please go see new Blog site for current research

Hello everyone ! This is to let you know of my new and current blog. please go and see at www.samiastories.wordpress.com this will take you to my current research and also my research proposal for changes in my work and updates.

You can link here to www.svpelican.com

This is a wonderful process and I thank all who have been traveling with me on this journey. The current site also has ,inks to Hopevale Pelican project which is undertaken in Cape York with Elders , community and the pelican partners. This project is championed by Des and Estelle Bowen with Pelican. Pelican is an environmental working vessel that undertakes projects along the East Coast of Australia. I have been involved with them for Two Years and invited to partner to develop Digital story skills in the community through the camp held in September Holidays. This year with Natalie Davey of Saltwater and Pelican along with 2 other trainers , James Leech of the SLQ and Toni-Jayne Northcott we delivered a 3 week story telling project in a very remote place. We set up a tent and had a generator and worked in 40 degree heat with crocodiles patrolling the beach next to us. Yep and next G still got us broadband ! if you were game to wade out in low tide and hold your phone up high.

Anyway , please go and look , there is a bit of material there useful for thinking about doing DST , and making films and links. I also will be putting up the 18 stories made in that camp along with more pictures and updates , articles etc.

You can also link to the Hopevale pelican project wiki which has postings by the community and links also again to my page and Pelican. All these sites relate to each other and share different aspects of the partnerships and more full information about the community in general as well as Pelicans has a lot on other fantastic projects they have been involved with as well. There will also be powerpoints and links from there in the near future.

Be well and go look.

samia

time to come back 08

I have had a huge break from writing here,nearly a full year.I have decided to start again as people have asked me to and so here I am bad spelling and all ! Yes , I do rush sometimes and forget to edit , just a flaw I have and something I promise to improve on. Thank god for spell check.

I had originally seen this to be a site I would use only during my Fulbright year, however there has been so much happening and despite my best intentions to set up a website I have not yet done so. It seems this will have to do for now and will serve to pass on news and updates of my own life and those I work with and issues here that are ongoing. One major one is the APOLOGY to Indigenous people in Australia and so I will hope to get here and update all on this as well as other things. You can of course google APOLOGY to Indiegnous Australian's and bring up a lot. There was also one made in Canada and this was interesting to see as well. Of course opinion varies greatly about what it all means . However for myself , It was very moving and I cried and cried. I did feel it was genuine , even if there was underliying political reasons for it for the parties involved. I wish to feel the genuine intent and feel the healing offered and go forth with hope. That is my preference.I felt deeply moved and many others I know did. It certainly was not something I truly thought to see in my life. I know for many Elders and others from families effected by removals , myself included here , felt this deeply and the emotions were raw and real.

I do think it is just a beginning , there is MUCH to do and may roads to travel still in this country before we see a real change in health and wellbeing in communties. I hope we can work together and bring about a true closure of the " Gap" and disparities in health and life style between Indigenous and Non Indigenous people here and elsewhere.

There is so much to catch up on , the changes here. My own journey with my PH.D and studies, which I am well into and is going well , finally can almost see an end. I have a new job with the University of Queensland now about 8 mths. The DST work with the wonderful Pelican crew . Trips back to the USA to give key notes. Much much more.

so I will begin ... and today here is some pics. then soon I will update on things. This is a picture of the Hopevale crew last year. to read more go to www.svpelican.com.au This mob is amazing and I am so blessed to become involved and connected with the work they do. I really admire them all . The Hopevale Elders also have inspired me and the work with community there is a true inspiration. I am grateful for this and many blessings in my life and for wonderful friends.

anyway more soon.



enjoy.

RED ink student magazine from University of ARIZONA

http://www.redinkmagazine.com/

Just to announce this excellent publication put out by students of the American Indian studies program at UA. Please go and have a look . They have back issues available as well as online information to get a subscription or support them in the work they do. This is a really high quality work and the efforts of Eddie and others involved has made this a resource of living culture.This current issue focuses on issues of representation , art and Taboo. Have a look ! ENJOY.

I have not yet worked out on this blog how ot hyper link, when I do I will post links so you have less searching.

