I lecture at the Qld college of art and my students are sick of me talking about Red Bubble. I have even given them for assessment the t…
I lecture at the Qld college of art and my students are sick of me talking about Red Bubble. I have even given them for assessment the task of uploading some images on RB. They count the ammount of times I mention RB in a lecture. Am I an addict! I know I have got alot of other people hook ed I may also be a dealer!
I am having my first solo exhibition in Melbourne which is opening this Saturday evening 26th May 5 – 7 pm / at the Australian Dreaming A…
I am having my first solo exhibition in Melbourne which is opening this Saturday evening 26th May 5 – 7 pm / at the Australian Dreaming Art Gallery / Address: / 116 Gertrude St, Fitzroy, Melbourne, Victoria / Australia. Please join us for a drink! rsvp by phone: 9416 2961 or emil to: mikesill@australiandreamingart.com.au
At last l found you all out there. I live in Penrith out west , Art is the way l express my feelings. I have lived in NSW for about 15 ye…
At last l found you all out there. I live in Penrith out west , Art is the way l express my feelings. I have lived in NSW for about 15 years now. My land of birth is Scotland.All my work is done in acrylic with an Aboriginal feel.I would value any comments on my work good or bad? I thankyou for taking the time .
I love my job. Totally love it. I had a shoulder decompression on December 13 2007. I wasn’t anticipating getting back to work until…
I love my job. Totally love it. I had a shoulder decompression on December 13 2007. I wasn’t anticipating getting back to work until at least the middle/end of February. I spent almost 3 weeks in Adelaide recuperating at my Mum’s house .. eat drink rest eat drink rest etc … Get back home and the boss rings … can you use your arm yet????? Sure boss … what do you need? So I”m back into it. Today a big huge old gum tree fell apart. It’s one of those rather significant trees that the Aborigines used in their corrabories (spell that for me). Get a photo of that he says. So off I trot, all eager and stuff. I spoke to the gentlemen who lives accross the road and he warned me that there was a very large swarm of very very angry bees that lived in that tree and their hive is now all over the place … be careful he said. Sure I’ll be careful. I walk around the tree keeping at least 10 feet away … click click … no bees … Keep walking around more clicking … get closer … still no bees … hum bug … bees schmeeeez I walk around to where the best angle is and get in 3 feet away … bzzz bzzzzztt bzzzzzzzzzzzztttttttt bzzzzzzzzztttttttttttttzskdl;aaaaaaaaaaaasds()&@#)(#x%x%)(&)(&)()(Sx%x)DGS(&)( I really hope nobody got a photo of me running down the street with arms and legs waving all over trying to swat away annoyed bees. I made it to the car alive and one bee made it inside. I talked to it nicely and it left me alone. I love my job. I really do :) x
or so they say? / However in the next day or so, the newly-elected Prime Minister, is about to say “Sorry” to the Aboriginal “stolen gener…
or so they say? / However in the next day or so, the newly-elected Prime Minister, is about to say “Sorry” to the Aboriginal “stolen generation” and their descendants, on behalf of all preceding Governments, and the people of Australia. / My associate and fellow Redbubbler, Robert Knapman wrote Australia says Sorry and that got me going, initially with my response/comment: / Interesting, and for many pertinent and timely… though as an Aboriginal/Australian I feel somewhat a bit late in coming, but heh, that’s just me. / I’m reminded of the “walk across the Bridge” rallies, a few years ago, when a couple of 100,000s nationally, joined numbers and had a great day walking across significant bridges throughout Australia … note I said, a couple of 100,000s, in a population of 21mill Plus…. and whilst it was a grand statement (so I’m led to believe) they really didn’t have to “give” anything at all, and even fewer can/would rate an Aboriginal/family amongst their close friends… we’re talking minorities here folks, in the mainstream supporting even a smaller minority! / As for the “Sorry” Statement from a Govt that supports cover-ups and deceit and mismanagement of Aboriginal values and culture… its called “white-washing” and again means little, as They have covered theirs and the Nation’s arse by saying, here’s the words and the sentimental gesture… but don’t forget to assimilate, educate, work, and “join us” if you want to get along in this country… we shall indoctrinate but we won’t “give” back anything that reinforces your (1) unique Aboriginal culture, (2)spirituality, (3) country (sacred site), (4) self-determination, (5) Cultural revival/survival… it seems to me its all about “being seen to be doing” but not actually “giving-back” and/or real reciprocation and not just as compensation. / Anyway, this space is too brief to further explain/clarify… hope you don’t mind Robert, and b4 any one wants to slam my apparent cynicism, I am a 3rd generation Aboriginal survivor of such discrimination and assimilation policies, and the grandson of of Lali re Linden Girl, as well as a father of a child who was literally taken from the hospital and given away, which took me 18 years to “track him down”. / Sorry folks, this isn’t a pleasant nicety, its reality for a few that have survived with our sanity attacked. / PS: according to a News poll I did this AM, more than 70% of about 8000 responses, believe that this “SORRY” want change a darn thing… maybe I’m not a minority survivor after-all / Further to this, is my reason for the Journal entry, as there are a lot of Comments generated from Robert’s post (and yes, he has a large following)... / After all is said and done, not one bit difference in practical, real terms will be resulting… / I live in and represent a dying culture — one of the last remaining, truly unique and indigenous, on this planet… apart from a few sentimental and emotional responses from a select few individuals comparatively speaking — life will still be a struggle for the majority of Aboriginal people (against all the odds); the social indicators and morbidity stats will continue to be grim; the Aboriginal industry will still be perpetuated at the manipulative machinations of the “clever few”; and many people will continue to make incredibly prestigious and some-what well-paid and influential career opportunities upon the sufferance of the dwindling few who hold-out to their Aboriginality in the most genuine and spiritual manner… diseased and disinherited, maligned and constantly misunderstood… / I am willing and able to expand and discuss any points I raise herein, with anyone who feels so inclined ... Happy Sorry Day ... perhaps not! / Oh yeh, all most forgot, for those further interested read what Aboriginal author, Kevin Gilbert (wrote in Grandfather Koori here
The Australian Government is going to apologise to the so called Stolen Generation tomorrow, and I’m at a bit of a loss why. Sure, the…
