Yinaar
A creative exploration of Aboriginal women’s business in the New England North West
THE AIM
“To deliver contemporary artistic and creative practice inspired by Aboriginal women’s traditional practices from the New England North West of NSW”
THE PROJECT
Stage 1 – Informed Consultation
This project will require a significant amount of consultation with Aboriginal women in the region, strong protocols specific for such a sensitive project and the support of Elders in the community. Despite the challenges in front of us we believe this is an important project and we are committed to progressing the desires of the community with
the sensitivity required.
Elders, community members and Knowledge Holders from each of the 12 LGAs that make up the Arts North West region will be consulted through a series of consultation sessions, one-on-one meetings and conversation. This consultation will allow for whole of community cultural protocols to be endorsed and will ensure that the work we do continues to be in line with the aspirations of the community while holding the utmost cultural respect.
This project is 100% Aboriginal led and will be delivered by Aboriginal women. A steering committee for the project has been established with Aboriginal women from throughout the region. Their role will be to act as a conduit between the Arts North West, the project team and the community.
If you would like to be on the steering committee or recommend someone to be on the steering committee please register here via the form on this page.
Throughout the whole project Elders and Knowledge Holders will be engaged to provide cultural guidance and ensure that protocols are respected.
Stage 2 – Research & Creative Development
ANW YINAAR cultural protocols are based on two key documents: Terri Janke, Pathways and Protocols: A filmmaker’s guide to working with Indigenous people, culture and concept (2008) and AIATSIS Guidelines for Ethical Research in Australian Indigenous Studies (2012) These provide the principles that will guide the Yinaar project research.
Research will be undertaken both on Country and through visits to other communities who continue to have strong ‘Women’s Business” practices in place as well as desktop research and exploring current resources.
The research will be undertaken by the Aboriginal Project Management team with a strong focus on oral history. The team will document the research in written and multi-media format and will be accompanied by an Elder who will also provide cultural guidance throughout the research process. The multi-media content, and written case studies will be made available through the Arts North West website.
Research will also be undertaken exploring resources such as the Australian Museum, NSW State Library, AIATSIS and the Dhiiyaan Unit Moree as well as other reliable resources we are able to obtain.
Songlines and storytelling will be informed by YINAAR Knowledge Holders who have been identified by the community, and additional Knowledge Holders we engage as the project evolves.
The key elements of the project will focus on:
Gali: Aboriginal women hold the lore of water, and they have a deep spiritual and cultural connection to the land, the sky and the rivers.
Food & Medicine: Type of and use of native plants, fruits and seeds including how they were/are protected, propagated, harvested and prepared.
Kinship & Responsibilities: The structure of Aboriginal families including cultural values and involving kinship responsibilities and the collaboration of clans.
Healing: Women’s traditional healing practices and how they have been adapted into a contemporary society.
Language: Use of language by Aboriginal women in a traditional and contemporary context and the importance of preserving language.
These key elements will also be captured in a series of short documentaries, filmed as part of the research process.
Additionally, community have asked for the project to include Women’s Initiation Practices – Women taking responsibility for themselves and each other, rites of passage into womanhood and the responsibilities that this creates. However, as this is sensitive information, the research will only be viewed by the artists, steering committee and project team and will not be published for the general public.
All completed research will be presented back to the steering committee and Elders for final sign off before publishing.
Stage 3 – Creative Outcomes
YINAAR supports the transmission and development of Aboriginal cultural heritage and knowledge using the arts as the vehicle to drive the sharing, documenting and preserving of culture. The creative component will connect artists through engagement and participation in a culturally based project that will broaden and deepen their understanding of Women’s Business.
Experienced Aboriginal artists will be engaged through an EOI process who are Yinaar from the New England North West. This project has been developed to provide skill development to build capacity for Aboriginal artists in our region and to strengthen cultural identity in our region.
Supported by Elders, project management team, steering committee and an Aboriginal curator, the artists will develop a body of work that responds to the elements of the creative development stage. The artists have a valuable opportunity to connect and rebuild traditional knowledge and to develop their own unique style for use in their contemporary practice. The artists will share their experiences to community through the artworks produced and the stories recorded as well as artist talks at the exhibitions
in the region.
The artists will participate in the following:
3-day residency to discuss the findings from the creative development stage, share art making practices and map their body of works.
3-day art making workshop exploring new and innovative creative practices responding to the findings from the creative development stage.
Mentoring from Elders, project management team and curator.
Curated exhibitions at two regional galleries in the New England North West.
Due to the sensitivity of the project we will include the following:
Specific project steering committee.
100% Aboriginal Women’s project including artist and project team.
Specific protocols around who would have access to the oral history, how it is displayed and used, who would be the caretaker of the information at the completion of the project.
Guiding Principles and ANW Yinaar Cultural Protocols can be downloaded here.
www.artsnw.com.au/cultural-protocols
Some of the frequently asked questions we receive include:
Q. Are Elders, Knowledge Holders and artists paid?
A. Yes, all of the Elders and Knowledge Holders who participate in the project are paid.
Q. How do we select the Elders, Knowledge Holders and artists?
A. Through the consultation stage of the project we ask the community to share suggestions on who they would like to participate. We also use our network to share the project and ask for them to express interest if they would like to be involved.
Q. What Cultural Protocols are in place?
A. To ensure the integrity, inclusiveness and transparency of the project we have a comprehensive cultural protocols document that will guide us, this document is currently on our website for feedback, to view the cultural protocols and provide feedback please “click here”. In summary we will work within a set of guiding principles that will ensure we are accountable not only to the funding body but more importantly the community. Aboriginal community members are at the forefront of this project and it is important that their voice is truly heard and listened to at all levels of the project.
This project has been assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council, its arts funding and advisory body.