Customary Assets and Contemporary Artistry: Multimodal Learning and Remote Economic Participation

Judith Lovell

doi:10.1017/jie.2015.24

Authors

Judith Lovell Northern Institute

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1017/jie.2015.24

Keywords:

multimodal, remote economic participation, teaching and learning

Abstract

The role of artistry in transformative maintenance of law and custom is a theme widely researched and discussed in Aboriginal arts related literature. However, it is the aim of this paper to contribute to a wider discourse about learning and economic participation in remote Australia, and in particular the role of multimodality as a significant asset. The paper draws from relevant literature and two case studies; one from Keringke Arts, and one from Eastern Arrernte teacher and artist, Kathleen Kemarre Wallace. In customary form, multimodality combines and recombines various modalities — including dance, song, sand drawing, body painting and design, storytelling, stories, rhythm, petroglyph and ochre-painted rock art — enabling the intergenerational teaching and learning of rich cultural heritage in ways which connect that experience to the law and custom of the homelands. Multimodality, as it is used in this paper, draws on the concept of ‘form-relationality’; the way various modalities are combined and recombined, as elements which together describe a body of knowledge and yet separately provide myriad detail. Although beyond the scope of this paper, multimodality is also a mediating influence between contemporary and customary elements and contexts. This paper considers the complexity of multimodality as an asset in a contemporary arts market.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

AbbottA., DobsonV., TurnerM., & WallaceK. K. W. (2008). Apmeraltyen Ingkerreke: People of one land all together. In Art at The Heart, Regional Art Biennial Conference. Alice Springs, NT: Keirngke Arts.

AckerT., & WoodheadA. (2015). The economy of place a place in the economy: A value chain study of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander art sector. Cooperative research centre for remote economic participation summary report. Retrieved August 11, 2015, from http://www.crc-rep.com.au/resource/EconomyOfPlace_WEB.pdf.

AlsopR., & HeinsonN. (2005). Measuring empowerment in practice: Structuring analysis and framing indicators. World Bank Policy Research Working Paper 3510. Retrieved August 11, 2015, from http://elibrary.worldbank.org/doi/book/10.1596/1813-9450-3510

AltmanJ. (2010). What future for remote indigenous Australia? Economic hybridity and the neoliberal turn. In J.Altman & M.Hickson (Eds.), Culture Crisis: Anthropology and Politics in Aboriginal Australia (pp. 259–280). Sydney, NSW: UNSW Press.

AltmanJ., & KerinsS. (2012). People on Country, Vital Landscapes, Indigenous Futures, Annandale, NSW: Federation Press.

Akeyulerre Inc. (2014). Ingkenteme. Following in the footsteps. Alice Springs: Author.

Australian Bureau of Statistics (2014, December 18). 3101.0 Australian Demographic Statistics. Retrieved August 8, 2015, from http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/mf/3101.0.

Australian Government. (2014, April 9). Indigneous Advancement Strategy. Indigenous Affairs. Retrieved August 11, 2015, from http://www.indigenous.gov.au/indigenous-advancement-strategy

Australian Government. (2015, May 26). Our North, Our Future: White Paper on Developing Northern Australia. Retrieved August 11, 2015, from https://northernaustralia.dpmc.gov.au/.

BainbridgeR., WhitesideM., & McCalmanJ. (2013). Being, knowing, and doing: A phronetic approach to constructing grounded theory with aboriginal Australian partners. Qualitative Health Research, 23(2), 275–288.

BarwickL., MarettA., BlytheJ., & WalshM. (2007). Arriving, digging, performing, returning: An exercise in rich interpretation of a djanba song text in the sound archive of the Wadeye Knowledge Centre, Northern Territory of Australia. Oceanic Encounters: Festschrift for Mervyn McLean, University of Auckland (Research in Anthropology and Linguistics Monographs 7), pp. 13–24.

BarwickL., MarettA., WalshM., ReidN., & FordL. (2005). Communities of interest: issues in establishing a digital resource on Murrinh-patha song at Wadeye (Port Keats), NT. Literary and Linguistic Computing, 20, 383–397.