San Antonio Fulbright Enrichment seminar

Just a few shots of some of the people at the Fulbright Enrichment seminar in San Antonio. WONDERFUL. Very full days working and trying to solve issues facing the local community , such as water and social issues. The group was 150 people from 60 different countries and it was incredible and rich to meet people interested in all kinds of diverse areas and who are committed to creating positive change. I met wonderful folks from everywhere and connected strongly with a large group from our nearest neighbours , yes Indonesia and NEW zealand and also people from IRAQ the philippines, spain and even Siberia. I met Indigenous people from all these countries and also had the chance to connect with others working in film , media and pyschology and share our works and ideas.
I was also invited to present , one of 3 people , the others presented on issues in South Africa ( work in setting up an a project in orphanges there ) and then also great work happening in the philipines creating community iniatives around housing and improving impoverished neighbourhoods. The project was an excellent example of self determined action , coming from the work of the community but funded by various groups and countires.I think we NEED this in Australia. I did also notice Australia was one of the funders for this . Wouldn't it be wonderful to have this happen with our communties at home? I presented on issues at home( more )! , though we only had ten minutes , not long enough and I knew that was going to be a challenge , still I managed to touch on things and had people follow up with me after and lots of conversations. I think if nothing else it really gave people some idea of the current situation at home for HEALTH.

I have been reading the latest reports " closing the GAP" if you want to really know more about health disparities go and have a look. Google it and download the PDF. Also ANTAR has a great speech given by Gary Highlands " these are the killing times" , this is very to the point and timely. I agree so much with him and it links into my work very well.I am writing a lot right now and finally having some time to do this . I know it is SORRY day soon and am thinking of all at home. SORRY day is a national day of apology and recognition of what has happened in Australia. SPECIFICALLY the " stolen Generation". The Govt has as yet not been able to make a formal apology, thus community people and Ngo's and some locacl councils have adopted this day as a day for People personally and collectively come together and say " SORRY"........For more , Google this issues , or " stolen generations" or reconcilation council Australia , AnTAR or other key words SUCH AS " sea of hands" ( for native title). Also for films , "Rabbit proof Fence " " stolen generations", " Tracker". There are numerous very good Aboriginal films. Also you can see a full list from CAAMA FILMS or WARLPIRI FILMS , such as " yella fella " or " green Bush".

another perspective from a Lakota friend

A Native Perspective on Virginia Tech Headlines*

>Thursday, April 19, 2007**
>
>By Kat Teraji=20

Bury my heart at Wounded Knee, Deep in the Earth, Cover me with pretty =

lies - bury my heart at Wounded Knee. Didn't we learn to crawl, and =
>
>still our history gets written in a liar's scrawl. They tell 'ya "Honey, =
>
>you can still be an Indian d-d-down at the 'Y' on Saturday nights." - =
>
>lyrics to "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee," written by Buffy St. Marie
>
>
>
>"The worst shooting rampage in American history." "Massacre and =
>
>Mourning, 33 die in worst shooting in U.S. History," and "Rampage called =
>
>worst mass shooting in U.S. history." "What first appeared to be a =
>
>single shooting death unfolded into the worst gun massacre in the =
>
>nation's history." You've
>seen and heard these headlines and reports all =
>
>week as the media provided non-stop coverage of the tragic shooting of =
>
>33 people at Virginia Tech University on Monday.
>
>
>
>"The worst in U.S. history." Really? It is certainly the worst shooting =
>
>on a college campus in modern U.S. history. But if we think it is the =
>
>worst shooting rampage in U.S. history, then we are a singularly =
>
>uneducated nation.
>
>
>
>"I can't take one more of these headlines," said Joan Redfern, a member =
>
>of the Lakota Sioux tribe who lives in Hollister. We met at First Street =
>
>Coffee to talk while we scanned Internet stories. "Haven't any of these =
>
>people ever heard of the Massacre at Sand Creek in Colorado, where =
>
>Methodist minister Col. Chivington massacred between 200 and 400 =
>
>Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians, most of
>them women, children, and elderly =
>
>men?"
>
>
>
>Chivington specifically ordered the killing of children, and when he was =
>
>asked why, he said, "Kill and scalp all, big and little; nits make =
>
>lice."
>
>
>
>At Wounded Knee Creek in South Dakota, the U.S. 7th Cavalry attacked 350 =
>
>unarmed Lakota Sioux on December 29, 1890. While engaged in a spiritual =
>
>practice known as the "Ghost Dance," approximately 90 warriors and 200 =
>
>women and children were killed. Although the attack was officially =
>
>reported as an "unjustifiable massacre" by Field Commander General =
>
>Nelson A. Miles, 23 soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor for the =
>
>slaughter. The unarmed Lakota men fought back with bare hands. The =
>
>elderly men and women stood and sang their death songs while falling =
>
>under the hail of bullets.
>Soldiers stripped the bodies of the dead =
>
>Lakota, keeping their ceremonial religious clothing as souvenirs.
>
>
>
>To say the Virginia shooting is the worst in all of U.S. history is to =
>
>pour salt on old wounds-it means erasing and forgetting all of our =
>
>ancestors who were killed in the past," Redfern said.
>
>
>
>"The use of hyperbole and lack of historical perspective seems all too =
>
>ubiquitous in much of the current mainstream media," Redfern said. "My =
>
>intention is not to downplay the horror of what has happened this week =
>
>in any way. But we have a 500-year history of mass shootings on American =
>
>soil, and let's not forget it."
>
>
>
>This is only the most recent mass shooting massacre in a long history of =
>
>mass shootings in a country engaged in a long love affair with firearms =
>
>and very
>little interest in gun control.
>
>
>
>Let's not forget our history and the richness of our Native roots. While =
>
>spending time on the 1.5 million acre Hopi Reservation in Arizona, I met =
>
>families living in homes they have occupied for over 900 years. On the =
>
>surface, it looks like a third world country: you will observe many =
>
>homes without running water, travel unpaved roads, and notice that there =
>
>are no building codes. But sitting in a Hopi home being served a =
>
>delicious lunch cooked by a proud Hopi working mother, I experienced so =
>
>much more: the continuity of a long and deep heritage, a sense of the =
>
>sacred, an artistic expertise, and wisdom about many things that remain =
>
>a mystery to my culture.
>
>
>
>Most of all, may we never forget all those innocent civilian men, women, =
>
>and children
>who lost their lives simply for being in the wrong place at =
>
>the wrong time, just as the students happened to be this week in =
>
>Virginia.=20
>
>
>
>
>
>May we always remember the precious humanity of these students, but may =
>
>we also never forget the humanity of those who lost their lives simply =
>
>for being born people Native to this country.=20
>
>
>

