01.08.05

Papunya Tula Artists Youth Excursion - August-September '05

A group of young boys aged between ten and thirteen years old from the Kintore community recently went on a trip to Melbourne, where they packed a host of new experiences into five short days. Papunya Tula Artists facilitated and funded the excursion so that the boys could sample some of the opportunities the wider community has to offer. Our hope is that by meeting positive role models in a supportive environment the boys will feel inspired to further their learning and broaden their lives.

The highlight of the trip was undoubtedly the three AFL matches the boys were able to attend over the weekend. The scale of the grounds and the buzz of the matches were unlike anything the boys had experienced before. The Essendon Football Club also generously allowed the boys to tour their training facilities and watch a typical training session, a wonderful experience for the boys as many of them are promising football players. Visits to the Melbourne zoo and the aquarium were both entertaining and educational.

Four company employees supervised the boys on the trip, along with senior community member, Victor Tjungurrayi, who was great to have along and had just as much fun as the boys. Various people and organizations in our network of clients and associates in Melbourne had made generous offers to contribute and we were happy to be able to take advantage of some of those offers, with some of the educational benefits of the trip including visiting the National Gallery of Victoria and the Melbourne Museum. At the gallery the boys were able to view artwork that their immediate family had produced and at the museum they looked at displays of historical and cultural.

This trip was one of many activities Papunya Tula Artists undertakes as a community owned company. We are able to assist with a variety of needs and requests that the Kintore and Kiwirrkura councils put to us, but many of these activities relate to the older members of the community, while the youth tend to miss out on the benefits the company generates. The artists have often suggested that they would like the younger members of the community to be given opportunities such as this trip, which has enabled them to experience life in the city, and enjoy just a few of the many activities which non-indigenous children often take for granted.

Overall it was a fantastic experience for the boys and hopefully, in some way, they have come away with inspiration and positive ideas. We also plan to offer a similar trip to the girls in the same age group sometime in 2007.