‘Let them rage,’ the women told me, ‘because they have been wronged’. They whispered wind words in Kaurna and Kokatha. In Narrunga and Ngarandjeri the women told me ‘Let them rage’. Cloud Storm, Ali Cobby Eckermann Ĺĺ If only I had the ears, memory ... A tongue to speak. I remembered my grandfather’s words, almost as if they had emerged again in the night, in that bush, around that campfire when the three of us felt so frail and bitter. Benang — From the Heart, Kim Scott Ľľ One day a man in a suit arrived at our front door. This was the visit Mum had been fearing for a long time. He was from the Department of Native Welfare. Aliwa, ሆሄDallas Winmar Angas had put in place his perfectly legal method of solving the rising costs of labour: the enslavement of Australia’s Aboriginal people. Sweet Water ... Stolen Land, Philip McLaren Ļļ I am a daughter of this Land. I have the knowledge of my people. I have the power of my clan, I have the strength of my marriage, I have the love of my husband, I have the weapon of my wits. I am Medea. So come now and face me. There is a blood debt to pay and not a drop of mine shall fall upon this thirsty earth. Black Medea, Wesley Enoch ĸķ And now, all it took was a simple flick. A flick, flick here and there with a dirt-cheap cigarette lighter, and we could have left the rich white people who owned Gurfurritt mine, destitute and dispossessed of all they owned. Carpentaria, Alexis Wright Summer 2011 • ISSN 1442 5351 KEEPING CULTURE STRONG Editorial Photo: Stu Spence. Photo: Stu Spence. CULTURAL LEADERSHIP A WEALTH OF STORIES Leadership is an important quality to nurture in our In this edition of Arts Yarn Up, we bring you the artists and culture, for it influences the present and vibrancy of Indigenous literature. future direction of our arts and culture. We talk to writers Kim Scott, Cathy Craigie, In this edition of Arts Yarn Up, we feature all aspects of Gayle Kennedy, Tara June Winch, leadership today, from cultural to creative and artistic. Melissa Lucashenko and Jared Thomas about From across generations, we bring you insights into the the books that they say are a ‘must-read’! way Indigenous artists and arts workers are thinking We asked each of these writers to name the 50 about leadership and putting leadership into action ‘must-read’ black books. There is a wealth of stories, through their creativity and work. Their reflections are life experiences and good yarns. Let us know if you diverse and inspiring. have any other favourites, as we will keep this list Shaping the 21st century, these cultural leaders reveal growing over the years. the key issues and priorities for the arts. The highly We also highlight the current developments with the successful ACCELERATE leadership program, in Indigenous Art Code that came out of the landmark partnership with the British Council, saw eight people 2007 Senate report Indigenous Art – Securing the selected to participate in an intensive program in the Future. United Kingdom. It is vitally important to have ethical standards in the They were hosted by some 34 individuals and visual arts industry. We look at what that means to organisations, including the Barbican Art Gallery, the people in practice. Tate, British Museum, Akram Khan Dance, Tamasha Also keep an eye out for the 2012 National Theatre Company, National Theatre Wales, and Indigenous Art Triennial at the National Gallery of National Museums Scotland. We applaud the Australia, and the extraordinary next generation of commitment of the British Council to providing these leaders who have been part of the Wesfarmers opportunities. fellowships. We also bring you a story on Hector Burton, cultural And, while we mourn the passing of world renowned leader and senior artist with Tjala Arts. Hector highlights ceramic artist and sculptor, Tapich Dr Gloria Fletcher AO, the vital importance of passing on the culture and law and her enduring legacy, we also bring you the of his ancestors to younger people. He talks about the personal stories of music legends Bunna Lawrie and exhibition that highlights this endeavour. Bart Willoughby as they reflect on their lives together. Dr Mark Bin Bakar Lydia Miller Chair Executive Director Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts Board Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Arts The Australia Council for the Arts is the Australian Government’s arts funding and advisory body. For comments or submissions to Arts Yarn Up: The editor, Arts Yarn Up Australia Council for the Arts, 372 Elizabeth Street, Surry Hills, NSW 2010, email [email protected], phone 02 9215 9000, or visit us online at www.australiacouncil.gov.au © Australia Council 2011 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all rights are expressly reserved. ISSN 1442-5351. The Australia Council respects Indigenous communities and culture. Readers