The Team arrived in Kintore on Thursday for what was going to be a very different Red Dust experience for all participants involved. The Pintubi people of Kintore invited Red Dust to share in a very special celebration. 30 years ago they returned to their home after being forced to live in Papunya and the surrounding areas. The celebration marked that return to country and the community’s strength to maintain their culture after so many years.
Red Dust has developed a strong relationship with the Kintore Community including elders and traditional owners who remember the return to country and even leaving it in the first place.
The team considered it a privilege and an honour to be invited to celebrate such a momentous occasion.
The team included:
Darren Smith, Red Dust CEO
David Callow, Role Model, Photographer and Film Maker
Brett Wheeler, Role Model and Film Maker
Sarah Marshall, Abigroup National Environment and Sustainability Manager
Foster’s employees Trina Oates, Eimear Desmond, Adam Beach, Phillip Henderson and Peter Fridell.
Upon arrival in the evening the team jumped right into the celebration atmosphere and went to watch the men and women’s traditional dance rehearsal.
They then spent Friday in the school with kids helping out with literacy and numeracy in the classrooms. They also helped out with the preparations for the celebration including practising a new song the kids had been taught sung entirely in language.
Next they went to opening ceremony for the Anniversary which was a recreation of the walk to Kintore from Papunya. That night was there was a concert held on a stage set up on with bands including Neil Murray from the Warumpi band. The whole community and many visitors were in attendance – probably the most people in one spot at Kintore for a very long time so it was a fantastic atmosphere.
Saturday the team went goanna hunting with the local women and between them managed to catch a grand total of ten! This was a real insight into local traditions of the area for a team who would not normally experience this in their day to day lives. We all could learn a lot from these ladies – and not just how to hunt and kill goanna!
Saturday night saw the launch of the documentary about the return to country that includes personal accounts from members of the community. This is a project funded by the Fosters Group and created by David Callow and Brett Wheeler from Red Dust. Everyone’s hard work filming, producing, editing and translating to include English subtitles certainly paid off. The film had a great response and Red Dust is really proud of the efforts of everybody involved.
Sunday was spent time travelling around community with kids, watching the local artists create a mural on the basketball court commemorating the anniversary. They then went out to some of the outstations in the area before attending closing ceremony where speeches were given by elders.
Monday everyone packed up and cleaned the school, said goodbyes and drove back to Alice Springs having enjoyed the experience. A big thank you goes to the people of Kintore for sharing your time, your stories and your beautiful community throughout 2011. We look forward to returning in 2012 for more Red Dust programs!
Click on the link below forthe story on the 7.30 report about the Kintore Anniversary:http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-10-21/community-celebrates-30-years-at-home/3594726
