Eastern Wheatbelt program, Kellerberrin
Launched in 2006, our Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development office is located in the Eastern Wheatbelt town of Kellerberrin (200km east of Perth).
The Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development program works directly with communities of the Eastern Wheatbelt in facilitating arts and cultural activities. We have three dedicated Indigenous staff that coordinate our Kellerberrin office.
Keela dreaming cultural festival 2011
Image credit | Giant illuminated Keela- Ant and beautiful star lanterns made by the Kellerberrin community | photos by Toni Wilkinson
The quiet township of Kellerberrin came alive on Saturday, 12 March with the Respect Yourself Respect Your Culture Keela Dreaming Cultural Festival. Traditional Noongar dance groups, a giant illuminated ant sculpture, an aerial acrobat suspended from a crane, dozens of young ‘Keela’ ant performers and Country and Western star Troy Cassar-Daley were amongst the many talents showcased at the event. More than two thousand people attended the biennial Noongar arts and cultural festival, produced by the Kellerberrin Aboriginal Progress Association, the Shire of Kellerberrin and CAN WA.
The premiere of CAN WA’s community ExtravagANTza, and the Voices of the Wheatbelt: Wheat Beats showcase spoke of the many untold local Noongar stories, and experiences of growing up in the Wheatbelt region. With a rich sense of community spirit and celebration the day brought an inspiring sense of building hope, dreams and self-esteem for the audience and the community.
Image credit | Optamus and students performing the Wheat Beats hip-hop songs and the firework display | photos by Toni Wilkinson
Hosted by Scott Griffiths and his hip-hop outfit Optamus, CAN WA’s Wheat Beats showcase included performances of the four hip-hop songs created through the Voices of the Wheatbelt program. Participants from Kellerberrin, Quairading, Brookton and Narrogin had their original music video clips screened, while performing their songs live on stage.
In the lead up to the festival Nelle Hokianga ran a fusion hip hop and traditional dance classes with school students from Kellerberrin and Quairading, while artist Bec Massey worked feverishly with students to create glowing ant costumes and beautiful star lanterns.
Puppet maker Karen Hethey worked with Dale Hayden and other members of the Kellerberrin community to construct a giant eight metre Keela-Ant in the main street of Kellerberrin.
Merredin Senior High School students Marlenna McIntosh and Jemma Hatch worked with film producer Kelrick Martin and teacher Ken Lewis to create short films capturing the local landscape.
Artistic director Francis Italiano tied all the elements together and worked with Scott Griffiths (AKA Optamus) to design the soundscape which wove together the stories of local Elders captured in the Noongar Voices radio documentary series.
Check out an ABC radio interview with Henry McKintosh, Chair of the Kellerberrin Aboriginal Progress Association, about the success of the Keela Dreaming Festival, and what's next on the agenda for the community.
Kellerberrin NAIDOC Masquerade Ball 2010
On 20 November, masks will be donned for the 2010 Kellerberrin NAIDOC Ball. The Keller office has been busy running mask decoration workshops in preparation for the big event. Tickets for the Ball are available from the Keller office.
Image credit | Making the masks for the Keller Ball | photos by Carrie Yarran
cultural exchange, Kellerberrin
Professor Ellen Kraly and 14 students from Colgate University in New York State visited Kellerberrin in May 2009 for a cultural exchange as part of their tour of Australian Indigenous culture. Colgate University has a particular interest in Indigenous art, with the student studying a unit in Noongar art, culture and government policy.
Image credit | Cultural Exchange in Kellerberrin | Pilar Kasat
Local Elder, Reynald McIntosh took the students to special sites of cultural significance, showing them paintings that are hundreds of years old in caves of a granite outcrop. They then visited the Djurin mission site where they were taught to cook damper over the coals and heard stories of the people who grew up on the mission. The day finished off with a kangaroo banquet at the historic 'Prev' along with singing, guitar playing and stories.
Keela Dreaming Festival 2009
The sixth biennial Keela Dreaming Festival (keela meaning ants in Noongar language) was a fabulous showcase of Aboriginal culture, music and traditional dance in Kellerberrin. Personality Mary G (Mark Bin Bakar) featured as an entertaining MC, introducing each of the bands and the talent show. The day was a great success, with full community support resulting in a giving and sharing of all cultures.
CAN WA Dreaming at the Kellerberrin Show
Ninety students from Kellerberrin District High School participated in nine weeks of workshops to create ‘CAN WA Dreaming’, a dance and theatrical performance for the annual Kellerberrin Agricultural Show on Saturday, 19 September 2009.
Image credit | Performing 'CAN WA Dreaming' at the Keller Show | Toni Wilkinson
Karla Hart and Fleur Hockey, graduates of the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts, worked with the students to create a performance based on traditional Aboriginal themes and contemporary dance.
With two days of workshops per week, the students worked on their choreography, song writing and the creation of lanterns and masks for the performance.
contact
Get in touch with the Keller crew by clicking here.