The Australian Government is going to apologise to the so called Stolen Generation tomorrow, and I’m at a bit of a loss why. Sure, the white man came here and set foot on the land, but they weren’t stopped doing so by the Aborigine people. The Maoris gave the white man some giddy up though when they tried to land in New Zealand. Throughout history, and even today if you look at Iraq and Palestine, men have invaded other countries – not just so called ‘white men’ either. Aboriginal people used to fight with their own, take their women and their land. We are wiser today of course, and Aboriginal people are treated equal to whites if not better in some cases. So what do I have to be sorry about – my god, I’d have to spend the rest of my life apologising to people if we went back through history and I’d be getting an awful lot of apologises from other people. Saying sorry isn’t going to repair the harm that was done, neither is it going to make Australia strong. I think it is time that all grew up, realised that we are Australians and get on with. The below piece was sent to me via e-mail. We apologise for giving you doctors and free medical care, which allows you to survive and multiply so that you can demand apologies. We apologise for helping you to read and teaching you the English language, thus opening up to you the entire European civilisation, thought and enterprise. We feel that we must apologise for building hundreds of homes for you, which you have vandalised and destroyed. We apologise for giving you law and order which has helped prevent you from slaughtering one another and using the unfortunate for food purposes. We apologise for developing large farms and properties, which today feed you, where before, you had the benefits of living off the land and starving during droughts. We apologise for providing you with warm clothing made of fabric to replace the animal skins you used before. We apologise for building roads and railway tracks between cities and building cars so that you no longer have to walk over harsh terrain. We apologise for paying off your vehicles when you fail to pay the instalments. / . / We apologise for giving you free travel anywhere, whenever. We apologise for giving each and every member of your family $100.00 and free travel to attend an aboriginal funeral. We apologise for not charging you rent on any lands when white people have to pay. We apologise for giving you interest free loans. We apologise for developing oil wells and minerals, including gold and diamonds which you never used and had no idea of their value. We apologise for developing Ayers rock and Kakadu, and handing them over to you so that you get all the money. We apologise for allowing taxpayers money to be paid towards a daughters’ wedding ($8,000.00 each daughter). We apologise for giving you $1.7 billion per year for your 250,000 people, which is $48,000.00 per aboriginal man, woman and child. We apologise for working hard to pay taxes that finance your welfare, medical care, education, etc to the tune of $1.2 billion each year. We apologise for you having to approach the aboriginal affairs department to verify the above figures. For the trouble you will have identifying the “uncle toms” in your own community who are getting richer and leaving some of you living in squalor and poverty. We do apologise. We really do. We humbly beg your forgiveness for all the above sins. We are only too happy to take back all the above and return you to the paradise of the “outback”, whenever you are ready.
/ This image is up for a huge award tomorrow… good luck Bianca my love… you are a star…. journals Australia says Sorry Let’s Begin With Sorry SORRY Say Sorry on Feb 13th!!! Love is never having to say Sorry
I was truly moved this morning. Our PM said sorry. I watched the speech, tears rolling down my face-these words have been SO so so…
I was truly moved this morning. Our PM said sorry. I watched the speech, tears rolling down my face-these words have been SO so so longed for and needed to heal our country. I am finally proud to be Australian. We have, I have helped elect a PM who reflects values that are truly just, kind, humanitarian. this is one of Australia’s finest moments in history, despite the tragic reasons for the occasion-we have finally stood up. It is such a relief. Now people can debate as much as they like: I am relieved. I feel for the Aboriginal community and hope there is much celebration today.
For those interested, here is the text of Australian Prime Minister’s (Australian) history making speech, made in the National Parliament…
For those interested, here is the text of Australian Prime Minister’s (Australian) history making speech, made in the National Parliament, this AM, 13 February 2008… Full text of Rudd’s sorry speech (Wednesday February 13, 2008) _“Today we honour the Indigenous peoples of this land, the oldest continuing cultures in human history. We reflect on their past mistreatment. We reflect in particular on the mistreatment of those who were Stolen Generations – this blemished chapter in our nation’s history. The time has now come for the nation to turn a new page in Australia’s history by righting the wrongs of the past and so moving forward with confidence to the future. We apologise for the laws and policies of successive Parliaments and governments that have inflicted profound grief, suffering and loss on these our fellow Australians. We apologise especially for the removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children from their families, their communities and their country. For the pain, suffering and hurt of these Stolen Generations, their descendants and for their families left behind, we say sorry. To the mothers and the fathers, the brothers and the sisters, for the breaking up of families and communities, we say sorry. And for the indignity and degradation thus inflicted on a proud people and a proud culture, we say sorry. We the Parliament of Australia respectfully request that this apology be received in the spirit in which it is offered as part of the healing of the nation. For the future we take heart; resolving that this new page in the history of our great continent can now be written. We today take this first step by acknowledging the past and laying claim to a future that embraces all Australians. A future where this Parliament resolves that the injustices of the past must never, never happen again. A future where we harness the determination of all Australians, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, to close the gap that lies between us in life expectancy, educational achievement and economic opportunity. A future where we embrace the possibility of new solutions to enduring problems where old approaches have failed. A future based on mutual respect, mutual resolve and mutual responsibility. A future where all Australians, whatever their origins, are truly equal partners, with equal opportunities and with an equal stake in shaping the next chapter in the history of this great country, Australia.”_ ... and yes, I was at the “Sorry Day Gathering” watching the big-screen, live broadcast a a few 1000 others this morning at Elder Park, Adelaide.
