Darwin

January-June, 2000

A Living in Harmony project nominated for a Northern Territory Human Rights Award 2000

This community arts project was developed by Tracks Inc and the Torture and Trauma Survivors Centre of the Northern Territory (now Melaleuca Australia) and ran for over 6 months, beginning in 1999. It was funded primarily by the Department of Immigration and Multicultural Affairs through the Living in Harmony project.

The aims of the project were:

1. The project seeks to promote the concept of reconciliation between non-Indigenous and Indigenous Australians and to identify cultural differences and recognise the ways in which they can connect harmoniously.
2. to provide workshops, a multicultural youth camp, cultural advisers and mediators, and creative facilitators for young people from a mix of cultures and experiences, identifying significant aspects of cultural experiences and the key factors in achieving a harmonious meeting place between cultures
3. Use a variety of mediums to express harmony through 'message sticks", (a significant cultural concept from the Kakadu region), which will be presented and delivered through a variety of events, (Exhibitions, performances, community gatherings), culminating in the Final Gathering 

Sticks ‘n’ Stones brought together youth from refugee, Indigenous, migrant and other backgrounds to celebrate cultural identities, explore ways of understanding difference and promote racial tolerance through a wide range of creative art forms. Over 100 young people were involved in workshops held between February and April. These workshops aimed to: celebrate cultural identities, acknowledge the significance of place, land and country, explore ways to understand difference, explore ways of dismantling barriers to racial tolerance, and to build a model for harmony between cultures.

Sticks ‘n’ Stones was inspired by the ‘message sticks’ and ‘message stones’ of various cultures around the world - objects that have messages carved into them as symbols or words to be sent to other people or communities. This project created various ‘messages’ through art on the theme of cultural identity, racial tolerance, and harmony. The messages were then ‘sent’ out to their local, national and international communities in the form of artworks, performances, postcards, film, a final exhibition (June 16 2000) and a website.

Focus was given to the Darwin High School Intensive English students and a group of refugees in Australia under six months (including Sudanese, Chinese, East Timorese, former Yugoslavia, and Ethiopian). The project also reached out to these communities.

Through the workshop program, we developed a range of objects and performance pieces: textile sculptures, banners, a website for messages, poems and prose, songs, dance performances, photographs, video footage, a short play and other vignettes. The soundtrack to the final performance - Two Fold Journey - consisted of messages and journey stories in the participants' own languages, based on exchanges between the participants. (One Ethiopian member of the audience commented on hearing messages of harmony in his own language being shared with others in the audience.

The workshops were supported by cultural Elders, storytellers, and facilitators:
The Venerable Bante Sumedha (Sri Lankan Buddhist Monk)
Betchay Mondragon (Filipino Theatre maker)
Allyson Mills (Larrakia musician and performer)
Joanna Barrkman (Australian community worker and banner-artist
Rukshana Ramachandran (Sri Lankan Tamil Dancer)
Elka Kerkhofs (Belgian photographic and film artist)
Josh Muirhead (Vzideo Artist
Karen Manton (Website facilitator)
Eunice De Ramos (Filipino production manager and dancer)

Sticks 'n' Stones Events that took place:

1. Launch of project and website by the Honourable Phillip Ruddock, Minister for Immigration and Multicultural Affairs and Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Reconciliation, Bill Risk provided the Larrakia Welcome to Country, and six young people from different cultural backgrounds delivered their messages of harmony
2. Harmony Day 2000, March 21. Messages through a chat line via the website. Darwin High School took up the themes from the project Me, You, Us.
3. Wesak - May 14. Celebration at the International Buddhist Temple using the banners and lotus lanterns prepared by young people from the temple community. Allyson Mills and family welcomed the gathering to Larrakia country, and sang Arafura Pearl (a song created by their mother, Kathy Mills).
4. Two-Fold Journey, a performance that brought together the workshop participants and dancers from many different cultures. The concept came from Rukshana Ramachandran, exploring her own journey of living with two cultures. MORE
5. The Final Gathering - Ampitheatre Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory. The culmination bringing together participants and Cultural Elders to deliver prepared messages. The main speaker was the Honourable Peter Adamson, MLA, the Northern Territory Minister for Ethnic Affairs and Minister for Arts and Museums

Sticks 'n' Stones program

Sticks 'n' Stones postcards

Sticks 'n' Stones postcard

Creative Personnel

Artistic Directors: Tim Newth, David McMicken
Textile Artist: Joanna Barrkman
Indigenous Larrakia Song-Woman: Allyson Arjibuk Mills
Cultural Workshop Leader: Betchay Mondragon
Photographer: Elka Kerkhofs
Web Design: Claire Pallant

Specific Groups

Darwin High School Intensive English
Darwin High School dance students
Nightcliff Secondary School
Northern Territory International Buddhist Temple

Tracks 2000

Artistic Directors: David McMicken and Tim Newth
Office Administration: Heather Richards
Bookkeeper: Lynn Bramham
Production Manager: Eunice De Ramos

Committee Members:  David Taylor (Chair), Jackie Wurm (Vice-Chair), Glenn Bernardin (Treasurer), Rukshana Ramachandran (Secretary/Public Officer), Ken Conway, Kay Brown, Tania Lieman (Ordinary Committee Members), David McMicken and Tim Newth (Ex-Officio Members)