Connections with culture

The QAGOMA Learning program accompanying ‘No 1 Neighbour: Art in Papua New Guinea 1966-2016’ focusses on the role art can play in building bridges to cultural heritage and history.

A pupil-free day in mid-October enabled 47 Papua New Guinean students from six schools in South East Queensland to travel to the Gallery to explore the exhibition and take part in workshops with artists in the exhibition.

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DELVE DEEPER INTO THE ART OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA

As they gathered under the broad ceiling of the Kwoma Koromb, Mekeo artist Julia Mage’au Gray marked out five tatu (tattoo) designs students would learn about and then choose from to mark a textile lap-lap describing their personal connection to place and people.

Later, songs of the Tolai guanatuna of East New Britain featured in the exhibition’s a Bit na Ta installation, would resonate through the Lecture Theatre as students, led by George Telek, Gideon Kakabin and David Bridie stepped out traditional dance steps.

“This engagement with culture, art and practice is vital. I have no doubt that the real outcomes of the students’ interactions with Julia Mage’au Gray and with us a Bit na Ta mob (David Bridie, George Telek and Gideon Kakabin) may not surface for a few years yet when the importance of their heritage and custom seeps in in their thinking and practice.The unique attribute all these students share is their culture, the language (tok ples) and songs and ways that their ancestors have passed down to them.

These students are some of the more privileged PNG youth, so it is utterly vital that they take this on board as they will be part of the future leaders and their country will need them!” David Bridie

Developed especially to accompany the ‘No 1 Neighbour’ exhibition, the workshop actively engaged students in explorations of the rich history and cultural diversity of Papua New Guinea as well as ideas of identity and its markers.

“It was a day for the students to connect with each other, as well as friends from home and celebrate their heritage.”

Laughter abounded as students watched video interviews Julia Mage’au Gray had filmed with them as part of her Pasifika Youth Workshop, exploring cultural markers and pride.

On Monday 17 October 2016, young people from PNG who are schooling in Brisbane were hosted by QAGOMA Learning. During the workshop, students were able to connect with each other, and reflect on and celebrate their PNG heritage. The video interviews, facilitated by Julia Mage’au Gray, are part of the Pasifika Youth Workshops exploring identity.

Selfies with George Telek and works in the exhibition were recorded on many a phone.

In the students’ words:

“My highlight of the workshop today was actually working with the artists, and listening, watching and learning what they do”.

“I learnt that I have a long and proud history involving culture and traditions that have been passed on for generations”.

“I learnt how unique PNG is and how proud I am to be PNG”.

The QAGOMA Learning Collection Resource provides opportunities to learn more about selected artworks in the exhibition.

Story co-authored by Ruth McDougall and QAGOMA Learning team

http://blog.qagoma.qld.gov.au/wp-content/media/BLOG-No-1-Neighbour-book-for-blog.jpg

BUY THE PUBLICATION IN-STORE AND ONLINE

Our richly illustrated hardcover publication accompanies the exhibition, with contributions from Ruth McDougall, Tolai artist and historian Gideon Kakabin, Manus Island musician John Faunt, and commentators Kiri Chan and Ruth Choulai, as well as numerous artist interviews.

‘No.1 Neighbour’ is supported by the Gordon Darling Foundation and through the Australian Government through the Australian Cultural Diplomacy Grants Program of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Produced in association with ‘No.1 Neighbour: Art in Papua New Guinea 1966-2016′ | Queensland Art Gallery | Until 29 Jan 2017 | Free

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    How culture binds Australia and Papua New Guinea

