Welcome

One of the things we learnt while re-working the ICV News was that we had more content than we could fit into the printed document. It was a heartbreaking discovery but then it struck us, why not present this content anyway via the ICV website?

Think of this as the extras disc in a dvd.

Contents:
- ICV News Print Edition (2.0MB Pdf)
- Wangara Wanti extended
- Tribal Warrior photos

We hope you enjoy our revamped ICV News, any feedback is welcome, we can be contacted here.

Nick Ellis
- Editor

- by Paul Collis

Originally the Wangara Wanti piece came in at over four thousand words. This was never going to fit into the space we had, but the problem was finding which bits to cut. After much wringing of hands we were able bring it down to the eighteen hundred word article that made the printed ICV News, but unfortunately this meant that we didn't get to know quite a few people who were involved in the event.

Here we present to you those people and their words -

Left to right at front: Geoffrey Stokes, Viola Leuzzi, Rita Leuzzi, Genevieve Jones, James Houston and Christina McDonald.

Standing behind: ICV Project Officer Michelle Winmar and Paul Collis.

Further behind: more revellers.

Viola Leuzzi

Viola's role was concerned with the preparation and delivery of the food. Viola worked as the Chef's apprentice and was always seen with a broad smile on her face as she quietly went about her business. I caught up with Viola around one of the numerous barbecues that was being used to prepare the food for us all to enjoy. I asked her what it was that enticed her out here in the Goldfields.
Viola said, "My sister, Rita introduced me to ICV and asked me if I wanted to become involved in the Sugarba Project. I just like helping out, I mean, everyone loves a barbi and fruit salad afterwards, right? I just help out with the cooking. I like to help and see everyone have a good time. It’s good to see the children enjoying healthy foods and learning about nutrition. I developed a love of cooking from my Mum who is a very good cook. I’ll really miss this place and these people when I leave here to go back home, I think."

Christina McDonald

Christina McDonald--- is a Sculpture, clay and porcelain artist. Christina told me that her role in the project was
"To get the kids to work with clay to make models of traditional foods like goanna, kangaroo etc and also of other foods that are good healthy foods such as fruit and vegies. This is to promote a healthy way of eating and a healthy way of life to the children to combat the incidence of diabetes. I was so surprised how diabetes is such a part of the Aboriginal peoples' life."

"We were discussing some of the terms one day with the young kids, words like; Coke, intestines, sugar, injection, when this young fellow casually said, "Oh. Ya mean dialysis?" and he didn’t even lift his head up to see my response.
It was as if the word is just a common part of his world. I’ve got a 14 year old grand daughter that wouldn't know that word (dialysis), or what it means. It saddened me when I heard that boy say that. But, then again, that's a part of this Project. To get the medical terms like dialysis out to the children. It really bought it home to me though about how big a problem diabetes and kidney disease is to the Indigenous people out here. I hope that the children retain the information they’ve learnt about diabetes and healthy living long after we leave here."

"One of the best things for me also, is that I’ve been able to bring my nine year old grand daughter with me to these places. She hopefully will learn and remember so much from this experience. She fits right in with all the other kids. She's having a great time. And so am I."

Genevieve Jones

Whist listening to the music and the crowd I met another ICV volunteer, Genevieve Jones. We talked about the Project and how wonderful the night had been so far.

"I am a professional graphic designer, community artist and I also teach yoga and dance. In Leonora I ran up to 4 yoga and relaxation classes a day, allowing the children in the community to choose when the classes ran. I was pleasantly surprised at their enthusiasm and worked in an organic way following their energy."

"I assisted the children in, refining, presenting and selecting symbols that communicated a health message. The purpose of the symbols was to educate others within the community about diabetes and the images were used on
t-shirts, posters and flags. The kids created some amazing, effective and poignant symbols. In our sessions we focused primarily on stress (a major contributing factor of diabetes). We discussed what is stress? What makes us feel stressed? What can we do to alleviate our stress? We also discussed what makes us happy. How can we could incorporate more happiness in our daily lives? I offered what I could from everything that I am. I love the land and the people I met here very much."

Our plans to take a lot of photos with Tribal Warrior were partly thwarted by the change in weather, however we pushed on and got some interesting shots. Below is a selection of the people and places we saw.

Tribal Warrior is Sydney’s only Aboriginal harbour cruise. Cruise between the harbour’s spectacular sandstone cliffs and headlands, visit small sandy beaches, rocky foreshores and picturesque inlets, and enjoy the relaxed and friendly
company of your Aboriginal hosts and crew.

Bookings are essential, phone (02) 9699 3491 or visit www.tribalwarrior.org

Maddina at the Rocks in Sydney, having just met with the Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority

 

Rose (right) has a chat with Catherine (left), an ICV Project officer, about how the volunteer projects are going

 

The stern of the Deerrubbun, moored at a rainsoaked Sydney Fishmarkets (note the raindrops on our lens)

 

The boss takes a look outside - Shane Phillips standing out the front of the Tribal Warrior offices in Redfern

 

The view from the door of the Tribal Warrior offices a few hours later, looking onto a soaked Redfern station

 

Troy from Tribal Warrior, preparing to head to the Dreaming festival at Woodford to represent the organisation

 

The bridge and helm of the Deerrubbun

 

Some details of carvings on the bridge of the Deerrubbun

 

Shane takes a phonecall at the Tribal Warrior offices in Redfern

 

The Deerrubbun stands out as a point of colour in the grey

All photos - Nick Ellis