Morrissey (Kalkadoon), Heidi Norman (Gamilaroi), Sandra Philips (Waka Waka, Goreng Goreng), Chelsea Bond (Munanjahli, South Sea Islands).

Discussion themes will include: 

- ‘Things must go both ways’ 

- Activism within Corporate Institutions 

 - Practical strategies for change 

 - The Larissa Behrendt report on Higher Education Access and

Outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People

For catering purposes please RSVP: Kate Rendell rendellk@unimelb.edu.au

The Golden Bilby Awards. 

The winners of the Australian Indigenous Studies teaching and learning community’s 2013 Golden Bilby Awards will be announced at a gala event this Friday 

The evening will include the debut screening of A Thousand Plateaus the new AIS teaching film, starring Justin Clemens and Lauren Bliss. We will also be presenting the coveted Golden Bilby Award for the motion picture that best represents the aims and philosophies of the Australian Indigenous Studies program and the inaugural Frog D’or  for a technological innovation that most enhances the learning outcomes of Australian Indigenous Studies students.

No Bilbys were harmed in the Awarding of this Award.
Music provided by Wale, Nancy Sinatra, and Kamahl,  and includes occasional coarse language.

Flashmob - No Bystanders

The Election

Indigenous commentators: perspectives on Aboriginal policies and the Federal election

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/sep/03/indigenous-vote-australian-election#start-of-comments

Martinis in Hell

This Sunday is the first time in 10 years, or more, that I won't be giving a lecture, or speaking to, prospective students about Indigenous Studies at the University of Melbourne.

2. NTEU Melbourne Branch members unanimously voted not to participate in Open Day 2013. It's non-participation rather than a strike. In a system that encourages individualism and self-interest I've never been paid for my attendance, nor has it ever translated into anything remotely like personal benefit in an institutional sense.

3. For the record, I reject almost every aspect of the Left's agenda but they'll be serving martinis in hell before I cross a picket line.

Gurrumul-His life and Music.

 

ELTHAMbookshop, Nillumbik Reconciliation Group, Monstalvat and ABC Books

present

Robert Hillman, author of Gurrumul His Life and Music

From concert halls to recording studios and into Aboriginal heartlands, this is the story of Australia’s Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu. This unique Indigenous man is one of the most inspiring music stories of our generation. Part road trip, part biography, Robert Hillman’s account of Gurrumul’s life and music offers rare insights into the sources of his inspiration. The book includes interviews with family and friends, song lyrics and exclusive photographs. His story is one of a great talent revealed and of an astonishing musical gift that has left audiences all over the world spellbound. The book includes an exclusive CD of remixed songs from his bestselling albums ‘Gurrumul’ and ‘Rrakala’ featuring rare remixes of the songs ‘Bäpa’ and ‘Gurrumul History (I was Born Blind)’ and ‘Warwu’. 

Robert Hillman is a Melbourne-based writer of fiction and biography. His autobiography THE BOY IN THE GREEN SUIT won the Australian National Biography Award for 2005. His critically acclaimed MY LIFE AS A TRAITOR (written with Zarah Ghahramani) was shortlisted for the Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Non-Fiction in 2008 and was published widely overseas. He has co authored with Najaf Mazari, The Rugmaker of Mazar e Sharif and The Honey Thief.

This evening will be introduced by Philip John Morrissey,Academic Coordinator, Australian Indigenous Studies,The Faculty of Arts, University of Melbourne

Venue: The Barn, Montsalvat, Hillcrest Avenue, Eltham

Date: June 4th