Crossing Roper Bar Tour 08

Thought you might be interested in this amazing cross cultural music event that has been touring the Northern Territory and now Western Australia
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Tura New Music would like to share a message from the road from Artistic Director, Tos Mahoney, on tour with Crossing Roper Bar…

Dear Friends,
I’m writing to you from Kununurra after witnessing the Darwin Festival, Katherine and Timber Creek presentations of Crossing Roper Bar 08  - the enthralling collaboration between Paul Grabowsky’s Australian Art Orchestra and the Wagilak Gujarra/Nyilapidgi Musicians from Ngukurr, Arnhem Land all intertwined with amazing voice of Ruby Hunter. This unique perfromance moves me more and more each time till its almost too much to bear – and there’s two and half weeks to go!
No doubt you have seen or heard mixtures of Indigenous music with other Western music but none of that comes near the real collaboration that is Crossing Roper Bar. This has five years of building of relationships and real learning on both sides; and of not compromising or making more palatable the complexities of tradition Indigenous music –  in fact highlighting and amplifying them to astonishing level
Crossing Roper Bar is virtuosity from two very different traditions, which don’t collide but in fact explode into a brilliant new form full of colour, intensity, life and connections.

Although full of story and history, each performance is new every time. The tour is writing it’s own story – which informs the performance – and the cycle goes on.

The world has struck proverbial gold! And we must do everything we can to keep it, foster it and encourage many others like it. You have a real opportunity to do that by getting as many people as you can to the Perth Concert on the 5th of September at the Perth Concert Hall.

Please distribute the attached flyer for the Perth concert on wherever you can. We look forward to seeing you all there.

Tos Mahoney

Online bookings and group bookings available:http://www.bocsticketing.com.au/events/CROS08.shtml

Full Info at: http://www.tura.com.au/events/regional/crossing_roper_bar

Check out the Darwin concert at: http://www.abc.net.au/local/photos/2008/08/18/2338107.htm

Sorry Banner@Your State Library and National Sorry Day 2008

As emphasised by the Bringing them Home Committee (WA), this years Sorry Day takes on a new significance in light of the recent Apology delivered by the Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd on the 13th February 2008.   The Apology by the Prime Minister provides for a renewed focus by organisations and individuals on working towards healing and reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. 

The Sorry Banners organised by the Northern Suburbs Reconciliation Group at the Perth based live telecast of The Apology  demonstrates this renewed commitment by Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples to find a way to reconcile and seek healing.  One of these 30 metre banners will be displayed at the State Library of Western Australia from Reconciliation Week in early June through to NAIDOC Week in early July 2008.

The State Library of Western Australia recognises it has a crucial role to play towards this reconciliation and healing through its work in collecting, preserving and promoting Western Australia’s cultural heritage and in responding to the information needs of all communities.  As with other National and State Libraries around Australia we are committed to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Library and Information Resources Information Protocols.

There are a number of Sorry Day events being held around the Perth and Fremantle Metropolitan area which we would encourage you to attend, to “let the healing begin”.

• Bringing them Home Committee  (WA) East Perth Event - Wellington Square East Perth, 12pm to 3pm – Noongar Welcome to Coutnry, Guest Speakers, Dance and Music.  For more information aSPAM FREE sorryday08@gmail.com or Ph: Sarah 92609800
• Fremantle City Council Event  Fremantle Town Hall, 3pm to 5pm follow this link for more details.
• Catholic Education Office and Caritas Australia  West Perth Event – Kings Park, May Drive, Synergy Parklands, 9.30 to 11.30am. Reconcilation the Journey Starts Today and World Youth Journey of the Cross.  From more information  aSPAM FREE janeenM@caritas.org.au]

The State Library of WA is interested in receiving a record of these events as part of its The Apology WA Collection so please do contact us if you are interested in contributing.

Yours sincerely, Lucia Ravi, Subject Specialist – Indigenous

 

Blackwords – Reflecting Australia’s Rich Indigenous Culture

AustLit, the Australian Literature Resource Database, provides access to ”thousands of creative and critical Australian literature”.   Blackwords, as a subset of AustLit, focuses in on creative and critical works from an Indigenous perspective.

As the What you will find in Blackwords page states you will find:

• Biographical information about writers and story tellers, 
• Records of all types of published and unpublished works of creative writing by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders; as well as
• Information about organisatinos such as publishers, theatre groups and other cultural groups
• and much, much more so do go and have a look….

The State Library of WA subscribes to the AustLit Electronic databases so you can get free access to the Blackwords subset from the State Library of WA electronic pages.  Just select ‘Search’ than, ‘Electronic Databases’ and than go to ‘A’ to search the databases by titles and select ‘Auslit’.

Once inside the Auslit database select their link ‘Research Communities’ and scroll down to find the link to the Blackwords site.  You can also click on the ‘guided search’ button within AusLit and select ‘Blackwords’ from the Scope pull down menu to go directly to a search of records within the subset.

 

                           

PM Apology to the Stolen Generations State Library Capture

The State Library of Western Australia seeks to play a key role in collecting, preserving and promoting the cultural heritage of all Western Australians. Here is a link to our Strategic Directions document should you wish to read more about this.

The Prime Minister’s apology to the stolen generations is a major historical moment and a hoped for turning point for Indigenous communities. The State Library of Western Australia is keen to capture this historic moment in our collections to ensure its memory is preserved for future generations.

We would love to have your help and support in helping to capture this moment, so would please let us know of any materials you have that can be added to such a collection.  The types of things we are looking for are:

• Ephemera from the day – flyers, email notices, program run down and campaign action materials
• Personal photos and audio visual images collected on the day
• Personal accounts of gatherings on the day, the significance of the day and hopes from it
• Media clips and alerts about the day and commentary about it
• Websites, blogs and other forums of online communication that refer to the apology

In the positive spirit of reconciliation we look forward to your help in our efforts to record the significance of this day for all Australians.

For more information please email our Specialist on indigenous subjects.

Tumble Books and other online resources for your children

Sharing a love of reading, rhyming and singing with babies and young children has been proven to be central to a child’s language growth and  latter reading ability.  The State Library of WA’s runs Better Beginnings, to support parents in giving their children a love of reading.

The most cruical way that parents can give their children a love of reading is by sharing books and reading to them, singing them songs and sharing rhymes with them from a very young age.  The Better Beginnings resources page has some excellent suggestions for first books, rhymes and songs to share with babies.   Links to a selection of websites will help you to locate the words and audios for many rhymes and songs.

As part of the State Library of WA’s commitment to supporting parents  a subscription to Tumble books has been provided.  Tumble books is a collection of collection of talking story books, puzzles and games that young children can enjoy online.  It is especially suited to children from 4 to 12 years old.