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Indigenous stories recorded in high definition
Stories from Western Australian Indigenous Elders and their communities will be digitally recorded to preserve for future generations to access, with the announcement of the first round of projects selected for funding through the Indigenous Community Stories initiative.
Six projects reflecting the diverse and unique history of Western Australia's Indigenous people have been selected - each project will receive funding to record their community stories using High Definition digital equipment.
ScreenWest Chief Executive Ian Booth said the significance of the need to conserve Indigenous community stories from our State was highlighted in these first projects selected for funding.
"Many of these stories have never even been heard outside of their local community, and more than one are at threat of being lost forever," said Mr Booth said.
"The result of this initiative will be that younger members of these communities can continue to enjoy and benefit from the inspiring and significant stories of their people."
The six projects include stories from the Malgana saltwater people of Shark Bay, oral history from young Aboriginal women who sought refuge in Fremantle and the story of the traditional Noongar walking trail from Esperance to Albany.
Indigenous Community Stories is a joint initiative between ScreenWest and the Film & Television Institute (FTI), and supported by Lotterywest and the Department of Local Government and Regional Development.
FTI CEO Mr Graeme Sward said, "We hope this is the start of a major ongoing project to record the Indigenous cultural history of Western Australia."
A second round selection for Indigenous Community Stories is scheduled to close on November 17. Indigenous individuals and communities that have a strong desire to record their stories at professional broadcast-quality are encouraged to apply.
For more information visit the Funding section of the ScreenWest website.
The six projects selected for the first round of the Indigenous Community Stories initiative are:
Title: Malgana Saltwater People
Location: Shark Bay / Gathaagudu
Synopsis: Shark Bay's traditional Indigenous families share previously unrecorded cultural stories of this unique world heritage area.
Title: The Gnudju Trail
Location: Esperance and Albany
Synopsis: The endeavors of traditional Noongar women who walked the Gnudju trail from Esperence to Albany to be with their men who were incarcerated in the Albany goal in the 1890's.
Title: Heading Bush
Location: Carnarvon and Gascoyne Junction
Synopsis: A humorous and entertaining tale of three elderly brothers from Carnarvon who share stories of the area while going out on a prospecting trip.
Title: Freo Yorkas
Location: Katanning and Fremantle
Synopsis: Stories exploring Fremantle's social history in the 1960's told by a selection of Indigenous women who found a new home in this culturally diverse port city.
Title: Collie River Stories
Location: Collie River and Roelands Mission
Synopsis: This is the account two contrasting stories of Noongar life in the 1950's around the Collie River. Life at the Government run Roelands Mission juxtaposed with what was happening across the river with the Burekup Gravel Pit Mob.
Title: Thudgarri Women
Location: Carnarvon
Synopsis: This is the story of four senior Thudgarri women from the Yamatji region in the Midwest. They explore their early life on the pastoral stations, their mission schooling and the pathways they have taken to navigate between Aboriginal and Non-Aboriginal culture.