BiddleJ. (2007). Breasts, Bodies, Canvas: Central Desert Art as Experience, Sydney, NSW: UNSW Press.

BoyleA., LovellJ., EllisM., & TremblayP. (2009). Apmeraltye ingkerreke: People of one land, all together. Community report of the art at the heart Regional Arts Australia Conference 2008. Alice Springs: Desert Knowledge Cooperative Rearsearch Centre.

CarsonD., CarsonD., & LundmarkL. (2014). Tourism and mobilities in sparsely populated areas: Towards a framework and research agenda. Scandinavian Journal of Hospitality and Tourism, 14(4), 353–366.

CarsonD., EnsignP., RasmussenR., & TaylorA. (2015). Perspectives on demography at the edge. In D. C.Carson, P.Ensign, R.Rasmussen, & A.Taylor (Eds.), Demography at the Edge, Remote Human Populations in Developed Nations. Darwin, NT: Ashgate.

Central Lands Council (2014). Central Lands Council Annual Report 2013–14. CLC Annual reports. Alice Springs, NT: Central Lands Council.

ClarkeK., & DentonM. (2013). Red dirt thinking on child Wellbeing in indigenous, rural and remote Australian communities: The SpICE model “I just don't want my kid to struggle like I did at school”. The Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 42(02), 136–144.

ColquhounS., & DockeryA. (2012). The link between Indigenous culture and wellbeing: Qualitative evidence for Australian aboriginal peoples CLMR Discussion Paper Series. Perth: Centre for Labour Market Research and School of Economics and Finance, Curtin University.

DisbrayS. (2014). Evaluating the bilingual education program in Warlpiri schools. In R.Pensalfini, M.Turpin, & D.Guillemin (Eds.), Language Description Informed by Theory. (Vol. 147, pp. 25). Netherlands: John Benjamin's Publishing Company.

DobsonV. (2007). Arelhe-kenhe Merrethene: Arrernte traditional healing. Alice Springs, NT: IAD Press.

DobsonV., & HendersonJ. (2013). Anpernirrentye Kin and Skin - Talking about Family in Arrernte. Alice Springs, NT: IAD Press.

DobsonV., WalshF., & DouglasJ. (2009, August 23). Anpernirrentye (Relationships between people, plants, laws and all things): Arrernte values in landscapes and iconic bush food species. Society for Ecological Restoration International (SERI) World Conference on Ecological Restoration. Perth.

DockeryA. (2011). Traditional Culture and the Wellbeing of Indigenous Australians: An analysis of the 2008 NATSISS. WA: Centre for Labour Market Research, Curtin University.

DockeryA. (2014). Reconceptualising mobility for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation Working Paper Downloaded from http://www.crc-rep.com.au/resource/CW015_ReconceptualisingMobility.pdf

FisherS. (2011). A development approach to remote services in Australia. Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre Working Paper, No. 78. Retrieved August 11, 2015, from http://www.nintione.com.au/resource/NintiOneWorkingPaper_78_DevelopmentApproachToRemoteServicesInAustralia.pdf

FisherS., & Rola-RubzenM. (2011). More than a drop in the ocean: How can good examples of remote services be replicated? Desert Knowledge Cooperative Research Centre Working Paper. Retrieved August 11, 2015, from http://www.nintione.com.au/resource/NintiOneWorkingPaper_79_MoreThanADropInTheOcean.pdf

ForrestA. (2014). The Forrest review: Creating parity (D. o. P. M. a. Cabinet, Trans.) (Vol. abridged version, pp. 244). Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia.

GreenJ. (2009). Between the Earth and the Air: Multimodality in Arandic Sand Stories. (Doctor of Philosophy), Melbourne, Victoria: University of Melbourne.

GrievesV. (2009). Aboriginal spirituality: Aboriginal philosophy, the basis of Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing. In J.Yule, & C.Edmonds (Eds.), Discussion Paper 9, Cooperative Research Cetnre for Aboriginal Health. Darwin: Cooperative Research Cetnre for Aboriginal Health.