The following are some random samples of Comments to news paper items, from MR/Ms Citizen, in Western Australia. / Posted just to be fair….
The following are some random samples of Comments to news paper items, from MR/Ms Citizen, in Western Australia. / Posted just to be fair… and I do not necessarily endorse, and just trying to get this out to a broader and perhaps more “balanced” audience …. Lee of Perth: I fear it is you who is ignorant or blind. Blind to the truth and ignorant of reality probably from a diet of aboriginal inc bulls*@t and socialist re-writing of history. If our forefathers hadn’t acted in the interests of the children in the 40s and 50s we would have seen all that has been reported recently from Fitzroy Crossing happening all over Australia in epidemic proportions. Personally I doubt most of the reported abuse in institutions such as Sister Kates. Get yourself a good shrink and they can convince you you were abused as a child, only you can’t remember it because you have blocked it out. Another 30 sessions at the governments expense will help us both. I don’t have a problem with the government regretting the actions of the past but I do have a big problem with the money grabbing aboriginal inc suggesting there should be compensation. That a child removed from its parent at age 2 should remember that life and be traumatised by the removal is a nonsense fuelled solely by the desire for compensation. Finally to all the hard working, law abiding indigenous people who have made a contribution to Australian life I mean no disrespect to yourselves. This is only directed at the lazy money grabbers and their white lawyers and supporters / Posted by: Gazza of WA 12:51pm today An apology was the right thing to do but compensation claims will not help reconcile all Australians – in fact I guarantee you they will cause more division and problems than ever before. I’m sorry for what my parents and grandparents allowed to happen to the indigenous peoples of Australia, but why should I pay for their mistakes? / Posted by: MattFromOz of Manly 12:50pm today I had nothing to do with the stolen generation. I dont know that much about it. However i dont believe this is going to unite a nation. They talk about moving on but just read some comments from the aboriginal leaders about Nelsons speech, doesn’t sound like they are ready to move on yet. Its not in every humans nature to just forgive & forget. And you cant just point the finger at the previous government for no apology, how many governments have we had since this all took place?? / Posted by: Wazza of Perth 12:39pm today The acknowledgement of the past and its effect is important. I don’t understand why indigenous Australians would turn their back on an acknowledgement that something has to be done about the problems in remote communities in the present. Without it, the future will remain dark and sad. I concur with Dr Nelson, and with anyone who agrees that something has to be done today in those communities to effect change for the future of indigenous Australia. Saying sorry isn’t enough. Let’s do something other than throw money without accountability. There has been too much enabling within these communities and Dr Nelson was right to acknowledge and apologise for that. / Posted by: M of WA 12:03pm today ... and it goes on and on… by the way I lived in WA for many years, and do know 1st hand the “racial divide” and practices that exist… I still have many family members, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal (my father was non-Aboriginal), living that side of the border… and it don’t take much to scratch the surface and find “racism” alive and well… on both-sides of the “gap” ... unfortunately
Today a momentous event happened in the history of Australia. Our newly elected PM apologized for past atrocities carried out on the orig…
Today a momentous event happened in the history of Australia. Our newly elected PM apologized for past atrocities carried out on the original inhabitants of this land. / Specifically he apologized for past government policy which actively pursued the mass removal of half caste aboriginal children to Christian missions for their supposed civilizing and benefit. I’ve read a lot of history on the meeting of the European and Aboriginal races in Australia but I think the thing that touched me the most was a documentary on the making of the movie ‘Rabbit Proof Fence’. In it they showed a behind the scenes view of the filming of the scene where the ‘govo man’ was removing three aboriginal children from their mothers. Understandably the mothers and children were absolutely hysterical but when the director yelled cut they didn’t stop. They just kept on wailing hysterically as I joined them realizing this wasn’t an exercise in acting but a raw festering wound in this noble race which has not diminished with the passing of time. As a father of four I can’t think of an act much worse than forcibly removing a child from their mothers and families. I hope and pray that through today’s acknowledgment of wrong that although the past can’t be undone that somehow through an acknowledgement of this a better future can be reached for. Sorry Travis As an aside I found it incredibly fitting for Peter Garret to be on the front bench behind Kevin after Midnight Oil’s magnificent ‘Sorry’ stunt at the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympics in 2000. I find it ironic however that the media has been silent on this pertinent link.
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/ This is not a gloat. It’s is a dance of joy. / I’m humbled to be Australian today. / Congratulations to our indigenous brothers and sisters. / And to all those who have the courage to say sorry and the grace to forgive. / Compassion, empathy and forgiveness. / The three best things ever. / What a bloody ripper of a day.
