Antarrengeny Awely: Alyawarr Women’s Songs from Antarrengeny book launch and Learning Centre anniversary celebration

From left: Lily Kemarr Morton, Jeannie Pwerl Mills, Kathleen Kemarr Purvis, Mary Kemarr Morton, Lucky Kngwarray Morton, Ruby Kngwarray Morton, Violet Petyarr, Audrey Kngwarray Morton. Photos: Dan Stainsby

Mary Kemarr Morton, Katie Kemarr Morton and their extended family launched their new book about Antarrengeny songs at the Arlparra Learning Centre, Utopia on 28 August 2013. The book was launched in great spirit with Antarrengeny owners and managers in attendance and many other community members present.

Over 150 people attended the celebrations – including Antarrengeny owners and custodians from Utopia and Amperlatwaty, community members and senior school students from the Arlparra Secondary College. Many representatives came to the event from organisations that work in the region, including the Central Land Council, the Institute for Aboriginal Development, Barkly Shire, Centre for Appropriate Technology, Desert Knowledge Australia, Urapuntja Council and Urapuntja Clinic. There were speeches from Mary Kemarr, linguist Jenny Green, musicologist Myfany Turpin and project manager Margaret Carew. In keeping with the tradition for Indigenous language publications in Central Australia, an enormous cake bearing the book cover design was cut and consumed by everyone in attendance.

Batchelor Institute and Batchelor Press are very proud of this new publication, and the commitment and collaborations that lie behind it. We wish to acknowledge the funding support of the Australian Government’s Indigenous Languages Support Program which enabled the development of this community resource. Research for the project was funded by the Hans Rausing Endangered Languages Documentation Project and the Australian Research Council.

The day also celebrated the 10 year anniversary of the Arlparra Learning Centre, with an afternoon BBQ and display of student work and achievements. Over this decade the Learning Centre has developed into a community learning hub with a permanent co-ordinator, local staff, and numerous courses and programs facilitated through the facility in partnership with community groups and organisations. It is a key part of Batchelor’s increasing commitment to remote community education through the Learning Centre model.

We also thank the following people for their participation, support and contribution to this project and to the book launch:

Mary Kemarr Morton, Kathleen Kemarr Morton, Queenie Kemarr Lion, Lena Pwerl, Lena Ngal Skinner, Rosie Kngwarray Kunoth, Jeanie Pwerl Mills, Kathleen Kemarr Purvis, Lucky Kngwarray Morton, Audrey Kngwarray Morton, Sarah Kngwarray Morton, Lily Kngwarray Lion, Dorothy Kemarr Kunoth, Pansy Petyarr MacLeod, Rosie Pwerl, Amelia Kemarr, Nora Kemarr Moore and Polly Ngal.

Albert Kemarr Bailey, Banjo Morton, Hilda Kemarr Spratt, Angeline Petyarr Clark, Edie Kemarr Holmes, Linda Pwerl Dobbs, Lucy Pwerl Dobbs, Daisy Kemarr Moss, Lily Kemarr Holmes, Biddy Kemarr Beasley, Christine Bruderlin (book designer) and Mark McLean (editor), Richard and Lindon Moyle, Woodrow Denham, Craig Elliott (Central Land Council), Jenny Green, David Moore, Anna Georgia, Jenny Taylor, Gail Woods, Suzi Taylor, Anna Yeo (Central Land Council), Olaf Geerken, Peter Stephenson, Ann Davis, Angela Zacharek, Angela Tranter (Cakes for You), Maree Klesch (Batchelor Press), Dan Stainsby, Amanda McMillan and Patrick Josse (audio mastering).

To purchase a copy of the Antarrengeny Awely book, please visit www.batchelorpress.com