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Vis a Vis: Techno Tribal Techno a Vis: Vis ISSUE 36 ISSUE AUSTRALIAN SCREEN EDUCATION SCREEN AUSTRALIAN PATRICIA KELLY / MAUREEN AH SAM 1 STUDYGUIDE Vis a Vis: Techno Tribal Synopsis connections reveal rich comic talent, What an interesting video to say the self-doubt, and great differences in least. Vis a Vis: Techno Tribal, features is a Vis: Techno Tribal witnesses their approaches to life and work. two Indigenous performing artists. two powerful and articulate The use of satellite video link brings Vperformance artists confront- The fi nancing and set-up us into the twenty-fi rst century ing the stereotypes and prejudices was by white fi lmmak- and what a great way for about Indigenous people in Australia ers aware that the new Ningali and James to share and the USA. In Australia the experi- technologies, though their cultural experiences, ence of Indigenous marginalization increasingly-common- challenge stereotypes, by the colonizing culture is 300 years place, are rarely in the racism and bring ‘Indige- younger than in America. Have these hands of marginalized or nous/Black history’ into the 300 years made signifi cant differences Indigenous communities. education arena, the wider to the uneasy co-existence of these community and even into the cultures? James: We’re taking advantage homes of non-Indigenous people. of this media because for so long, Ningali and James have similar experi- Actor-writer and comedienne Nin- we’ve been spoken about, spoken for, ences yet they are 10,000 kilometres gali Lawford from the Kimberley in photographed, videotaped … but you apart and hail from very different and Western Australia, and James Luna, know we aren’t the people who are in unique Indigenous Nations. a conceptual performance artist from control … the Luiseno La Jolla reservation in Maureen Ah Sam California, meet through a satellite Ningali: You should see my place. video link and embark on a journey of I’ve never had reality TV in my house Warning dialogue, demonstration and dis- before! ISSUE 36 covery. Using both performance and • Aboriginals and Torres Strait historical illustration, they canvass the A fi lm which features two perform- Islanders are warned that the fi lm AUSTRALIAN SCREEN EDUCATION contemporary Indigenous landscape, ance artists was always going to be may contain images and sounds the constant choices facing them a hybrid of documentary and drama, of deceased persons. over representation and responsibil- and Vis a Vis: Techno Tribal can • Any topics relating to racism ity, and the effects on their lives of the perhaps best be seen as an observa- can raise painful and challeng- mainstream white society in which tion in four acts. The agenda for what ing issues for some students. It is they work. Their candid and emotional would happen was entirely unknown. important to create a safe learning Vis a Vis: Techno Tribal 52 minutes, 2003 Film Finance Corporation Australia Ltd and Nick Torrens Film Productions 2 Director: Nick Torrens, Steven Lawrence, Phil Lucas Producer: Nick Torrens, Steven Lawrence Vis a Vis: Techno Tribal ISSUE 36 AUSTRALIAN SCREEN EDUCATION 3 environment by agreeing on ap- Indigenous, racism, ethnicity, stere- propriate and inappropriate words otypes, institutionalized racism, Curriculum links and terms and how to speak and diabetes, mainstream, marginalization, listen respectfully. identity, kin, totem, overseer, stolen Suitable for general community use • There is occasional swearing in generations, reservation, Language, and for students from senior second- this video, occurring in the context Kreol. ary upwards, particularly in SOSE, of performance. Always preview to English, Australian History, Perform- see if a video is suitable for your Why are key words important? ing Arts, Legal Studies and Media students. Studies. Understanding key terms is the basis Before watching the video for understanding and helps students At Tertiary level, the video is relevant to expand vocabulary in context. to Built Environment, Engineering, 1. Introduce Key Words Creative Industries (Music, Performing 2. Find out what students Arts, Media), Health, Politics, Justice already know Studies, Law and Religious Studies ISSUE 36 and Peace Studies. Students may know a lot, a little, or AUSTRALIAN SCREEN EDUCATION have a lot of misinformation about The artists: Ningali Lawford Indigenous people and issues. It is and James Luna helpful to begin by brainstorming what they already know. Revisit their com- Ningali Josie Lawford was born in ments after watching the video and 1967 at Wangkatjungka, near Fitzroy doing work on the issues. Ask what Crossing in the Kimberley Region of information was accurate? What was WA. She grew up on a cattle station inaccurate? What will they do with