    Yesterday marked the close of ‘No. 1 Neighbour: Art in Papua New Guinea 1966-2016‘. This was a landmark exhibition, the first in Australia to exclusively explore contemporary Papua New Guinean art. The exhibition showcased Papua New Guinea’s vibrant art world for new audiences in Australia who are not often exposed to the rich artistic traditions just across the Torres Strait. At the end of last year, the Lowy Institute hosted the fourth annual Australia-Papua New Guinea Emerging Leaders Dialogue at the Queensland Art Gallery to coincide with the exhibition. The dialogue is the flagship event of the Aus-PNG Network, an initiative run by the Lowy Institute’s Melanesia Program with the support of DFAT, designed to deepen the people-to-people links between the younger generation of Australians and Papua New Guineans. The dialogue brought together 20 young Australians and Papua New Guineans from a variety of sectors for a multi-disciplinary conversation on priority issues in each country and across the bilateral relationship. The themes around art and culture were selected to take advantage of hosting the event alongside ‘No. 1 Neighbour’, and a number of the participants were artists, arts professionals and curators. They were joined by young professionals from a range of other fields including the law, development, sport, civil society and business. The diversity of the group made for rich conversation, with each participant bringing their own perspective to the issues. The dialogue focused on four key themes; the role of young people in leadership, alternative routes to economic empowerment, art and advocacy, and contemporary PNG-Australia relations. Artists present included Papua New Guinean Jeffry Feeger, well-known for his performance painting, and Elisa Jane Carmichael, an Indigenous Australian artist whose work is inspired by her cultural identity and heritage. We were also joined by one of the artists featured in the exhibition – Lisa Hilli, of mixed Australian and Papua New Guinean heritage – who recreated a traditional necklace-style decorative piece of the Tolai, called the Middi, which is no longer worn. Legendary Papua New Guinean musician George Telek, also of Tolai background, wore the Middi she made for the exhibition at his performance on the opening weekend. Their contributions added weight and real-world insight to discussions around viable careers in the creative industries and how to enhance the people-to-people links between Australia and Papua New Guinea through the arts. The arts provide a unique avenue for Australians to engage with and learn more about Papua New Guinea. Many of the works featured in ‘No. 1 Neighbour’ shed light on the complex relationship between Papua New Guinea and its former colonial ruler. Ruth McDougall, the Gallery’s Pacific Curator and the driving force behind the exhibition explored this element of the exhibition. Referencing a painting by Papua New Guinean artist Simon Gende of two figures engaged in battle with shield and spear, Leadership Tussle in Australia Rudd V Gillard 27.2.2012 demonstrates the strong knowledge of Australia in Papua New Guinea. Dialogue participants discussed the fact that the understanding of Papua New Guinea in Australia is not nearly as nuanced, lamenting the mainstream media’s often negative and stereotypical portrayal of Papua New Guinea. Esteemed journalist and long-time PNG commentator Sean Dorney argued the same in his 2016 Lowy Institute Paper The Embarrassed Colonialist, writing that the relationship between Australia and Papua New Guinea has deteriorated in the 41 years since independence. Although our countries’ colonial pasts still colour the bilateral relationship, dialogue participants emphasised that we cannot shy away from these kind of complex themes. This may lead to uncomfortable conversations, but will enable a stronger and more honest relationship between our two nations. These dynamics demonstrate the importance of fostering and maintaining strong people-to-people links to ensure a mutual understanding, but in particular understanding of Papua New Guinea in Australia, does not deteriorate in the years ahead. You can find a summary of the discussion and the recommendations from the dialogue in the Outcomes Report. The Lowy Institute would like to thank DFAT for its continued support of the Aus-PNG Network and GE for coming on board as the principal sponsor of the Emerging Leaders Dialogue for a second year. Jonathan Pryke | Research Fellow and Director of the PNG Network, Melanesia Program Lowy Institute Anna Kirk | Research Associate, Melanesia Program Lowy Institute ‘No. 1 Neighbour: How culture binds Australia and Papua New Guinea‘ has been reproduced with permission of the Lowy Institute for International Policy.
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    a Bit na Ta: The Source Of The Sea

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Keep up to date with the Gallery’s seasonal publication delivered each quarter to QAGOMA Members. Music is also essential to Tolai life and ceremony and the a Bit na Ta story is presented via new recordings of singsing tumbuna (ceremonial song), string band, lotu choir style and contemporary soundscapes supported with archival film and new footage of the landscape and ceremony. a Bit na Ta builds upon a 30-year collaboration between celebrated Tolai musician George Telek and Australian musician, composer and producer David Bridie who have drawn on their Tolai wantok (family) and friends including historian and artist Gideon Kakabin to tell the a Bit na Ta story. In Kakabin’s words: A Bit na Ta. The source of the sea. Life begins here. A tinata Marmari aria bit na ta I valu e Ra oaga na pipi The words come from inside the sea he paddles his canoe, a boat of lightening a Bit Na Ta is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Cultural Diplomacy Grants Program of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade. The exhibition continues until 29 January 2017. http://blog.qagoma.qld.gov.au/wp-content/media/BLOG-Bit-na-Ta-CD.jpg LISTEN TO THE MUSIC Bit na Ta available from the QAGOMA Store and online EXPLORE THE EXHIBITION INSTALLATION FURTHER DELVE DEEPER INTO THE ART OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA http://blog.qagoma.qld.gov.au/wp-content/media/BLOG-No-1-Neighbour-book-for-blog.jpg BUY THE PUBLICATION IN-STORE AND ONLINE Our richly illustrated hardcover publication accompanies the exhibition, with contributions from Ruth McDougall, Tolai artist and historian Gideon Kakabin, Manus Island musician John Faunt, and commentators Kiri Chan and Ruth Choulai, as well as numerous artist interviews.
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