should be aware that this publication may contain images or references to members of the Indigenous community who have passed away. Arts Yarn Up 2 Summer 2011 Giant fire sticks spark beach festival An exhibition of giant fire sticks was one of the highlights of this year’s Strand Ephemera exhibition in Townsville, Far North Queensland. reated by artists from the Girringun Aboriginal Art Together with ceramics tutor, Meredith Moreau, the Centre, the life-sized fire sticks are a contemporary artists constructed the bagu in three sections. Ctake on traditional fire making implements used by With a number of weavers in the group, the artists were the Girringun rainforest people of Far North Queensland. also keen to incorporate weaving elements into their works Traditionally around 45 cm long and consisting of two and developed the idea of working with aluminium frames. parts, bagu (body) and jiman (sticks), the fire sticks are said ‘We were able to salvage some milky pine logs after to have their origins in the sky, where a mystical fire spirit Cyclone Yasi from the local transfer station, which meant would throw the jiman across the sky to create a trail of fire. that we were also able to incorporate two carved pieces,’ The idea of reinterpreting them for a new generation adds Valerie. began soon after the Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre opened With the Pacific Ocean and Magnetic Island as a its doors in 2008. Looking for something special to create backdrop, the final bagu rose dramatically out of the sand in for the first Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF) in 2009, staff a quietly proud formation. Swaying gently in the onshore and artists met to discuss how they might translate winds, they seemed to breathe the stories they carried. traditional tools into contemporary forms. ‘Many people wandered among the figures for a closer They used the bagu to evoke the spirit of their inspection, pausing for photographs by their favourite ancestors, creating one-of-a-kind bagu made out of clay, piece,’ says Valerie. ‘Children scampered around them while timber and string. These were so popular they sold out way others sat quietly on the grass in quiet contemplation.’ before the CIAF opened, entering into the collections of For their efforts, the Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre major institutions and private collectors. shared the $10,000 Strand Ephemera Artistic Excellence In 2010, the centre was invited to submit an entry to Award with artist Erica Gray. Strand Ephemera, a festival of contemporary arts that runs ‘There were 36 entries, so it was a great achievement to along the length of The Strand on Townsville’s idyllic be selected for this award, particularly as Cyclone Yasi beachfront. affected our schedule. The huge effort and spirit the artists Again the team sat down to discuss ideas, deciding the contributed was amazing,’ says Valerie. site lent itself to creating 15 life-size bagu, each with its own The Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre artists were: Gloria story. Andy, Leonard Andy, Nina Andy, Charlotte Beeron, Daniel While the production schedule was severely impacted Beeron, George Beeron, Maureen Beeron, Theresa Beeron, by Cyclone Yasi and the group faced many challenges Trish Beeron, Nephi Denham, Tonya Grant, Judith Henry, constructing the works, the artists eventually created 15 Clarence Kinjun, Alison Murray, Debra Murray, Emily Murray, bagu; two out of traditional materials, nine out of ceramics Ethel Murray, John Murray, Sally Murray, Grace Reid and and four over aluminium frames. Eileen Tep. ‘One of the main challenges with the ceramic works was fitting them into our kiln, which could only fit one third of the full-size bagu,’ says Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre Above: Bagu on The Strand, Townsville. manager, Valerie Keenan. Photo: Girringun Aboriginal Art Centre. http://art.girringun.com.au • 07 4066 8300 Arts Yarn Up 3 Summer 2011 Fair go for Indigenous artists You can play a part in ensuring the Indigenous arts sector looks after artists by signing up to the Indigenous Art Code, which is free for artists. hen the landmark Senate report Indigenous Art – ‘We encourage anyone who is passionate about Securing the Future was released in 2007, it sent Indigenous art and believes in promoting ethical standards Wshockwaves through the art world and general in the industry to become a member,’ John Oster explains. community. It detailed how unscrupulous dealers, eager to ‘We particularly welcome artists as they are essential to capitalise on the worldwide boom in Indigenous art, were the Code’s development and future management.’ exploiting artists. It also found so-called ‘carpetbaggers’ Members are invited to attend the annual general were marketing many fake or poor quality artworks.