GuentherJ., BatM., & OsborneS. (2014). Red dirt thinking on remote educational advantage. Australian and International Journal of Rural Education, 24(1), 51–67.

GuentherJ., McRae-WilliamsE., & TownsendP. (2012). Can m- and e-learning support pathways for meaningful vocation in remote communities? Paper presented at the AVETRA 15th Annual Conference, Rydges Capital Hill, ACT. Retrieved August 11, 2015, from http://avetra.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/Paper-59-CAN_ME_LEARNING_SUPPORT_PATHWAYS_GUENTHER_MCRAE_WILLIAMS_TOWNSEND_B1.doc

HendersonJ., & DobsonV. (1994). Eastern and Central Arrernte to English Dictionary. Alice Springs, NT: IAD Press.

JacobsenD. (2012). Building knowledge for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander remote tourism - key visitor markets and opportunities in remote Australia. Cooperative Research Centre for Remote Economic Participation Working Paper. Retrieved, August 11 2015, from http://www.crc-rep.com.au/resource/CW012_TourismProject_KeyMarketOpportunities.pdf.

JacobsenD. & TiyceM. (2014). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander tourism enterprise approaches to creating value for visitors in remote Australia. Cooperative research centre for remote economic participation research report. Retrieved August 11, 2015, from http://www.crc-rep.com.au/resource/CR003_AboriginalTorresStraitIslanderTourismEnterprisesCreatingValue.pdf.

JamesB. (2011). Yan-nhangu Dictionary. Voice of the Land (Federation for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Languages Corporation), 16–17 (footnotes page 26).

KochG. (2013). We have the song, so we have the land: song and ceremony as proof of ownershipin Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander land claims. In A.D.Paper, (Ed.), Canberra, ACT: AIATSIS Research Publications.

KrugerA., & WaterfordG. (2007). Alone on the soaks: The life and times of Alec Kruger. Alice Springs, NT: IAD Press.

LovellJ. (2014). When the studio left the room: What does Wallace's painting and storytelling of the Eastern Arrernte homelands reveal? (Doctor of Philosophy), University of Canberra. Retrieved August 11, 2015, from http://www.canberra.edu.au/researchrepository/items/2652f5b5-de37-43ff-8d1c-b38700266bb6/1/

LovellJ., ArmstrongA., InkamalaM., LechleitnerA., & FisherS. (2012). Final report: Strengthening community research in remote service delivery at Ntaria. In: Fahcsia (Ed.), Strengthening Community Research in Remote Service Delivery. Retrieved 11, August 2015, from http://www.nintione.com.au/resource/Ntaria_FaHCSIA_ProjectReportFinal.pdf.

LovellJ., BlakeS., AliceT., & WallaceK. (2014). Red dirt service economies: A picture of trade-offs and choices. Journal of Australian Indigenous Issues, 17, 19.

LovellJ., GuentherJ., & ZoellnerD. (2015). Northern Australian Aspirations. Northern Institute Research Brief Series, 2015(7), 13. Retrieved September 3, 2015, from http://www.cdu.edu.au/northern-institute/ni-research-briefs

MarettA. (2005). Songs. Dreamings and Ghosts: The enactment of ancestral precedent in the Wangga of North Australia. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan University Press.

McRae-WilliamsE., & GuentherJ. (2014). Learning pathways for economic enterprise in remote Aboriginal communities: are Certificate IIIs the ticket? AVETRA 17th Annual Conference: Informing Changes in VET Policy and Practice: The Central Role of Research. Australian Vocational Education and Training Research Association: Surfers Paradise. Retrieved September 3, 2015, from http://avetra.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Abstract-151.pdf

MemmottP. (2010). Demand-responsive services and culturally sustainable enterprise in remote Aboriginal settings: A case study of the Myuma group. Desert knowledge cooperative research centre research report. Retrieved August 11, 2015, from http://www.nintione.com.au/resource/NintiOneResearchReport_63_CaseStudyMyumaGroup.pdf

MinutjukurM., & OsborneS. (2014). Witulya mulapa nganaṉa mantjintjaku: From cultural devastation to cultural re-invention. AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples, 10, 15–22.

