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Richard Palk, Australian High Commissioner talks to Erika Brincat about the Maltese Australian Cultural Week’s programme, including a photographic exhibition called Kickin’ Up Dust and a film festival being held at St James Cavalier, launched today the 22 January 2006.
The Exhibition’s introduction states that: “Today indigenous Australia is a thriving culture, using traditional and contemporary materials to reiterate their connection to country and community.” Does this mean that indigenous communities in Australia are financially stable and no longer marginalised by other communities?
 “Australia’s indigenous communities are financially stable and not marginalised; as a matter of fact an indication that these communities are well accepted is the fact that an increasing number of Australians are now identifying themselves as being of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent. This year our total indigenous population will exceed 500,000. In the few areas where inequalities still exist the government oversees programmes and policies to assist the indigenous communities including programmes to improve health, housing, education and employment opportunities.”
Are the indigenous peoples’ arts, crafts, culture, ceremonies and territories, protected by law in any way?
“Yes, legislation protects the cultural rights of indigenous artists and a paper entitled ‘Our Culture: Our Future: Report on Australian Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property Rights’ covers many issues surrounding this topic. In a similar vein indigenous territory is also protected.”
Do most aborigine people own their own land, thus allowing their culture and creativity to truly thrive?
“The Australian government is committed to ensuring that opportunities exist for indigenous people to access and own land with which that have an ongoing traditional association or which can assist with their continued social, cultural and economic development. Approximately 16 percent of Australia is either owned or controlled by indigenous people, predominantly inland areas.”
The Exhibition’s Foreword also states that “Oral histories and spiritual traditions are handed down through generations, in stories, songs, dances, and ceremonies both public and secret. Public performances are more light-hearted events with the participation of the audience reinforcing a sense of community.”
Since people from other cultures, including tourists, are allowed to attend and even participate in these festivals, are the funds they contribute pooled directly back into the resources of the indigenous groups
performing?
“Normally the monies earned by indigenous groups from either their artwork or their festivals are returned to, or remain within the communities, which earned the income.”
What is the Australian High Commission’s mission behind the setting up of such an exhibition?
“The Kickin’ up Dust exhibition continues the Australian government’s approach of promoting a positive contemporary image of Australia’s indigenous peoples and cultures overseas. There is strong interest internationally in Australia’s aboriginal people but less is known about the Torres Strait Islander peoples. This exhibition aims to raise the profile of both groups.”
Is there an inherent message – perhaps the promotion of multiculturalism and the acceptance of diverse cultural communities?
“Like the many nationalities represented in Australia, indigenous cultures today are diverse and a vital part of Australia’s national identity. Indigenous people contribute significantly across many fields, including the arts, media, academia, sport and business. Displays like this highlight the diversity of cultures in Australia.”
“Riots reveal the myth of Australia’s ethnic harmony”: Taipei Times, December 15 2005. What can you tell us about the recent riots which occurred in Australia where a mob of drunken white youths attacked local Arabs and drove them out of a resort?
“The incidents referred to here, while disturbing and unacceptable do not ‘reveal the myth of ethnic harmony in Australia’. Almost one in four of Australia’s population of over 20 million was born overseas, and 43 percent have one or both parents born overseas – and the vast majority of these people live together harmoniously. These incidents were caused by young people under the influence of alcohol, acting in a thoughtless and lawless way. Their behaviour was totally unacceptable and after one day of trouble the situation was brought under control and has not been repeated. As a matter of fact those involved in the incidents have recognised that their behaviour was not acceptable and have apologised for their bad behaviour.”
Is Australia still struggling to keep a sense of balance amidst a growing multicultural lifestyle, and daily networking between diverse ethnic cultures and tribes?
“Australia is not struggling to keep a sense of balance in a growing multicultural lifestyle. There are few countries in the world in which migrants have achieved the economic, political, social and cultural participation that they have in Australia. Cultural and linguistic diversity was a feature of Australian life before European settlement. It remains a feature of modern Australian society and continues to give Australia distinct social cultural and business advantages.”
Could you tell us in brief what the upcoming cultural programme is like and what the local public can expect from Australia Week?
“The ‘Maltese Australian Cultural Week 2006’ will be held principally at St James Cavalier Centre for Creativity in Valletta, between Sunday the 22 January and Saturday the 28 January 2006. As mentioned earlier the Australian High Commission has brought to Malta the photographic exhibition of Australian contemporary indigenous cultural festivals called “Kickin’ up Dust” and this will feature in the main hall of St James Centre for Creativity during the cultural week and until 11 February.
The Australian High Commission will also be providing exhibitions on Melbourne’s Commonwealth Games 2006 and a display on Australia’s response to the Tsunami disaster in 2005. There will be a display on the television program ‘Waltzing Matilda’ by Josephine and Harry Zammit Cordina together with a photo exhibition by the Emigrants Commissions at St James Cavalier.
Seven Australian films will screen at St James Cavalier during the Cultural Week. There will be two films a night between 22 and 28 January and the 7pm screening from Monday 23 January to Friday 27 January will be complimentary to members of the public, on a first come first served basis. The films showing will be Crackerjack, Lantana, Two Hands, The Bank, Getting Square, The Sum of Us and Children of the Revolution. Crackerjack and Two Hands are also being screened at the Citadel Cinema, Victoria Gozo on Friday 27 January and Saturday 28 January.
A Wine Tasting sponsored by Wands Limited, will be a feature of the week with invited guests sampling their Jacob’s Creek and Wyndhams Estate Wines. To wind up the week an Australian Dinner Dance will be held at the Corinthia Palace Hotel Attard, on Saturday evening 28 January, with Australian songs and banter by Malta’s finest animator Johnnie Gee. There will also be a touch of Australian traditional food.”
Do the films’ themes tackle different communities living in Australia today?
“No the films selected this year do not have the theme of a multicultural Australia. Some of the films are a reflection of contemporary Australian society and some are just quirky Australian films. All are excellent award-winning productions and very entertaining.”
And finally, does the Australian High Commission feel that Maltese communities are well integrated in Australia nowadays and benefiting from ample work opportunities?
“Yes, very much so. The Maltese have been migrating to Australia since the 1800s with the most recent large influx of Maltese arriving in Australia in the 1950s and 1960s. This means that the majority of Maltese have been in Australia for about half a century. As a result the Maltese migrants have been well integrated in the community. These migrants have certainly benefited from one of the strongest economies in the world, with the Australian economy growing at an average annual rate of 4 per cent since 1990.
“Maltese migrants in Australia have been very well accepted in the country and have significantly contributed to the Australian way of life as was acknowledged by Prime Minister Howard during his recent visit to Malta for CHOGM when he said ‘I simply want to express to all of you the deep affection that Australians have for the people of this wonderful country. We are very grateful for all the people that you have sent to our nation. And you are wonderful Australian citizens in every walk of life, in politics, in business, in sport, very famously in many sports, wherever it is, you can find Australians of Maltese descent being wonderful citizens, wonderful people and making a wonderful contribution to Australia.”
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