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of the wheatbelt

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ForewordThe world is changing at a very rapid pace

as the centre of global power moves to the

Asia Pacific region, the structure of the world

economy is found wanting in the face of a

downturn unprecedented in a lifetime, and

the extreme weather events associated with

climate change become a more frequent

reality with each passing month.

At the same time, there is a struggle for

identity going on in Australia. There are many

cultures that now make up our national tapestry, but our nation has

become the most urbanised on the face of the Earth. Only twelve per

cent of Australians live in non-urban communities. The vast spaces

of our continent are emptier than they ever were before the coming

of the Europeans more than two hundred years ago. This raises the

questions of just who the global Australians of the 21st century will

be, where will they find their identity, and how will they strengthen

their resolve to succeed in adversity?

All these forces and questions come into focus in Western Australia’s

Wheatbelt as communities struggle to make life interesting,

challenging and rewarding for their young people–for it is these

young people who will decide through their commitment whether

communities live or die in the longer term. Looking at the landscape

through fresh new eyes and a different set of experiences helps us all

to understand how important this challenge is.

This is what makes the work of the Community Arts Network Western

Australia (CAN WA) so important. The Voices of the Wheatbelt

project is an important part of CAN WA’s aim to help communities

to strengthen the role of culture in sustaining this identity. Most

importantly, it is about bringing Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal

people together in appreciation of the physical and spiritual aspects

of the landscape, which is their shared heritage and will be the

enduring source of their culture.

Every individual and organisation involved in this project is to be

congratulated in helping to offer this opportunity for young people

to explore their heritage through the camera lens and to give

expression to the way they see themselves in the landscape. The

personal self-esteem in being able to do this and to be recognised

for it is vital in building understanding and commitment to the future

of their community.

Voices of the Wheatbelt provides a new window on a part of Western

Australia that is significant in both the Aboriginal and European

history of our nation. It should be recognised as a considerable

triumph in developing community and one important step on the

way towards reconnecting Australians with the landscape that will

sustain them into the future.

Lieutenant General John Sanderson, AC

Chairman of the Indigenous Implementation Board

of Western Australia

Governor of Western Australia 2000-2005

Disclaimer Throughout the project over 140 photographers took nearly 26,000 images. In each session, each

photographer was assigned a numbered memory card and their photos were carefully stored in their

individual folder. Sometimes the photographer became the subject as a friend or classmate spotted a

great shot. In these large group situations, it just wasn’t possible to keep track of the camera swapping.

For that reason, some of the photos in this book maybe credited to the subject rather than the photographer.

Wherever we could, we have tried to credit the images as accurately as possible.

© Community Arts Network WA Ltd. 2009

357-365 Murray Street Perth WA 6000 t 08 9226 2422 f 08 9226 2230 e admin@canwa.com.au www.canwa.com.au

This book is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part

may be reproduced without prior written permission from the publisher. Requests and inquiries

concerning production and rights should be addressed to Community Arts Network WA Ltd,

PO Box 7514, Cloisters Square WA 6850 or admin@canwa.com.au.

Every reasonable effort has been made to contact copyright owners of materials reproduced in

this publication. The publishers welcome communication from any copyright owner from whom

permission was inadvertently not obtained.

This project was funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Families,

Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs.

National Library of Australia Cataloguing-In-Publication data:

Voices of the Wheatbelt

ISBN: 0-9581235-5-1

Compiled by Ivy Penny

Design by Natalija Brunovs (Seedpod)

Printed by Quality Press

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IntroductionThe Voices of the Wheatbelt project is one of the largest community

arts initiatives that the Community Arts Network of Western Australia

has undertaken in its 25 year history.

As with many of our projects, Voices started with a few good ideas, a

huge amount of enthusiasm, passion, energy and the conviction that

creativity is a powerful force that builds bridges and inspires people.

We embarked on this project with the belief that we could make a

difference in the lives of the people of the Wheatbelt.

Voices of the Wheatbelt created an opportunity for the community

to explore and express their sense of place and belonging, to discover

or rediscover relationships with each other, their families, community

and the environment. More than 200 people from Tammin, Kellerberrin,

Quairading and Merredin taught us that there is so much untapped

richness in the Wheatbelt. People in the community have so much to

offer, in particular, the Aboriginal people, custodians of the land. They

generously shared their wisdom, culture, knowledge and values during

this project.

