Bush Mechanics facts for kids

Bush Mechanics is a funny TV show from 2001. It's a docudrama, which means it mixes real life with some acting. The show was directed by David Batty and Francis Jupurrurla Kelly. It was made by the Warlpiri Media Association, now called Pintubi Anmatjere Warlpiri (PAW) Media.

The series is about Aboriginal Australian people and their unique ways of fixing cars. It's become quite famous! The show stars Warlpiri people and was filmed near Yuendumu, a large Aboriginal town in the Northern Territory of Australia.

Later, an exhibition based on the show traveled to museums across Australia from 2018 to 2019. A book was also published in 2017 to go along with it.

What is Bush Mechanics?

Bush Mechanics is a four-part TV series that first aired in 2001. It was produced by the Warlpiri Media Association.

A "bush mechanic" is someone in Australia who fixes things using clever, unusual methods. They often use whatever materials they can find around them. This TV show features Warlpiri people from Yuendumu. They fix cars while traveling through the desert in Central Australia.

The series shows how they solve many car problems. They use inventive, funny, and surprising repair tricks. You'll meet characters like Jack Jakamarra, an Aboriginal elder. He introduces the episodes by sharing stories of his first encounters with non-Aboriginal people. There's also Jupurrula, the "magic mechanic." He often appears out of nowhere to help when the Bush Mechanics are in big trouble.

The TV series came after a shorter documentary that became well-known internationally. The four episodes were first shown on ABC Television in Australia. They aired from October to December 2001.

The episodes were:

• Motorcar Ngutju (Good Motorcar)
• Payback
• The Chase
• The Rainmakers

This series is special because it was one of the first TV shows to feature an Aboriginal Australian language. Much of the talking in the show is in Warlpiri and Kriol.

Episode Highlights

In the first episode, the mechanics have a station wagon loaded with band equipment. The car is very old, and its back part breaks down. So, they use an axe to cut off the car's roof. They then turn the roof upside down. They tie it to the back of the car and load the equipment onto it. This way, they use the roof as a trailer. They continue driving down the sandy track, dragging the roof behind them!

Awards and Recognition

The show received an award for its original idea.

• Australian Film Institute Open Craft Award, given to Francis Jupurrurla Kelly.

Exhibition and Book About the Show

An exhibition based on Bush Mechanics was created in 2018. It was put together by the National Motor Museum and Pintubi Anmatjere Warlpiri (PAW) Media. The exhibition started at the Melbourne Museum in March 2018. It then traveled around Australia. It finished at the National Museum of Australia from December 2018 to February 2019.

A book was also published in 2017 to go with the exhibition. It's called Bush mechanics: from Yuendumu to the world. Mandy Paul wrote the book.