the where her father was an overseer. new information? She attended high school in Perth 4 and then spent a year in Alaska as the recipient of an American Field lives, or someone they would like Scholarship. On her return she joined to have as a role model. Ask them The Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre to prepare an interesting graphic in Sydney.1 She tells stories in three or written way of listing the quali- languages, Walmatjarri and Wang- ties they most admire in this per- katjungka (her traditional language), son and why they are important at English, which she learned when she this point in their lives. was thirteen, and Kreol, the synthesis • Ask them to fi nd a song or a of the two. She does a solo show poem, a picture or a story that called Ningali, in which she sings, illustrates one of these qualities dances and does stand-up comedy. and present it to the group. Discussion James Luna was born in California and identifi es with his mother’s Na- He prefers to work as a solo artist. The video begins with a written and tive American/First Nation Luiseno spoken dedication from Ningali: culture. His father was Mexican, but Here are some themes to explore ISSUE 36 James does not speak Spanish or his through the video. AUSTRALIAN SCREEN EDUCATION Dedicated to the memory of my two ancestral language. He grew up in Los grandmothers Jinny James and Emily Angeles but has moved to the La Jolla THEME 1: CREATIVITY Forrest, the two strongest women I reservation in Southern California. ever knew. I will always carry every- The community of six hundred people James and Ningali are both Indig- thing you both taught me. lives on 8000 acres. He really got in enous and artists, sharing their art touch with his Native American culture and attitudes with an international Activity when he was studying at the Univer- audience. sity of California in the late 1960s. He • Ask students to identify a role now works as a counsellor at a col- model who is signifi cant in their lege in order to fund his artistic work. 5 Nick Torrens, Director Incorporating snippets from James Rico. No I don’t speak Spanish …’ and Ningali’s performances was a How does this scene illustrate her ‘Over the course of the dialogues their great way to show off their talents that comment, ‘We’re still outsiders in artistic imperatives become clear— either made me laugh or have tears our own country?’ showing and discussing their work in my eyes. Their use of humour on • What makes this scene funny even and their reasons for doing it—in the issues such as the disposition of land, though the topic is serious? ways they have chosen.’ the notion of Terra Nullius or health issues (diabetes) make the audience Activities Ningali: I’m an actor, then Indigenous. aware that these things did happen or are happening within our respec- Compare this scene with James’ James: I’m a solo artist and I’m used tive communities. Their performances show in which he is on display as a to doing things the way I do ‘em. challenge the audience to unpack contemporary artefact. He said: ‘I their own prejudices or their own wanted to make this loud statement Some important aspects of their crea- cultural baggage. about us as living people not some- ISSUE 36 tivity include the following: thing from the past.’ Maureen Ah Sam AUSTRALIAN SCREEN EDUCATION Humour • Pause the video at the point where Discussion James is lying on the table with Both these artists are very funny, us- people observing him. Put yourself ing humour to point out inconsisten- • What does Maureen Ah Sam mean in his place or that of one of the cies in once uncontested concepts. by ‘cultural baggage’? audience. Write a short (half page) • Watch the scene from Black and script describing your thoughts. Ningali: Terra Nullius means no one Tran, Ningali’s show with the • Show this scene again and then here. If that’s the case, where the f--- Vietnamese-Australian comedian act some of the scripts. Do you have we come from? Hung Le. This begins with her think James has achieved his aim 6 saying, ‘No, I’m not from Puerto that ‘if a person comes, when they leave they will never look at Native 'Shaman' will help students to American stuff in the same way understand this piece at deeper again’? levels. • What are positive and negative Anger ways of dealing with anger in our daily lives? Consider problems Here are some comments about how such as road rage or sporting James and Ningali deal with anger brawls. How do these arise and and use it in their artistic lives. what effects do they have on those watching? How does hu- James: Sometimes I am critical of our mour help defuse anger? people but dammit, if I can’t do that, who can? THEME 2: CULTURE their traditional knowledge of spirits, James: I needed to hook them in and Culture is a huge theme.