Banduk Marika: a prophetic voice

Banduk Marika is a talented woman, an artist.

Her art speaks for her - most of the time. To-day, she speaks out. Here is a truly prophetic voice - but it is a voice speaking of history and experience, a voice well-founded in its own culture. Listen....please!

Brenda Niall: Witness and Advocacy

This week on Radio National's First Person, biographer Brenda Niall, is reading from her autobiography, Life Class. This morning she discussed the biography she did of one of Australia's great artists, Judy Cassab. Miss Eagle feels a sort of affinity with Cassab - on two occasions in her daily life she has gone to work each day to come face to face with a Judy Cassab. When Miss Eagle managed the Mount Isa Public Library, it was a very large portrait of Sir James Foots, a former Chairman of Mount Isa Mines Limited. Many years later, Miss Eagle worked in the Darlinghurst offices of Leon Fink, the well known Sydney art patron. Her desk was directly below a Cassab nude.

Niall told a story of an 80 year old Holocaust survivor coming up to her at the Brisbane Writers Festival and asking her if she thought it possible that by writing a book one could help people to understand what happened. The woman said "I was in the camps and I don't understand." Niall said that she thought it was possible to give people some knowledge of what had happened. Niall said - and I might, dear Reader, not have this exactly correct but you will get the idea - Nothing comes from nothing.

This could be Miss Eagle's motto. This blog's main theme is on justice advocacy placed in the context of the Kingdom of God. In other words, justice advocacy through a Christian lens. A lot of the time, it feels like spitting in the wind. Speaking out on causes which a lot of the population don't care to think about. Speaking out - and seeing little return in terms of success, or items ticked off as complete. But, Miss E reasons, what is the alternative? Saying nothing in the face of great wrongs? Saying nothing and by default refusing to bear witness? Saying nothing and having the silence construed as consent?

Over at The Nature of Robertson, Denis is rejoicing in some success. Denis is an environmental advocate. He is not a professional but a highly dedicated and knowledgable amateur. In the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, a David and Goliath struggle is going on between the locals and Sydney Water as Sydney Water seeks to raid the Kangaloon Aquifer for Sydney. Read all about this on Denis's blog. The battle has been going on for some time.

Denis has not carried the battle alone, as he points out. But Denis has made a significant contribution. His environmental knowledge of plants and his willingness to investigate on a scientific basis has led to interesting discoveries on which to build sound argument. His public sector administration background has been helpful in putting together documents to assist in the campaign and in preparation for public, professional, bureaucratic and ministerial meetings. And not least of the tools in his kitbag has been his blog. Through the blog, photos, stories, and news have been published. Through the blog, information and social networks have been built. Through the blog, the communities involved have been kept informed. Congratulations to you Denis and all of your campaigning colleagues. A major battle has been won. Now on to winning the war!

Aboriginal insecurity: thinking on vines and fig trees. Part 2. Mutitjulu and the invasion of 2007.

Bob Randall and his daughter, Dorothea, are bearing witness to the insecurity felt by Aboriginal people in one community, Mutitjulu. Bob is a well-known singer and, just twelve months ago, was touring major cities promoting his movie, Kanyini, as well as the art of his wife Hazel Mackinnon. Miss Eagle posted on their Melbourne visit here. This year, Kanyini was voted the best documentary at the Australian Film Festival in London. Bob outlines, as so many communities do, the requests for assistance which have been made to the Federal Government and how those requests have been met with silence and neglect.

John Howard has now discovered concern for Aborigines and, in particular, the abuse of Aboriginal children. John Howard has been a deny-er of Aboriginal abuse - until, it would seem, now. He denied that any abuse of Aboriginal children or people occurred in our lifetime and that, because it did not occur in our lifetime, there was no need to apologise, to say "Sorry".

Now, unless we have all gone Tardis travelling, hasn't the abuse to which he refers occurred in living memory - in the lifetime of present generations? And hasn't he been on watch (well, asleep at the wheel) for eleven years of that period?