NakataM. (2007). The cultural interface.Australian Journal of Indigenous Education, 36(Suppl), 7–14.

ObristB., PfeifferC., & HenleyR. (2010). Multi-layered social resilience: A new approach in mitigation research. Progress in Development Studies, 10, 283–293.

OsborneS. (2014). Putuna kulini: The trouble with “hearing”. AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples, 10, 3–14.

Rola-RubzenM., GibbsJ., GabundaF., BurrittR., AltangerelD., FungL, ... CarterA. (2011). Growing businesses in the desert: Case studies of Australian desert micro, small and medium enterprises. Desert knowledge cooperative research centre research report. Retrieved August 11, 2015, from http://www.nintione.com.au/resource/NintiOneResearchReport_74_GrowingBusinessesintheDesertCaseStudies.pdf.

RubuntjaW., & GreenJ. (2002). The Town Grew up Dancing: The Life and Art of Wenten Rubuntja. Alice Springs, NT: IAD Press.

RussellS. (2011). The hybrid economy topic guide. Centre for Aboriginal Economic Policy Research. Canberra, ACT: The Australian National University.

SainiM. (2012). A systematic review of western and Aboriginal research designs. Assessing cross-validation to explore compatibility and convergence. Prince Georges BC, Canada: National Collaborating Centre for Aboriginal Health.

Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision. (2014a). 2014 Indigenous expenditure report. Canberra, ACT: Australain Government.

Steering Committee for the Review of Government Service Provision. (2014b). Overcoming Indigenous disadvantage: Key indicators 2014. In P.Commission (Ed.), Overcoming Indigenous Disadvantage (pp. 3525). Canberra, ACT: Australian Government.

TanE. (2014). Human capital theory: A holistic criticism. Review of Educational Research, 84(3), 411–445.

TaylorA., CarsonD., CarsonD., & BrokenshaH. (2015). ‘Walkabout’tourism: The indigenous tourism market for outback Australia. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 24, 9–17.

TaylorA., PayerH., & BrokenshaH. (2015). The demography of developing Northern Australia. Northern Institute Research Brief Series, 2015(6), 24. Retrieved August 11, 2015, from http://www.cdu.edu.au/sites/default/files/research-brief-2015-06.pdf

TjitayiK., & OsborneS. (2014). Kurunta kanyintja: Holding knowledge in our spirit. AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples, 10, 23–32.

TurnerM. (1984). Akarre rabbit talk. Language in Central Australia, 1984(1), 10–13.

TurnerM., & MacDonaldB. (2010). What is means to be an Aboriginal person; Iwenhe Tyerrtye, Alice Springs, NT: IAD Press.

TurpinM., & GreenJ. (2011) Trading in terms: Linguistic affiliation in Arandic songs and alternate registers. In I.Mushin, B.Baker, R.Gardner, & M.Harvey, (Eds.), (Pacific linguistics, Indigenous language and social identity: papers in honour of Michael Walsh (pp. 297–318). Canberra, ACT, Australia: Pacific Linguistics.

TurpinM., RossA., DobsonV., & TurnerM. (2013). The spotted nightjar calls when Dingo pups are born: Ecological and social indicators in Central Australia. Journal of Ethnobiology, 33, 7–32.

WallaceK., & LovellJ. (2009). Listen deeply: Let these stories in. Alice Springs, NT: IAD Press.

WatsonC. (2003). Piercing the ground: Balgo women's image making and relationship to country. Fremantle, WA: Fremantle Press.

WolfC. (1979). A theory of nonmarket failure: Framework for implementation analysis. Journal of Law and Economics, 1979(1), 107–139.

WolfC. (1998). Markets or governments: Choosing between imperfect alternatives. Cambridge, Massachusetts, London, England: MIT Press.

WoodheadA., & AckerT. (2014). Art economies value chain report: Artists and art centre production. Cooperative research centre for remote economic participation research report. Retrieved August 11, 2015, from http://www.crc-rep.com.au/resource/CR007_ArtCentreProduction.pdf