There are many tangible and intangible outcomes that community

projects such as Voices of the Wheatbelt generate. Participants

expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to learn new skills

in photography and communicate their stories. School principals

and partners shared with us the impact that these workshops had on

students’ self esteem, providing the opportunity for students to learn

creatively, succeed and be recognised within the community. What we

might not be able to measure, evaluate or even ever know, is what really

happens to each individual who participated at a deeper and more

intimate level. Only they will know how this project impacted in their

own lives.

I have powerful memories of those moments when I felt I learnt

something and my creativity and contribution was valued and

appreciated. When I worked together with others, when we made

something exceptional that we could call ‘ours’. I only hope that all the

children who felt valued and recognised will carry that positive feeling

well into their adult life. I hope that they remember this project, and

that it may be an incentive to become involved in future community

arts projects.

Projects like this are critically important for our organisation. It allows

us to stay connected to the interface where practice informs theory and

theory informs practice. We had thousands of photos to choose from,

and the small sample in this book is testimony to the communities’ skills,

the love for their place and the creativity that can be awakened through

the amazing process of community arts practice.

There are so many people I would like to thank, too many to mention

individually here. They are all acknowledged for their contribution at the

end of this publication. I must, however, acknowledge each and every

student and adult who participated in Voices—without your creativity

and generosity this publication would not exist.

Pilar Kasat

Managing Director

Community Arts Network Western AustraliaL Melissa Macarthy

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The story behind the projectVoices of the Wheatbelt evolved from CAN WA’s ongoing

commitment to the Eastern Wheatbelt and partnership with the

Aboriginal community of Kellerberrin.

A youth arts program that included photography sparked the interest

of local young people and provided the basis for CAN WA to develop

a broader initiative which included the communities of Merredin,

Quairading and Tammin, as well as Kellerberrin. CAN WA could see

the opportunity to create a platform where local people and school

students could come together, explore their place and community

while developing creative skills.

Over three school terms in 2008, students from Tammin Primary School,

Kellerberrin District High School, Quairading District High School,

South Merredin Primary School and Merredin Senior High School

participated in photography excursions and songwriting workshops.

Over 16 weeks, CAN WA staff and photographers James Berlyn and

Vinn Pitcher and Perth songwriters, Djiva (Della Rae Morrison and

Jessie Lloyd) facilitated this project.

The syllabus for the photography workshops was created with the input

of Della Rae Morrison, James Berlyn and Vinn Pitcher. Six classes from

the five schools, totaling over 100 students, learnt about the technical

and artistic aspects of digital photography, including the elements of

design, composition and ways to use light on weekly basis during term

studies. They were challenged to complete creative tasks and problem-

solving activities using a Canon Coolpix L10 or L11 digital camera. By

the end of the semester, the students had taken more than 16,000

photos. As the project progressed, song writing and music workshops

were incorporated with students writing and recording songs about

their town and school. The following school term, exhibitions were

held at each of the five schools. Students, teachers, parents and

local dignitaries were invited to see the work of each student who

participated in the project.

In the later part of 2008, CAN WA continued the project by facilitating

skill development workshops for adults in each of the four towns

with professional photographer, Annette Kent. The workshops were

advertised widely within the community at local telecentres, in the local

newspaper and online. The involvement of local groups such as Yok Yurk

Aboriginal Women’s Association, The Country Women’s Association

and Njaki-Njaki Cultural Centre encouraged the participation of over

40 non-Indigenous and Indigenous community members.

Follow up workshops were held in Kellerberrin, Quairading, Tammin

and Merredin. These workshops focused on the photos that were

taken by both the adults and student participants, in particular, photo

selection, photo naming and caption writing. The adults and the

students came together in these workshops to discuss the photos

they had taken and to tell a story about their images. Discussions

were broad on the subject of each photograph. How people who live

in the country are represented, the places in which they lived, the

environment and the people that live in their community were just

some of the stories shared.

For all the staff involved, the project required a huge amount of time,

energy and commitment. The coordination of workshops, excursions,

transportation, facilitators and safety, culminating in the selection of a

handful of images out of the 26,000 captured, has been a mammoth

undertaking, made possible by the goodwill of those involved.

Following the workshops, the photos appeared in exhibitions at

significant events in the Wheatbelt, including the Unity Walk during

NAIDOC week in Quairading, the Badjaling Noongar Cultural Festival

and the Wheatbelt Cultural Festival in Northam. The project culminated

with the production of this publication, in which every participant is

represented. An exhibition was hosted at Kidogo Arthouse in Fremantle

as a means to enhance the connections between the city and the

Wheatbelt.