Does John Howard not understand that the people of Australia have watched him, listened to him, and remembered every word and inaction? Now that he has discovered Aborigines (well, we hope he has) it all has to be a state of emergency and frenetic activity - like George Bush and the Coalition of the Willing (including Australia under John Howard) invading Iraq.

You may recall, dear Reader, that in Baghdad the antiquities of humanity were looted. Hospital equipment was looted. All without meaningful intervention by the invaders. Could this possibly be a parable/prophecy/metaphor for what might happen in this speedy and hastily put together invasion of Aboriginal communities - which also includes, once more with feeling, the stealing of Aboriginal land without compensation?

In the weeks ahead, what will be lost in this state of emergency? What will be trampled on and looted in the attempt to achieve an outcome as unrealistic as Bush and his neo-cons?

Howard chose not to listen to hundreds of thousands of Australians taking to the streets to voice their opposition to Australian entry into Iraq. Howard has chosen not to listen to Aboriginal people and people working side by side with them for a better life. Howard turned his back on them - and they reciprocated by turning their backs on him.

Howard is sending in the troops, police, and professionals. Funding is not clear. Delegation is not clear. Enforcement under which set of laws is not clear. Howard is after a fix by fiat. And a short term fix at that. Except for the land grab, there is nothing to indicate that Howard, Brough, et al are there for the long haul; nothing to indicate that they will stand shoulder to shoulder with Aboriginal leadership across Australia to bring lasting and intergenerational change. One Noel Pearson does not an economic revolution make.

Postscript

7.15pm

ABC TV News to-night carried a report that women at Mutitjulu had left the community and gone to the sandhills. The report did not state how many women went or how many women remained at the community. It did not state whether the women had taken their children with them. People at Mutitjulu are a long way from fig trees and vines and it sounds like they are far from security too.

7.30pm

The ABC's 7.30 Report provides a huge dose of reality into Howard's so-called State of Emergency in Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory. It has shown a National Press Club address by Mick Dodson in 2002 spelling out (well, not quite everything - the most horrifying was omitted by a clearly emotional Dodson) child abuse in Aboriginal communities. Don't you listen, John Howard. Don't you read, John Howard. You certainly did not speak out...until now. Have you been deaf, blind, and mute?

Whither the spirit of '67

Reconciliation by Edna Watson

Edna Watson is a Dharug elder whose paintings have been recognised in Australia and overseas.
In this work Edna expresses the various groups who have come to Australia with the original Aboriginal people in the centre of the circle of reconciliation.

Reconciling hands point inwards and outwards.
Earth colours dominate with the central circle showing a broken earth, symbolic of the current drought and the unfinished process of reconciliation.

Miss Eagle commends this article to you, dear Reader. This is the best article that Miss Eagle has read on the current status of Aboriginal people and the issues affecting them. It outlines the progress, the success stories, the failures and the neglect. It attaches blame. It shows the complexity of the topic and the ignorance of governments.



Miss Eagle was interested in the information that Fred Chaney, a former Liberal Aboriginal affairs minister ... has known every minister to have held the post going back to Billy Hughes.



Miss Eagle frequently uses Fred Chaney and Billy Wentworth as examples of the sort of Liberal governance that once prevailed in Australia. These men understood Aboriginal issues, they communicated with Aboriginal people, forged personal friendships in Aboriginal Australia and acquitted themselves well in Aboriginal matters.



There is no one - as far as Miss Eagle can see - in the Australian Government under John Howard who compares with these men. As far as Miss Eagle can see, there is no one in the Howard Government who has the ability to communicate with our First Nations. The great swing to the far right by the Liberal Party in the late 80s and early 90s saw to this. Such people had no value.

For this, Aboriginal people and the people of Australia in general have paid a great price.

Sense of Story

Hazel Mackinnon, Bob Randall's wife, is an artist and a listener. She says

Listening to people's stories, people who are relatives of Bob Randall and live in the desert region, I created the exhibition of Sculptures and Silk, The Stories of the Stolen Generation. There are a few people who can talk but most are deeply traumatised and affected by their treatment now and in the past. Our aim is to give these people a voice, for when they are heard, the healing can begin.

WAITING MOTHERS.