I am so sickened that people just do not want to understand the fact that it is taboo to use Australian Aboriginal imagery in your artw…
I am so sickened that people just do not want to understand the fact that it is taboo to use Australian Aboriginal imagery in your artwork unless you have been given permission by the people (Aboriginal) who own that imagery. I am sick of being abused when I try and let people know that they have done the wrong thing. Come on people stealing is stealing. Do act stupid or dumb or take offence when you get caught. all I am asking that you do not rob us (Aboriginal people) of a chance of an income – come on! we have had enough stolen from us already – do you really need to keep stealling from us. I do understand that you want to appropriate our work cos’ it’s beautiful, unique & saleable; but please admire it from a far – please let us create the work, as we know what we are doing (and we are not breaching protocol). I am getting tired of fighting and trust me I am really a peaceful person – but it is not fair on our artists who rely on there art to feed there families – cos’ our welfare system sucks – and least we are trying to do something for our selves, but it is so hard to sell the genuine article cos’of all those ripp off merchants who undercut us. Any way enough said for now cos’ I am just getting angry and it’s not good for my health.
Indigenous Cultures, Copyright and the Digital Age / By Michael McMahon The development and internationalisation of the `institutionali…
Indigenous Cultures, Copyright and the Digital Age / By Michael McMahon The development and internationalisation of the `institutionalised’ intellectual property system has occurred without any specific consideration being given to the particular needs and aspirations of the indigenous peoples of the world. In Australia over the past twenty years there has been increasing interest in these needs and aspirations1 but to date little has occurred to assist indigenous Australians through the intellectual property system. The limited achievements have been the result of action by individuals to protect their rights under the existing intellectual property regime.[2] Indigenous laws dealing with intellectual property and endeavours remain unrecognised in Australia and most countries.[3] The need for action to recognise and protect indigenous knowledge has become ever more urgent as the pressures to commercialise information, knowledge and cultures builds and accelerates in what is popularly called the Digital Age. These pressures become harder to resist as technology, transport and travel shift information, articles and people around the globe with relative ease. The rules of the game are changing rapidly and we are all operating into a new context, `one in which borders no longer have their old meaning, rights and powers may not be defined by spatial boundaries, property cannot be protected in traditional ways, and much of the economic, social, and cultural action has been attracted to the upstart venues of cyberspace.’[4] Digital technology-which allows for all previous forms of communication and information, including text, graphics, sound and moving images, to be encoded into strings of 1’s and 0’s and retrievable at an address-is changing the intellectual property scenario at a rapid rate. Some writers and commentators believe that copyright will adapt and survive the latest technological developments in the way in which it has in the past.[5] Others argue colourfully and sometimes persuasively that the copyright system in particular will not survive.[6] If this latter group are right then the main `plank’ of the institutionalised intellectual property which indigenous people in Australia have used to protect their artistic and cultural expressions will become less relevant and difficult to administer.[7] The basic proposition of these writers and commentators is that the very foundations on which copyright developed-that reproduction and dissemination were difficult and expensive and so could be controlled-no longer apply in an environment where information can be created, stored and disseminated in digital form. The ever expanding application of digital technology will continue to have profound effects for all people. Keeping pace with, let alone trying to anticipate, the changes and consequences of the application of digital technology to so many aspects of our lives is difficult. Indigenous communities face particular challenges because of the problems they already have of accessing and applying the existing intellectual property system to their cultures, let alone trying to deal with one which is coming under increasing strain from changes in technology. In any situation there are generally opportunities and the digital age offers some to indigenous cultures, although accessing them may not be as easy as many of the more enthusiastic writers would have us believe. Taking advantage of the benefits of digital technology involves considerable costs which are often overlooked by the commentators such as John Perry Barlow. This is particularly true in the application of digital technology to computer networks—the process which has given birth to the Infobahn. Never before has it been possible to transmit information so quickly and in such quantities as the Infobahn allows. The possibilities sound great but the reality is that costs of computer equipment and software remain beyond the reach of many people, let alone the problem that many remote indigenous communities have no access or high cost access to telephones and electricity. For example, the community of Yirrkala is situated in Eastern Arnhem Land and is well served with utilities. The community has an enviable record of introducing technology and training people in its use, particularly in its model Literacy Production Centre attached to the Community School. However, for anyone in the community to go `on line’ during the day at present to take advantage of the Internet would cost $18 per hour in telephone charges alone to connect to the nearest service provider in Darwin. This means that if the Community School wanted to use the Internet for three hours each day it would cost them about $11,000 per year in telephone charges alone. The present funding environment means that such costs act as a barrier for remote indigenous communities which want to connect to the Infobahn so as to benefit from what it may have to offer them. While there are very progressive uses of digital technology by some indigenous organisations such as the Tanami Network8 and developments in satellite technology will improve the opportunities to `connect’ from a remote location, it is going to take considerable expenditure and investment if indigenous Australians in remote areas are to take full advantage of the Digital Age. As William J Mitchell puts it in `City of Bits’, his `windshield survey along the Infobahn’: `No network connection at all-zero bandwidth-makes you a digital hermit, an outcast from cyberspace. The Net creates new opportunities but exclusion from it becomes a new form of marginalisation.’