Since the conclusion of the workshops, an evaluation has been conducted

by Dr. Christopher Sonn from Victoria University. The evaluation examines

the outcomes of the project from the vantage points of the participants,

program facilitators and the evaluators. The feedback from the project

has been overwhelmingly positive. The project not only offered the

opportunity to learn basic photography skills, more importantly it

allowed for people to come together, to be with others and do things

together.

Since the completion of the project, we have seen the creation of a

camera club in the town of Quairading with over 15 members meeting

to take photos on a regular basis. The Voices of the Wheatbelt has

forged important connections between CAN WA, local people, relevant

organisations and local shires as well as facilitating positive creative and

community outcomes for the Eastern Wheatbelt region.

The aim of Voices of the Wheatbelt was to bring people together and

literally give voice to the individual and collective perspectives, that

inform local identity. It is about uncovering and rediscovering the unique

aspects of Wheatbelt life and applying the medium of photography to

capture and celebrate the heart of these communities.

CAN WA has made a pledge to support Indigenous cultural development

in the region with Voices playing a key role in building relationships with

community. The images represent the beginning of a journey to uncover

and celebrate the unique magic and beauty of this place, both in the

people that live here and the landscape that binds them. As this journey

progresses, more stories will be discovered and points of view shared.

We warmly invite you to take a look inside…

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‘Even though our town is small, there are big things within it...’

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L-R Chaya Cousins; iesha stack by James Berlyn (Artist).

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L-R Brendan Groves; Danielle Canova; Colin Harrison; Rani McCarthy.

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‘love of the bush ... animals ... calm ... crickets ... bird noises ... no traffic.’

L-R Barb Greaves; Kevin Humphries; Elena Wong.

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‘We should take the time to stop and appreciate

nature. Stop and look at the world all around us.‘

Previous Page L-R Anne Hawksley; Sharon Heir;

Wade Mackintosh; Cameron Davey.

L-R Victor Hayden; Lauren Holst (facilitator).

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L-R Morgan Wallwork; Erin Garlett; Brenda McIntosh.

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L-R Lisa Mackin; Jodie Pengel; Kristy Colbung; Ethan Cooper.

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Community Arts

‘It breaks down the silence between communities.’

‘Older and younger people, varying age groups and people new to the community were brought together.’

‘It’s all about talking about the same thing at the same level...’

L-R Kylie Mackintosh; Faye Christison.

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L-R Shanice Smith; Iesha Stack; Elena Wong.

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L-R Apryl Longford; Brittany Hayes.

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L-R Colin Harrison; Keliesha O’Breza; Marika Hayden; Lauren Holst (facilitator).

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L-R Bridie Luers; Jodie Pengel; Steven Bayley; Meg Natoli.

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L-R Caitlin Phoebe; Carolyn Stokes; iesha stack, courtney Little & sharon Heir by James Berlyn (artist).

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L-R Eileen Hall; Janet Stokes; Faye Christison; Helen Heinrich.

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L-R Kylie Mackintosh; Lisa Mackin; Helen Heinrich.

‘It’s a dry and hot time of

year.‘

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L-R Curtis Mackin; Zane Jones; Danielle Conova; Jay Costantini.

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L-R Maria Garlett; Tyson Gors; Kyle Dalton; Maddy Hooper.

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L-R Carrie Yarra; Brigitte Shenton; Danita Hayden.

‘For country folk who depend on the weather...their faith is a very important part of life.’

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L-R Alex Brindley-Cavanagh; Bridie Luers; Eileen Hall.

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L-R Tammin Primary School student; Photo of Percy Boundry.

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L-R Joel Hancock; Marika Riley by James Berlyn (Artist); Alex Brindley-Cavanagh; Sharon Heir.

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L-R Joel Hancock; Alex Brindley-cavanagh by James Berlyn (Artist); Alex Brindley-Cavanagh; Iesha Stack.

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L-R Chrissi Smith; Cortney Dorant; Don Woodock; Christopher Canova.

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L-R Joshua Westberg; Mellisa Macarthy; Telariah Boundry.

Sharing

‘It’s a starting point to bring people together...’

‘Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal kids had the chance to come together and learn about history, land, bush tucker.’

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L-R Erin Garlett; Neville Kickett; Aubrey Nelson.