We cannot imagine the living hell that mothers go through waiting for their children to come back. Some mothers in their grief stricken minds visualise their child coming back as they were taken as a baby. Many, many mothers are still waiting for their stolen children.

Records of institutions are sometimes destroyed so names and histories are lost making it impossible for people to find their way home.

This is Miss Eagle's favourite piece. So poignant!

STOLEN

Bob Randall was taken away from Angus Downs station in 1939 by Constable Bill Mckinnon. He was put on a camel, taken to the Bungalow in Alice Springs and to Croker Islander on the Top End. He found his way back after forty years, but his mother had died. He now lives in his rightful land as a traditional owner of Uluru.

Miss Eagle commends Spiritual Songlines.

If you do nothing else towards Reconciliation between Settlers and the First Nations, visit this exhibition. Talk with Bob and Hazel. Glimpse the heartfelt feelings for the land and the wounds of its people. Learn how this country can transform and heal all of us if we just slow down, stop, and allow ourselves to listen and experience what has been provided for us.

Sense of Place

Barry Jones AO standing in front of Malcolm Jagamarra's Inapaku 2004 prior to opening the exhibition.

Friday night saw Miss Eagle at Kinross House for the Uniting Arts Toorak launch of Spiritual Songlines. Spiritual Songlines is a magnificent exhibition of Aboriginal art which runs until Sunday 18 June. The exhibition has been auspiced by the collector David Carazza who collects works from the Central and Western Deserts.

This year, Kinross House - a magnificent Victorian mansion - has focussed on the theme "a sense of place" based on Sally Morgan's book My Place. Spiritual Songlines extends the theme into a national context with a sense of place, land and identity.

The goal, as outlined in the catalogue of the exhibition, is to:

• promote indigenous art in all its depth and colour through the paintings David Corazza has so generously made available;
• provide an opportunity for learning about aboriginal culture and spirituality through workshops, art and the movie Bob Randall brings from Central Australia;
• support Bob's efforts to support his community with actual, practical help;
• deepen our understanding of the issues that need to be addressed if first and new Australian cultures are to be reconciled and made whole. According to Bob such reconciliation can only come about through the love and understanding that grows when stories are told and the experiences are shared.

Miss Eagle must advise, dear Reader, that the exhibition is rather stunning - and Miss Eagle has seen quite a diversity of Aboriginal art. Artists whose work is represented at the exhibition are Josie Petrick Kemmarre and Minnie Pwerle from Utopia; Shirley Purdie and Madigan Thomas of Warmun (Turkey Creek); Jack Britten of Worranginy; Malcolm Jagamarra of Alice Springs; and Makinti Napanangka of Papunya. (Footnote: Miss Eagle carries the Warlpiri skin name, Napanangka)

The exhibition was officially opened by Hon Dr. Barry Jones, AO.

Is this how the Howard Govt makes us feel?

Art came tothe Solidarity Picnic yesterday

A Lenten message?

Graffiti in a lane off Little Collins Street, Melbourne, between Queen & William Streets

Vale, Pro Hart

The Three Horse Race by Pro Hart

One of Australia's greatest brushmen of the bush is dead. Pro Hart, a commited Christian, has gone to another place.

Pro Hart was born in Broken Hill, NSW, Australia in 1928. He grew up on the family sheep station "Larloona" situated near Broken Hill, and he was educated by correspondence with this brother Bob, and their mother as tutor. In his early twenties, Pro moved to Broken Hill and worked underground as a miner. In 1960 he married Raylee June Tonkin and they had five children, three boys and two girls. To develop his gift, Pro attended a few local art classes but he was mainly self-taught. He was discovered in 1962 by a gallery director in Adelaide. From there his success as an artist began to flourish. Pro was nothing if not prolific. This together with his longevity has meant that the prices of his paintings were not governed by exclusivity. Even working class Australians could stretch things a bit to own a Pro Hart, even if it was only a small one.

People who loved the Australian bush and the lifestyle and the mystique of The Outback loved Pro Hart's work. He brought life and love to the depiction of our country. In fact, like his Maker with whom he now rests, he is truly a creative spirit.