[9] / Many of the community based indigenous organisations which may be able to provide access facilities are being squeezed for funds and having to adjust their priorities. Purchasing computers, training people in the use of them and getting on to the Infobahn all have to compete with the more immediate concerns of health, housing and sewerage in most indigenous communities in Australia. / Another issue that is often overlooked but which is crucial to indigenous people is that as well as having access to equipment and services at a reasonable cost, using digital technology also involves education and training. There may be real advantages in having communication, reproduction and dissemination of information easier but you still have to know which keys to press on the keyboard or where to position the cursor before you click the mouse. For many people, but particularly indigenous people in remote areas for whom English may be a second language, there are major educational barriers blocking access to the Infobahn. But if these `threshold’ issues of cost and training can be adequately addressed then indigenous communities will be well served by the changes to information technology. In the past indigenous people living in remote communities could be easily marginalised and to a large extent ignored in a world where geography determined so much of one’s destiny. In the Digital Age that need no longer be the case. Indeed, marginalisation will come (or already existing marginalisation further exacerbated) from a failure to understand use the opportunities which digital technology offers. Properly equipped and trained indigenous communities will also be able to take advantage of control over the dissemination of information which digital technology allows, as well as reach a much larger audience than is presently possible. Traditionally indigenous communities have relied on reproduction and dissemination of their information by people outside their communities. This has often lead to disappointments and misunderstandings. The use of on-line digital technology will mean that indigenous people in remote areas will be able to exercise greater control over the amount and nature of the information and material which is disseminated from their communities. This would be welcomed after such a long history of surrendering control over so much of their artistic and cultural information and material to third parties to interpret and present to the rest of the world. Already some communities are realising the commercial potential of the Internet10 http://www.ozemail.com.au/~jukurrp and it is to be hoped that before too long we are reading about communities selling their art direct to American purchasers rather than auction houses.[11] While recognising the importance of such developments it is also necessary to recognise the very real fears in communities of `rip-offs’ of their intellectual property, particularly in the digital environment where issues of protection remain uncertain and the potential uses and dissemination so wide. If William J Mitchell is correct and the economic engine in the `soft cities’ of cyberspace is the `bit business’-the production and consumption of digital information-then indigenous people may be able to participate in ways that have not previously been open to them. They will have access to information which would have previously been inaccessible to them. They will be able to exchange information and develop strategies with other indigenous people around Australia and around the globe. It will be their common interests which will bring them together. Location will no longer divide people. As well as the indigenous specific law reform work referred to above the previous Commonwealth government had begun to address some of the more general challenges to the copyright system through the work of the Copyright Law Review Committee.[12] That work has been given an added imperative following Australia’s participation in the Diplomatic Conference held by the World Intellectual Property Organisation in December 1996. At its conclusion that Conference adopted the WIPO Copyright Treaty and the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty.[13] http://www.wipo.int/eng/index.htm These treaties will have an important effect on copyright law in Australia over the next couple of years as the government decides whether Australia should amend its laws so as to be in a position to comply with the treaties’ requirements and ratify them. The Copyright Treaty contains Articles which are intended to set new standards for the digital environment, including the introduction of a new exclusive right of `authorising any communication to the public of their works, by wire or wireless means, including the making available to the public of their works in such a way that members of the public may access these works from a place and at a time individually chosen by them.’[14] Indigenous people need to be part of the process of adapting the copyright laws to fit the Digital Age. They will need to articulate clearly their needs and demands for a better system of intellectual property protection or alternative arrangements which will protect their cultures in a fast changing technological environment. They too will have to live in the Digital Age where `intellectual property protection will simultaneously become both more necessary and more difficult to obtain.’[15] At the conclusion of its Diplomatic Conference in Geneva in late 1996 the World Intellectual Property Organisation stated that it wished to do further work on indigenous intellectual property rights and will hold a conference for this purpose in Thailand in April this year. If the Commonwealth Government is serious about its election commitment to address the copyright issues of indigenous Australians it must ensure that it draws on the experiences and work done by indigenous people so that it can play a central and leading role to achieve results at the WIPO Conference. But it should not take the position of handing it all over to WIPO. Considerable work has already been done in Australia and the needs have been largely identified. Those needs are expanding with the increase of digital technology, particularly on-line. What is really required now is the political will to act. Experience in the legislative protection for intellectual property has shown that if the political will, need and impetus are there, change can come. It came when the Commonwealth Parliament hastily passed the Copyright (Amendment) Act 1984 to avoid international discrimination over uncertainty as to protection for computer programs in this country. It also came quickly in 1989 with the passage of the Circuit Layouts Act after pressure from the United States. The need was identified and acted on quickly with the passage of the Olympic Insignia Act 1996. The needs of Australia’s indigenous people for intellectual property reform are no less urgent and are becoming more so in the Digital Age. —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—- [1] The Working Party on the Protection of Aboriginal Folklore commenced work in 