Commemorations take place this week for the 200th anniversary of the declaration of martial law in the Bathurst region. Film, oral history and writing were use by Local primary school students to learn about this history.
Last year students in years 5 and 6 at schools in the Bathurst area and the Cudgegong Valley took part in ‘Something Happened Here’, a history and arts project linking artists, historians and Wiradyuri Elders with students and teachers.
The project was led by Bathurst-based author/script writer Paul Stafford and Orange-based filmmaker Vince Lovecchio.
Schools involved were Eglinton Public School, Bathurst West Public School, O’Connell Public School, Cudgegong Valley Public School and All Hallows Catholic Primary School Gulgong.
Here more about this project when Paul Stafford and Vince Lovecchio from The Project Zone talks about is as part of the Dhuluny conference at Charles Sturt University Bathurst on Friday 19 August at 1.15pm. See the program.
‘Something Happened Here’ was curriculum linked and focussed on the topics of truth telling from which students created short films based on the stories and histories. Students participated in on-site workshops with artists and video-conference link-ups talking with Elders and First Nations community members. Bathurst’s Dinawan Dyirribang Uncle Bill Allen generously talked with students about his family history, his ancestor Windraydne and impacts of martial law on his family and community. Historian Dr Stephen Gapps spoke to the students from his research for the book ‘Gudyarra: The First Wiradyuri War of Resistance — The Bathurst War, 1822–1824’.
Three of the films made with the students can be seen as part of the exhibition exhibition Dhuluny: the war that never ended now at Bathurst Regional Art Gallery.
“The focus was on skills development in young people so they feel they have agency, autonomy and are listened to in the political and social drive for change,” Vince Lovecchio said.
“The project was also about communication and relationships between Wiradyuri Elders and small communities around Bathurst, hopefully opening new pathways for reconciliation and a greater understanding of social issues and history,” Paul Stafford said.
Arts OutWest and partner The Project Zone received $25,067 funding from the Australian Government’s Regional Arts Fund for the project.
Read more and see the film on the project page
IMAGE: Still from the film made with students at O’Connell Public School.