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

Mundine vs Geale II

Fighters waiting for the bell for the opening round

Big time boxing came to Sydney as two intact Aboriginal family men fought for the world middleweight title. Daniel Geale's family and team showed laudable patience as Anthony Mundine became evermore outrageous in his attacks on Geale and remarks about 'Uncle Toms' past and
present. Poorly expressed - but the point he was making is deserving of consideration when reframed. For Aboriginal professionals being Aboriginal is an asset: 'A barrister and an Aboriginal!' 'The first Aboriginal Rhodes Scholar!' For grassroots Koories Aboriginality is the focus of exclusion, marginalisation and police harassment.

As for the fight - out of solidarity I had no intention of barracking for one against the other. Both fighters relied on Aboriginal motifs as they entered the ring. With most of the crowd against him Mundine drew on a small group of partisans for support, and most importantly, the women of his family. They sat directly behind his corner  and during course of the fight would rise from their seats to urge him on. For any Aboriginal who possessed the cultural knowledge to understand it the symbolism of this was potent. With his obdurate pride, and the support of his women, he pretty much demonstrated for an unknowing crowd the reality of the Aboriginal warrior.



Coming soon to Youtube. Under 25s in non-PC conversation with film maker Warwick Thornton.

Let's Make More Spear

 Make More Spear. We’ve now launched the first Aboriginal designed and built smart ‘phone app. The For us By Us aspect is the least important part of this achievement.  Some of the less obvious, but more far-reaching implications, will be explicated in a paper we’ll write on the project.  What it has done in the first instance is provide a real-world basis for critique of high profile social media projects relying on non-Indigenous technical expertise. Hence we’ve taken the Frank Yamma song to heart:   Let's Make More Spear – a further stage in community development requires that the technology, the spear, return to Aboriginal hands.

Geale vs Mundine. The fight’s set for the Sydney Entertainment Centre, 30 January next year and I’ve got a ticket. I expected Mundine would start sledging Geale about his Aboriginality (that’s only a reflection of the tensions within Aboriginal communities) but he went too far with his disrespectful objectification of Geale’s wife.  In doing that Mundine infringed the honour codes of boxing and ensured that there would be a personal edge to the contest. The only surprise is why, at this late stage of his career, is Anthony so bitter? In money terms he has been incredibly successful, and he’s chosen that path. Geale, like fellow Australians Robbie Peden and Michael Katsidis, has been a road warrior - Mundine has stayed  home and promoted his own fights against his own opponents. Once, according to oldtimers, promoters wouldn’t match Aboriginal fighters because it was expected they would take it easy on each other. Things have changed.

The Second AIS Biennial Practitioners Colloquium. Starting on the evening of the 27^th with special guest Tracey Bunda, and concluding with a full day on 28 November.  Looking good for more details, or to rsvp, contact Kate Rendell. 

Scott Lecture and Colloquium Photographs

and more on the Kim Scott Colloquium Facebook page...

Healing

Mobile 'Phone Apps. A nice end to NAIDOC Week celebrations when the first stage in the development of a mobile 'phone app for clients of the Boorndawan Willam Aboriginal Healing Service coincided with Melbourne's Outer Eastern Region NAIDOC Ball. Quite an achievement - the young Indigenous software engineer developed the app while completing an Honours degree and dealing with the potentially life-threatening illness of a close family member. After missing out on funding we invested our own time and money because of the urgency of the need. Maybe it was a bit like leading with your chin to commence our funding application with the following: ‘V. S. Naipaul famously said that the colonised were condemned to use the telephone never to invent it. This project contests the fatalism of Naipaul’s dictum in two ways: It builds mastery and capacity in Indigenous communities in relation to evolving information technologies and systems; and Indigenous leadership and knowledge are central to the methodology it uses.’

AIME (Australian Indigenous Mentoring Experience). This organisation continues to set new benchmarks in achievement. A recent email:


'They say good things come in threes. Think Musketeers, happy birthday cheers and Origin deciders...

And now, for the third year running, AIME kids have finished school at almost the same rate as every Australian child. We've just released the 2011 AIME Annual Report, and the results are in. 
 

It's because of results like these that ABC told AIME's Australian Story. It's because of results like these that the Prime Minister of Australia donned an AIME Hoodie to celebrate Indigenous success. And it's because of people like you that we're seeing a generation of Indigenous kids, a generation of Indigenous and non-Indigenous university Mentors, and a whole nation, step up to believe in something bigger, something better.' 

Check out AIME 's annual report and also  the University of Melbourne's own Seamless Transition Education Pathway (STEPP) program.

Honourable Mention. "A good night's drinking in the village. Sharrocks and I went to the local cinema to see  film about the aborigines of Australia - Bitter Springs. The aborigines were good.' John Fowles,  The Journals: Volume 1, 2003, 159.


Don't Forget. @ 7.00pm, on the 25th of July Australian Indigenous Studies hosts a major address by Professor Kim Scott at the Spot Basement Theatre, Business and Economics.  In a wide-ranging address Professor Scott will bring together his concerns with Indigenous cultural renewal though language revitalization, and the role of literature in an evolving vision of Australia in the twenty-first century. This event will be followed by a reception to honour Professor Scott.

http://www.facebook.com/TheKimScottColloquium