1975 and reported in 1981 (Report of the Working Party on the Protection of Aboriginal Folklore, Department of Home Affairs and the Environment, 4 December 1981). In October 1994 the Commonwealth published an Issues Paper entitled `Stopping the Rip-offs—Intellectual Property Protection for Indigenous Australians’ (Commonwealth of Australia, 1994). Work and consultations continued although the continuation of the process has become uncertain under the present Government. [2] The recent history of indigenous artists use of the law to protect their artistic and cultural expression is set out and illustrated in Copyrites—Aboriginal Art in the Age of Reproduction, NIAAA and Macquarie University, 1996. [3] See the casenote by Martin Hardie in this issue concerning the action by John Bulun Bulun and George Milpurrurru where the claim includes a claim in customary law relating to the land from which the artist’s work arises. [4] Mitchell, William J, City of Bits—Space, Place, and the Infobahn, The MIT Press, Cambridge (Mass.), 1995, p.168. [5] Stanbury, WT, `Aspects of Public Policy Regarding Crown Copyright in the Digital Age’, (1996) 10 (2) Intellectual Property Journal 131. (Stanbury analyses the arguments of John Perry Barlow in the article listed in footnote 35). See also Collie I, `Copyright is Dead….or is it?’ 1 (1) Artlines 10 and the comments of Schwartz, E., in his Introduction to the `Copyright in the 21st Century’ Symposium, (1995) 13 (2) Cardozo Arts and Entertainment Law Journal 13. [6] See in particular John Perry Barlow, `The Economy of Ideas: A Framework for the Re-thinking of Patents and Copyright in the Digital Age (Everything You Wanted to Know About Intellectual Property is Wrong)’, Wired Magazine, March 1994, p. 84; and Nicholas Negroponte, Being Digital, Hodder and Stoughton, 1995, p.58. [7] Courts are sometimes finding it difficult in dealing with the concepts of computing and digital technology. A Federal Court judge recently distorted a long established copyright principle and sent shock waves through the local computer software industry when he found that a single word in a computer language was a computer program in which copyright subsisted. See Data Access Corporation v Powerflex Services Pty Ltd and Others 33 IPR 194. The decision is being appealed. [8] Tanami Network Pty Ltd is an indigenous owned video-conferencing network based at Yuendumu. It has undertaken important work in linking communities and has also been involved in the development of multimedia product. [9] Mitchell, William J, City of Bits—Space, Place, and the Infobahn, The MIT Press, Cambridge (Mass.), 1995, p.18. [10] [ is the Jukurrpa Artists’ web site. This collective of women artists sell artwork from the site. 11] See Sally Blackney, `Sold to the Terminal in the Corner’ in The Weekend Australian, 1-2 February 1997 where it is reported that Sotheby’s put the whole of its Aboriginal Art Sale catalogue on the net and had an American buyer ring up and spend $18,000. [12] Copyright Law Review Committee, `Copyright Reform: A Consideration of rationales, Interests and Objectives’, February 1996. [13] See the WIPOweb site for the full text of treaties and other material: [ 14] Article 8, WIPO Copyright Treaty, 20 December 1996. [15] Rubin H, Fraser L and Smith M, `US and International Law Aspects of the Internet: Fitting Square Pegs into Round Holes’, (1996) 3 International Journal of Law and Information Technology, 117 at 129. —-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—-—- / AustLII: Feedback | Privacy Policy | Disclaimers / URL: http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/AboriginalLB
Good morning to all of you and what a morning it is! I see that the wonderful Aboriginal Art Group...
Good morning to all of you and what a morning it is! I see that the wonderful Aboriginal Art Group is featuring two of my pieces—’We Are Family’ and ‘Truth’! I am truly honored and grateful to be chosen for this….. Thank you SO much to the group hosts!!! Blessings, / Jan
On June 11,2008 The Government Of Canada in The House Of Commons, apologised to Aboriginal Canadians for the abuse they endured as a resu…
On June 11,2008 The Government Of Canada in The House Of Commons, apologised to Aboriginal Canadians for the abuse they endured as a result of being forced to attend Residential Schools throughout Canada against their will. The schools were run by various churches at the time. Today I discovered a 2 hour award winning documentary about one man’s tearful journey to not only discover the truth and facts about this atrocity, but to share it with the world at great peril to his personal and professional well being. About a year ago I met a 71 year old survivor of a resdential school, and he shared some of his story of the experience and it was horrifying to say the least. WARNING this documentary is heartbreaking, and will make you cry,. If you watch the documentary and feel inclined, please pass the link on to others, and perhaps something good will come by the truth being spoken. / Unrepentant: Kevin Annett and Canada’s Genocide
*_I’m so honoured that Aboriginal Art featured “Decayed and Senseless – by Ushna Sardar & Keit…
I’m so honoured that Aboriginal Art featured Decayed and Senseless – by Ushna Sardar & Keith Williams & barter system – Shree’s !!! EXTREME ~ EMOTIONS!!! thank you so much dear group hosts / pinkstinks / Crowmanic / Love&Peace, / Ushna.
not what you might think!!! lol A Home Page Feature! / !http://images-2.redbubble.net/img/art/size:ularge/view:main/2660888-2-homepage…
not what you might think!!! lol A Home Page Feature! / for my image What Are You Looking At! I just want to say a big thank you for the feature, in particular to Darren Stones and the Australian Travel Photography and Writing Group as home page featured this Group and it was the Group’s feature of my work that got me there…. So whatever you are looking at, I’m smiling….
I’m feeling very soulful and spiritual this evening and having seen and heard Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu performance on The Jewels Holla…
I’m feeling very soulful and spiritual this evening and having seen and heard Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu performance on The Jewels Holland Show on BB1 a month ago I was so taken back by the spirit of this man and his talent to play guitar being blind. / He has performed in many high places and has performed before HRH Queen Elizabeth and many of you who live in Australia may already know him and heard his music. For Father’s Day my Daughter bought me his CD and I am so thrilled with the songs and the feelings that his music gives! So This is for you Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu / Thank You so much for sharing your world with us and may you have many years of playing to give to your public you are truly a star! May your God Bless you! David
!http://images-1.redbubble.net/img/art/framecolor:walnut/framestyle:flat30/mattecolor:off%20white/product:framed-print/size:small/view:pr…
Thank you so much to the person that just purchased a framed print of Binda You have just absolutely made my day!
