Films and Music UP DATES from home

Some interesting sites to check out. The first one is a program form Australia. It is our main national radio station for Indigenous mob. It is great and if you follow the link you can listen to some past shows through real player or windows. The one on "Bobby turns 60" is great. Bobby Mcleod is aexceptional muscian , poet , dancer and Elder , Uncle and well known by many. Have a listen to his moving story.( pic is of Bobby Mcleod with friend at " the dreaming 06).

http://www.abc.net.au/rn/awaye/

The next is links for " Big screen ", touring films , one of my films a small short my first ), made with The MERCY , Saunders family( Val , James , Amber and Shara ) and some other wonderful people who helped in various ways ( too many to name here , but they know who they are , THANKS) .

This film was made with GAIA films( the wonderful Jenny Kendall and Paul Tait ), for the "Homegrown film festival", and also has screened now at a bunch of festivals in OZ and OS. I am so happy it has been seen and appreciated. It is a tribute to Eric Mercy, one of our first Aboriginal/ islander managers and coaches of the "Originals" surf team.
Eric was also the coach and manager for early " Oceania" Surfing teams, who attend in the pacific to the sharings we have had there. I have been fortunate to be involved with this wonderful pacific and Australian Family of Indigenous people coming together , sharing waves and culture and this film pays tribute to this gift and to this family in particular.

The Film was also selected in the finals selction of 6 and came 2nd, at the " Woodford film festival ", part of the " Woodfrod folk festival , held in QLD each year. This is also the site of the " Dreaming festival". Both are excellent and world class venues for music , film , dance and cultural sharing and learning. google and have a look .

There is another film , made with Glenn Woods and myself, called" Pasifik Journey's" that is a longer doco and focuses more on the actual " Oceania " event and covers interviews and footage of most of the teams that come. There are aprox 11 teams all up from throughout the pacific that send a team each year. Last years event was in Samoa, Manager and Coach , Scott Winch, ( who came a close 2nd in the finals to Tahiti), with Amber Mercy ( Eric's daughter), in the team. This year Amber takes over as Coach and Manager , following proudly in her fathers surfing legacy. YAY. I hope to rejoin the team in 2008 and travel with them once more ( though I am now a bit old for the team ). This is a development project and has been very positive and healing and I feel things like this are one of the many ways we can combat the bad news and make WAVES in improving our wellness in all ways.

We are also very happy to hear young Dale Richards , a Koori young man , has been selected to compete on the international circuit , the ASP. He is the the first Aboriginal man to be make this level and we wish him well. Congratualtions DALE !

Look out , Indigenous surfing is on the rise and more will come. For further info about the films , contact me , or go to the site and look and see if you can find a screening to attend.

more soon.....

http://bigscreen.afc.gov.au/Towns/Yamba/index.aspx
http://bigscreen.afc.gov.au/Towns/Yamba/program.aspx