[Ngapartji Updates] Languages announcement, Nyuntu Ngali and doco news

[Alex Kelly]

Hi there,

We're just back from an inspiring trip to Garma presenting a special 
plenary session at this years Key Forum on Creative Industries. We met 
up with some friends of the project, listened to some inspiring 
presentations from the likes of Miss Daisy Ward and Robyn Archer, were 
wowed by the Bunggul, lucky enough to see Yothu Yindi AND had an 
afternoon of desert folk at the beach, lovely days.

At Garma Minister Garrett foreshadowed an announcement regarding 
indigenous languages and on Sunday 9th Ministers Macklin and Garrett put 
out a joint press release 
(http://www.alp.org.au/media/0809/msartia090.php) on indigenous 
languages. The beginnings of this policy 'Indigenous Languages - A 
National Approach' are online here; 
http://www.arts.gov.au/indigenous/languages_policy.

We're heartened to hear that three departments - DEWHA, DEEWR and 
FAHCSIA and three Ministers; Garrett, Gillard and Macklin and their 
staff are working together to support indigenous languages. We're 
especially pleased to hear that languages will now be part of the Close 
the Gap approach of COAG. Now it is up to language speakers, language 
workers, language centres, and concerned people nationally to keep the 
pressure on so that this policy goes far enough to really make a 
difference to the dire status of languages in Australia.

We extend warm thoughts to the many people across the country fighting 
for language rights to be recognised and adequately supported and 
congratulate people for getting this far - don't stop now!

In other news Beth, Trevor, Derek and Jennifer are about to head off to 
Adelaide this week to start rehearsals for /Nyuntu Ngali/ our new show 
in association with Windmill which premieres in Adelaide from September 
26th - 3rd October:

/It is the 22nd century in central Australia. Everyday life is basic in 
this future world. The post climate change environment demands that 
skills for living return to the way they were for thousands of years 
before that fast-paced period of just 10 generations, which resulted in 
global warming and the near destruction of the planet.Eva and Roam have 
fallen in love and they face a life and death predicament as they run 
from an unseen enemy, because of their wrong-skin marriage.This moving 
and powerful story of survival in both English and Pitjantjatjara is 
interspersed with sand storytelling, choreography, video art, shadow 
play, weaving and a highly atmospheric musical score.
/http://www.adelaidefestivalcentre.com.au/afc/whats-on/theatre/nyuntu-ngali-you-we-two.php

In doco land Suzy has been working incredibly hard on the script and 
consultations with community and participants since completing an 
assembly cut in July. We are heading to Ernabella tomorrow to get some 
of the last shots for the documentary with Trev and Beth and we'll be 
back in the edit suite from early September working towards a fine cut. 
We hope to have it finished by the end of the year and at Festivals and 
on air later in 2010 (stay tuned!)

As usual the office is a hub of activity with planning for dance 
workshops, doco shoots, legacy package, web design, nyuntu ngali and 
more keeping us all very very busy.

We're thrilled to see indigenous languages on the Federal governments 
agenda and would like to thank and congratulate everyone who wrote a 
letter, has lobbied the government, talked to the media, written an 
article on languages etc for supporting this crucial campaign and 
encourage poeple to keep pushing for more.

Palya,
Alex

-- 

Alex Kelly

Creative Producer

Ngapartji Ngapartji


0422 777 590 / 08 8953 5463

PO BOX 2765::Alice Springs::NT::0871

http://bighart.org

http://ngapartji.org

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