SUBJECT/TOPIC

 

Australian Aboriginals  

 

 

 

 

RESEARCH QUESTION

How do Australian Aboriginals create their paintings? 

 

 

 

 RESPONSE TO RESEARCH QUESTION

History :    Aborigines first arrived in Australia about 40 000 years ago. In around 1788 when the first Europeans settles in Australia, there were around as many as a millian Aborigines in Australia and over 200 spoken languages.

 

Religion:    The Aboriginal Australians consider themselves Christians, although the ancient Australian religions are no longer practiced.

 

Language:    Warlpiri and Tiwi are some of the most popular Australian Aboriginal languages which have about 3000 speakers. Kriol is also an Australian Aboriginal creole language that developed out of the contact between European settlers and the indigeonous people in the northern regions of Australia, presently spoken by about 30,000 people. Despite the language's similarities to English in vocabulary, it has a distinct syntactic structure and grammar, and is, therefore, a language in its own right.

 

 

Types of Aboriginal Art:

• Arnhem Land= reflects the settlement of Arnhem Land and comes from the towns and established craft centres like: Oenpelli,Mamingrida, Ramingining and Xirrkala.

ex. Two Yawk Yawk Spirits Peter Marralwanga

 

• Groote Exlandt = bark paintings

 - small, with animals & plantes and birds painted in red ochres on the natural surface.

ex. The Crucification of Jesus 1964, Naidijiwarra Amagula.

 

Turkey Creek = gives expression to the life-face pulsing through.

 

- Stenciling objects is a common form of Aboriginal artwork found throughout Australia.

- Stencils are created by mixxing ochre in the mouth with a water and spit, then spraying it over the hand or any object that was to be stencilled.

- That includes human and animal feet, boomerangs, axes, woomeras, kangaroo, tails and shields.

- Other formes of art work : ochre paintings, charcoal drawings and etchings.

- Most commonly used material: red and yellow ochre, white pipe clay, gypsum and charcoal.

 

 Aboriginal Music:

 Didgeridoo = ceremonial Aboriginal musical instrument from Arnhemland has a deep trobbing note.

 

Flora and Fauna:

- Australia has monotremes ( egg-laying mammals)

Fauna:

- platapus, echidna, koala, bilby, walaby, passum, kangaroo, sharks,wombat

Birds: more than 150 species.

Reptiles and Amphibians: snakes, giant lizards saltwater crocodiles

 

 

 

DESCRIPTION OF PROJECT

We will make a documentary/movie concerning the Australian Aboriginals and a news reporter interviewing the artist and her child. In the documentary, the Austarlian Aboriginal woman (Naomi) and her child( Natalia), will teach the reporter, (Sarah) how to create the art herself.

 

 

 

 

 

RESOURCES USED

 

Crumlin, Rosemary & Knight, Anthony. Aboriginal Art. Dove: North Blackburn, 1995.

 

 

Voigt, Anna & Drury,Nevil. Wisdom from the Earth: The Living Legacy of the Aboriginal Dreamtime. East Roseville: Simon and Schuster Australia, 1997.

 

 

"Australian Aboriginal Religion"< http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/westoc/abor.html>May 15th, 2007

 

"Food" www.Marimari.com May 15 ,2007< http://www.marimari.com/content/australia/food/main.html>

 

 

 SCRIPT

 

 

(news comes on, sarah comes out and talks to the camera):

N: Hi, I'm Judith Patrushee, Our special today on NIAS (news in a snap), is the Australian Outback. Back to you, Dana.

S: Thank you Judith. Hi i'm Dana Pancakes. As Judith mentionned, you are watching NIAS(news in a snap), and in a moment I will be in the Great Australian Outback.  Join me in my adventure of exploring the Australian Outback and all its famous flora, fauna, art and their lifestyle.

Today I'll be going to one of the greatist places to  view and purchase art. The Australian Outback itself. Let's go shall we?

Find out which famous artists we'll be meeting... After the break.

 

 

 

Commercial #1 (Tourist Guide)

 

N: Hi, I'm Nora Creadle. Would you like to experience all of Australia's natural wildlife? For only 50$!!

 

Wildlife you can see:

The Wombat

The Koala

The Echidna

The Kangaroo

and so much more....

For your never-forget experience go to a local tourist booth near you or call 1-866-I<3WILDLIFE. That's 1-866-I<3WILDLIFE. Again,that's 1-866-I<3WILDLIFE.Thank you for your attention.

 

 

 

(In The Outback)

S: Welcome back!  I am here with Sidney Nolan, and her daughter Unagi. 

 

S: Hi Sidney,  I'm Dana Pancak-

N: Meh!!!?

S: Again, I'm Dana Pancak-

N: akisjafkksuhgufba

S: (Makes up a language)

S:Makikcegeh y

N:moko cika jojo

Nat:taps her mom on the shoulder, kookkoo youngee ENGLISH!!!!