If Stonehenge were bulldozed for a McDonald’s, or the collections of the British Library were burnt to heat the Hilton, there would be a …
If Stonehenge were bulldozed for a McDonald’s, or the collections of the British Library were burnt to heat the Hilton, there would be a furore in the press. But a site of equivalent spiritual, intellectual and artistic importance to Aboriginal people – referred to as an ancient university, part of their ritual, sacred culture and songlines – is under similar threat, and the chances are you won’t have heard of it. The site includes what is probably the oldest artistic representation of the human face anywhere in the world. Pause on that a moment. That fact alone makes it iconic for all human beings. Carved with huge, haunting eyes and an expression of vivid intensity, it is one of hundreds of thousands of rock carvings in Western Australia’s Burrup peninsula, known as Murujuga to Aboriginal peoples. Some carvings are at least 30,000 years old and it is even possible that the site is twice the age of the famous Lascaux cave paintings. But there are plans to site a liquid natural gas plant here, and parts of the area have already been destroyed, with images either pulverised or ripped away from where they belong. When this happens, Aboriginal people say, part of a songline is destroyed forever, it is “like our Bible torn apart”. The World Monuments Fund has named it as one of the world’s most endangered sites, and archaeologists want it listed as a World Heritage Site, but so far haven’t been successful. Why? Because it’s part of a long story, what I’d call the “intellectual apartheid” which the dominant culture operates towards indigenous people, refusing to believe that indigenous philosophy is worthy of the title, that the Amazon has its rigorous medical schools, or that a Chartres could exist, in ritual, in the Australian outback. Tellingly, until 1967, Aboriginal people were legally classed as “flora and fauna” – ie not capable of rising from nature into culture. Today marks the 50th anniversary of CP Snow’s lecture The Two Cultures, which argued that to be culturally literate it is not enough to know only about the arts, but about sciences too. It prompts a far bigger question: the dominant culture today renders itself culturally illiterate by not paying attention to the world’s cultures. In the days of empire, European history began making its false claims that there was an “expansion of the known world” which heralded an “age of discovery”. The truth was the opposite – in destroying human cultures everywhere, the sum of the world’s knowledge was reduced. Edward Said referred to “the universalising discourses”, which only infrequently acknowledged “that the colonised people should be heard from, their ideas known”. London, intellectual and political driver of colonialism, is about to offer exactly that infrequent acknowledgement, in the shape of the inaugural Origins – Festival of First Nations. Opening with the crazy thunder of Maori performers, parts of the festival are wryly amusing, including the satirical docucomedy Qallunaat – Why White People Are Funny, an Inuit reversal of the anthropological gaze. A similar dynamic of reversal occurred in January 1988 when Aboriginal activist Burnum Burnum landed at Dover to plant the Aboriginal flag on the beach, claiming England for the Aboriginal people of Australia. Perhaps with the advent of climate change, indigenous thinking is more necessary than ever, for it is characterised by an ability to interweave disparate ideas, such as environment, language and psychology. Moreover, it emphatically takes its energy from its relationship with land, which is why the breaking of that relationship in the Burrup will lead directly to illness and death, say local Aboriginal people. Indigenous arts reveal the strength of something which Spanish poet Lorca referred to as El Duende, the life-force from the spirit of the earth, the thing which charges art with power, which gives indigenous art its wit and its depth, its tenderness and its teeth. And – if that art is desecrated – its tragedy. • Jay Griffiths is the author of Wild: An Elemental Journey. Source: Jay Griffiths / guardian.co.uk, Thursday 7 May 2009 19.30 BST
By Julian Drape, AAP, 27 August, 2009, 8:24 pm A UN expert on indigenous rights says the ongoing intervention into remote Aboriginal…
By Julian Drape, AAP, 27 August, 2009, 8:24 pm A UN expert on indigenous rights says the ongoing intervention into remote Aboriginal communities in the Northern Territory is overtly discriminatory and Australia must tackle its “entrenched” racism. The critical comments by the UN’s special rapporteur on indigenous rights, James Anaya, came just hours after a proposed new indigenous representative body was unveiled by Australia’s Aboriginal social justice commissioner Tom Calma. Mr Calma told the National Press Club indigenous people had suffered from the absence of a strong national body since the abolition of ATSIC in 2005. “We have lacked the most fundamental of requirements for a reconciled nation – a robust genuine partnership between government and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,” he said. But Professor Anaya believes that’s not all that’s been holding back indigenous Australia. He says NT intervention measures, including compulsory income management and blanket bans on alcohol and pornography, are “overtly discriminatory” and further stigmatise already stigmatised communities. They’re incompatible with various international conventions, covenants, treaties and declarations, he said. “Some kind of special measures could be justified but they need to be narrowly tailored to the specific circumstances that exist,” the rapporteur told reporters in Canberra. “(But currently) people who have a demonstrated capacity to manage their income are included. “It’s inappropriate to their circumstances but is also, as expressed by them, demeaning.” Prof Anaya was also scathing of Labor’s insistence that housing funds would only flow if indigenous communities leased their land to the government for 40 years. [this is about Govt and Mining companies not needing to negotiate with Aboriginal people — mining and money] “It’s a mistake to assume that indigenous peoples … aren’t capable of taking care of their homes,” he said. Prof Anaya said the Rudd government should “swiftly” reinstate the Racial Discrimination Act, which was suspended by the Howard government so the intervention’s more extreme measures could be rolled out. Indigenous Affairs Minister Jenny Macklin has promised to introduce legislation to reinstate the act in the spring session of parliament, but wants to continue many of the compulsory measures. A new national representative body could be up and running by October next year if Mr Calma gets his way. [this so-called Rep body is top-heavy and loaded with Westernised and assimilated Aboriginal (selected) safe people, favourable to modern culture, ignorant of their spiritual/cultural ancestry] _ It won’t deliver services or wield real power, but rather provide “credible and robust” advice on policies such as the intervention. _[yeh, right, as in right-wing that is] The body will be independent from government and operate as a registered company, comprising an eight-member national executive, a 128 seat national congress and an ethics council to ensure its members are all “fit and proper persons”. by who’s definition of “fit and proper”?] There’ll be an equal number of men and women members, and two full-time co-chairs, one male and one female. Mr Calma’s model, which draws on 12 months of extensive consultations with indigenous people, would be set up using $5 million of commonwealth funds. But after 10 years it would be “self sufficient, self determining and truly independent of government”. The social justice commissioner envisages government, corporate and charity dollars would contribute to a $200 million investment fund “to ensure a sufficient recurrent expenditure base for the organisation”. But that vision’s already somewhat cloudy. “The government has no plans to contribute to such a fund at this time,” Ms Macklin said in a statement after Mr Calma released his model. “The government is prepared to provide modest and appropriate recurrent funding for the national representative body once it is established, as well as providing support in its critical establishment phase.” Mr Calma believes the new representative body will help Australia own its history – both good and bad – within 20 years. Prof Anaya also sees reasons for hope. “I have been impressed by the strength, resilience and vision of indigenous communities determined to move towards a better future despite having endured tremendous suffering at the hands of historical forces and entrenched racism,” he said at the end of his 11-day visit.
