Kalangadoo, SA, July 2010
CHALLENGE: Change Media worked with Ngarrindjeri Elder Major Moogy Sumner to document the making of the first traditional Ngarrindjeri / Boandik tree canoe on Boandik country in over 100 years. This evocative documentary is part of an educational River Redgum DVD combining Caring for Country best practice with transmission of traditional culture.
During the production in Kalangadoo [Big Trees in Water] and Millicent members of the Tal-Kin-Jeri group, Indigenous students and community members from across South East SA learned skills in film narrative, interview & editing techniques and experienced a once-in-a-lifetime event.
PARTNERS: Indigenous Cultural Support DEWHA; Indigenous Coordination Centre SA; Australia Council for the Arts Creative Community Partnership Initiative; Arts SA Partnerships for Healthy Communities; South East Natural Resource Management Board; South East Aboriginal Focus Group; Aboriginal Sobriety Group; Millicent High School; Tal-Kin-Jeri Performance group; Tallstoreez Productionz
Film: Moogy’s Yuki (Moogy’s Bark Canoe)
Click on the image above or the link to watch - Moogy’s Yuki – 2min trailer for the half hour documentary.
If your device can’t play this clip, click here to watch it on Vimeo.
You can order your copy of the documentary and River Redgum care DVD here.
We also produced an educational mini-doc with additional Caring for Country interviews:
Click on the link to watch - River Redgum Restoration – a 6min clip, also included on the DVD resource.
If your device can’t play this clip, click here to watch it on Vimeo.
OUTCOMES:
This project built on the success of the first workshop in May 2010. The peer-produced content will form part of the educational Caring For Country resource DVD, available in September 2010 in our online shop.
SCREENINGS & AWARDS: Major ‘Moogy’ Sumner has won a Hero Award at the 2010 MyHero International Film Festival, as well as the 2nd Prize for Moogy’s Yuki in the community film category, selected from hundreds of entries worldwide. The South East Natural Resources Management Board is supporting Moogy and Cyril to fly over to Los Angeles to represent the project at the awards ceremonies on November 19th and 20th. Congratulations!
The canoe along with the DVD is on display in Millicent and Mt. Gambier and at the OurMob exhibition, Adelaide Festival Centre. The Age and local WIN TV ran stories about the project and we will present the final documentary to ABC or NITV for broadcast.
Check out also our News section for updates on media coverage.
IMPACT & FEEDBACK: The challenge this session was to shoot and edit a documentary for the South East Natural Resource Management Board, including traditional cultural knowledge about caring for river red gums, making a traditional Ngarrindjeri bark canoe. During the second part of the project, we focused on documentation techniques and the educational narrative after the bark was taken off the tree. Ngarrindjeri Elder Major Moogy Sumner demonstrated how to prepare the canoe, spear-making techniques and then launched the historic Ngarrindjeri bark canoe.
It could spoil it to give the end away – but it was an amazing process to work with three generations of Ngarrindjeri participants and witness them reclaiming their traditional culture. In September we will release the documentary on DVD, the resource is a very engaging tool to start discussions on cultural transmission – please order your copy online or contact us directly.
Again, many thanks to Major Sumner and Dave New who worked relentlessly to make this ground-breaking project happen. If you are in Adelaide, please visit the canoe at the Adelaide Festival Centre in August 2010 or from November onwards at the Civic Centre in Millicent, South Australia.
Tags: environment, history, indigenous, inter-generational, regional
The launch of the redgum canoe at Lake Leake was simply beautiful it was privilege to be there witnessing Moogy at one with his canoe and the lake as we sat there in awe in silence and watching Cyril get his balance maning the canoe and smiling at this precious moment in history of Ngarrinjeri man and canoe while his sons looked on. Precious indeed.
Hoping to see you all soon!
Kathy
This came in from Davina at ICC Adelaide today:
Hey Carl
I went to the Our Mob Forum at the Adelaide Festival Centre where Uncle Moogie spoke and presented the documentary – it was excellent to watch – great footage and lovely story. I saw the canoe too which looks fantastic. Will go down again to get a proper look though because I was rushed for time on the opening night.
All the best,
Davina Egege | Program Officer | DEWHA
This came in from Terry Cleary at Ananguku Arts today:
[...] Uncle Moogy’s presentation was stunning. He showed the River Dance and the canoe videos. It is a shame that you were not able to be there to see how the audience of 70-80 responded to the two films – there was a wonderful crowd energy of suspense as the bark hung there listening to the sap popping!!! [...]
Terry
Terry Cleary
Statewide Programs Manager
Ananguku Arts and Culture Aboriginal Corporation
This came in from Merryl Chantrell via email this week:
Hi Carl
I have watched the DVD a couple of times and you know it’s such a thrill to see the bark canoe taking shape and watching
the final moment when the tree releases the canoe is very emotional.
This DVD should be in every school in Australia don’t you think? This is really important stuff about keeping my/our indigenous heritage alive and well.
Kind regards
Merryl
Hi all – I just got the news yesterday from Dave that the South East Aboriginal Focus Group have won the SA NAIDOC Awards 2011 in the Event category for the Moogy’s Yuki canoe-making project! Congratulations to all involved, a fantasic recognition!