Encinitas CA

Just a few pics of wonderful Encinitas southern Ca. I journey here after the visit in Santa Barbara with my good friend Michelle Blumberg ( in pic ),before heading to San Antonio for the Fulbright enrichment senimar. Michelle teaches in the NAROPA university contemplative education program. We had much to share and it was a good time to do some writing and thinking before heading east again( well south east ). It was just gorgeous weather and her parents live on the ocean. ( pic from deck ).
Michelle also works with global villiage learning and I shared about digital stories with her and with another person she works with in the area of social services. I had hoped to meet with Peter levine " waking the Tiger " , to learn more about his work with trauma" somatic experiencing " . Unfortunately I was unable to do so. otherwise it was a good visit. more soon. I have a new computer and soon will add more updates and also some good web links for more indigenous issues and sites I would like to share. My old one was limiting , slow and clunky. technology is great , but you need the equipement. I am always interested in this aspect of the " digital divide".

Virginia Tech

As most will know a terrible incident has happened here in Virginia. Many of you will have seen the news reports and know the basic story. I wanted to send my heart felt thoughts of healing to all involved in this incident , the families , the students and all who feel its effect.

I hope that reflections about how this can happen and what can be done to avert such events prove helpful. I would wish that somehow from this senseless and sad action that the lives of those lost are honored with peaceful solutions in our world .

I am putting a link here to access online first person reflections on the events of yesterday. It seems that online media , face book and blogs have been very busy.Students are utilising this resource to communicate with each other about their feelings and thoughts. The mainstream media has been getting most of their leads from this sourcing.

http://icantread01.livejournal.com/103060.html
http://news.zdnet.com/2100-9588_22-6176579.html

For all those suffering here and elsewhere , in Iraq in Darfur , in all corners of this planet, may peace and healing become our desire. May the leaders of this world and corporations somehow realise there are indeed things more worthy than making money and eating away at the worlds resources. It is up to us to be the ones who make a future that is better. It is up to us to create a world where people don't suffer isolation and fear , where people who are unwell are helped so this kind of thing can be averted if possible.

I have just been at a Fulbright seminar and I saw in the news one of the students killed was a Fulbright Scholar. Senator Fulbright created this program of student exchange in the hope or promoting peace and understanding between people's of all nations. I believe this is possible. I do not have further details on this but am sure that as the days go by more stories of the people who died lives will unfold. Many of them died protecting others , all were people , like you and me .