N: Ohhhhhhhhhhh

S:???????

N: You speak english?

S: (looking confused) Huh-? ohh.. oh yes!! I speak english! What language do you speak?

N: What do you want?

S:I want to know what language you speak!

N:oh. I speak Kriol. Kriol is an Australian creole language that developed out of the contact between European settlers and the indigeonous people in the northern regions of Australia, presently spoken by about 30,000 people.

S: May i see your paintings?

Nat: Ohhhh.....Paintings!!!

N: (looking at Unagi) Painting? ohh!!

Nat: yup yup yup yup yup!

S: (looking at Unagi) YOU speak English?

Nat: Yes. I Learned It At School.

S: Oh. Would YOU and your mother like to be interviewed? 

Nat: ok. I'd like that!

S: Great.  So, shall we start the interview?

N:yes.

Nat:YES INDEED!!

S: Now, what I would like to know and learn,is how do you create your paintings?

N: Ohh..there are ochre paintings charcoal drawings and etchings.

S:  Ohh.. well...  What materials do you use to do make them?

 

 

Nat: it depends on what kind of aboriginal paintings you'd like to do.  The materials vary a lot.  For example, for rock paintings, the main material is rock.

 

S: ohh.. soo they vary...  What other kinds of art does your mother create?

N: I create bark paintings,rock paitings,rock arrangements,i weave baskets, i carve sculptures, and the most modern type of art today is the papunya paiting(a dot painting)

S:Well that's all very interesting, but the type of art i REALLY want to learn how to make today is..... (drumroll please!!!)  THE DOT PAITING!

Nat+N: OK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

N: Well, papunya paintings were first created when an art teacher Geoffrey Bardon encouraged our people to put our dreams onto a canvas. My dreams were previously drawn on desert sand.

Nat: But now they are drawn on a more permanent form.

 N: Yes, exactly. These paintings are made for cultural sacred ceremonies. Not for the market,because the dots are infact a form of camouflage.

 Nat: Papunya paintings are now the most recognisable form of australian aboriginal art. Many people buy it from tourist shops.

N: Most of our friends and family were unhappy with the way our art was being sold to private dealers.

S: Oh, well, would you please teach me how to create a pupun- a punyana- a pa-pun-ya painting?

N: Sure!

N: The newer artists use more modern materials like me use acrilic paint, but others prefer gouache. Gouache is made from some natural products like earth, ochres,crushed bones,blood..

S: Uhh... delightful..

Nat:Yes,  and spit!!!

S: Even more pleasant...

N: ANd now.. would you like to learn how to create the paintings?

S: Yes!! Wait- does it involve blood and bones?

Nat  & N: Of course!!

S: ... Great..!!

N: Let's get  started!

S: And i'll learn how right.. after the break!

 

Commercial # 2:   Hotel

Hi! I'm Cindy Waffleladder.

 S: Luxurious, elegant, stylish and comfy orthepedic beds.

(show messed up room)

S: Wait you don't want to stay here...

S: You want to stay... here! At the Kirkiten Hotel!

(show fancy room)

S:From ocean views, to romantic dinners.

S: So stay at the kirkiten hotel Australia for only 100$ a night.

 

S:Were back, lets get started on how to make a papunya painting. Now where do we start? 

N: Well, the really traditional australian painters use very sharp bark as a paint brush, but i am a more modern one.

Nat: We use normal ones!!!

N: Yes, but here are some antique brushes from my great-grandmother!

S: Oh wow!

N: For paint, i use acrylic paint, but traditional artists use crushed bones,spit,herbs, and leaves.

S: Very interesting.

Nat: Now, we will show you how to make one.

S: thank you very much.....

N: To start, you think of the dream that you had.

S: .. Alright..

Nat: Then, you think of the shapes and forms that were in or relation to that dream.

S: Uhuh....

N: Then, you copy it down on the canvas!!

Nat: YAY!!!

S: ...anything else??

N: If you want a specific thing, such as an animal or a place, you re-create it with dots!!

Nat: soooooo simple.

S: .Uhuh!! well, thank you very much for the lesson.

 

Commercial #3 Barbeque

 

N:I'm so glad we're on our honeymoon in Australia!!!

Nat: Yes, what i would really like more than anything in the world is to have some REAL authentic Australian food!!

Sarah jumps out from behind a bush : Look no further love birds!!! i have just what you need here at Bob's Tucker Diner!!! From barbeque's to picnics,to luunches,brunches, and so much more!!!

S: Try all of our delicious dishes such as chicken,lamb,seafood,vegemite sandwiches,sausages, and our special today: seared kangaroo fillet served with beetroot greens and roasted onions.

N: Sounds delish!!!

Nat: Ous!!

S: So come to eat at Bob's Tucker Diner!! yum yum yum~!

 

S: Thanks for watching NIAS's special on papunya paintings!! see you tommorow for a special on migrating birds!!

N&Nat: BYE!!!!!!!!