09-09-09 saw the opening of my first official art exhibition… / I say official lightly as it was not a publicized traditional solo exhib…
09-09-09 saw the opening of my first official art exhibition… / I say official lightly as it was not a publicized traditional solo exhibit, but one held in conjunction with the Cinefest Oz French Australian film festival, which is held annually in Busselton. Some amazing films were on view for the public at the local Cinema, as well as many short animated clips showing daily at the ArtGeo gallery and cultural centre (where my art was on display) / The exhibition ran for one week to coincide with the French Australian Film Festival, a busy and exciting time for the arts in this region. / I was honoured to share my exhibition space with an incredible artist by the name of Troy Bennell. Troy is an award winning artist, highly acclaimed in the indigenous arts scene not just in australia, but internationally, and a most wonderful young man as well, his work is strong and beautiful, and I must say I look forward to working on future projects with him. / I got a surprise to realize I actually had images of Troy already here on RB, taken at the beach festival in January when he was performing on the didgeridoo Here are a few glimpses within the walls of the gallery – an old building that was originally a bank, then the Agricultural Department building before being restored and upgraded into a professional art gallery. I have to say it was overwhelming to see my work on those big white walls!! / Bill Webb of the Wardan Cultural Centre delivered a wonderful “Welcome to Country” speech for the movie premiere of Stone Bros and guests, and here he strikes a pose in front of the artwork featuring his portrait, that won an award for me at last year’s Signature Southwest Art Prize. / Hmmm….someone taking time out to play while the others are busy inside working…... As part of Cinefest Oz, Saturday night featured the West Australian premiere of the new movie Stone Bros , followed by an after party for VIP guests, stars, producers etc, at the gallery where my art was on display. It was an amazing night and loads of fun too! / Stars of the movie Stone Bros, Luke Carroll, Sarah Lawrence and Leon Burchill party with local lady Josephine Ziino… It was great to meet these people after seeing their movie, they were all so down to earth, fun and friendly. These photos were only taken with a little handbag point and shoot, so aren’t the best but will give you a bit of an idea of the fun / Luke Carroll (Eddie), Sarah Lawrence, Leon Burchill (Charlie) and producer Ross Hutchens / A bit of fun with one of the stars from Stone Bros – Gary Cooper. / Gary Cooper, Leon Burchill, Merlin, and two lovely assistants outside the ArtGeo Gallery. / The most unlikely star of the movie, and one who stole the show, was little Merlin….shown here with owner/co-star Gary Cooper. / After playing a monster of a role in the movie Stone Bros, Merlin looks pretty humble and quite approachable…..lol If you get the chance, you must go see this movie Stone Bros…..it was filmed between Perth and Kalgoorlie in Western Australia, and is described as being an “indigenous comedy”, but that is an understatement….. it is the most hilarious movie I have ever seen, a cross between Cheech and Chong and Priscilla Queen of the Desert, with a whole lot more thrown in (including one scene that was a real take off of the Paris Hilton look ab-original style…lol…..) Very original, fresh, funny, and with a lot of smoke, a damn lot of smoke, and stones of all descriptions, I defy anyone with a pulse not to laugh out loud at this movie! check it out Stone Bros. Trailer from Australian Film Syndicate on Vimeo.
It’s been a great week for me in the creative …
It’s been a great week for me in the creative world, a wonderful antidote for some of the stuff happening in other parts of my world…...... / I would like to share some good news with you…... the annual Busselton Through My Lens Photo Competition has just been finalized for the year. It’s a great comp that draws in many people of all ages and both professional and amateur. This year saw over 200 entries go in, with many being displayed in the three main shopping centres for several weeks in October. In the past, I have done well in the Professional Digital Art section, and although I had been under pressure this year with my exhibition, and therefore “rushed” my entries at the last minute, I still hoped I would do okay (plus the cash prizes are really really attractive and what can I say – you know what we struggling artists are like!!). I am blown away!! I won the Digital Art Professional section, AND just when I thought the excitement was too much (and was spilling my wine because I forgot you don’t clap hands while holding a loaded glass – sheesh! LOL) I received the first prize in the Professional photography section (something I thought I could only ASPIRE to especially as I never enter the professional section, except this year the judges shifted my work into the pro class without telling me) with my image of David Dann of the Noyt Kobori Spirit Dancers. I want to thank David for giving me permission to exhibit his portrait, it took a bit of time and a lot of “serendipity” to find David after him being an anonymous face in my photo for so long, and just add that it is really interesting to note – I shared my recent exhibition with well known aboriginal artist Troy Bennell, and have only since realized that when photographing the Noyt Kobori Spirit Dancers, this is actually Troy’s group and he was in many of my images playing the didgeridoo. Between us, we have come up with several ideas and I now look forward to doing more work with the guys and hope to capture a little more of their culture and “magic” for the future. Which to my mind, is as much an honour and a “win” as those mentioned above!
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