Namatjira Project facts for kids

The Namatjira Project is an Australian project that helps communities through art and culture. It started in 2009 and is run by a group called Big hART. The project works with Aboriginal communities in Hermannsburg and Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. It focuses on the life and art of Albert Namatjira, a famous Arrernte watercolour landscape artist. The project does community work and created a special theatre show called Namatjira. This show talks about how Aboriginal experiences have sometimes been used for money by others.

Why the Project Started

The idea for the Namatjira Project came from another project by Big hART called Ngapartji Ngapartji. During that project, Elton Wirri, who is a kinship grandson of Albert Namatjira, was part of a theatre show. He painted a large picture on the stage background. People watching the show were very interested in the name "Namatjira" and how his story could connect with current Australian social issues. This made writer Scott Rankin, actor Trevor Jamieson, and producer Sophia Marinos want to learn more.

They met with Albert Namatjira's extended family, who speak the Western Aranda language. With the family's permission, the project began. It was a way to help pass on and share the culture and artistic traditions that Albert Namatjira started with his watercolour landscape paintings.

About the Namatjira Project

The Namatjira Project (which started in 2009) is a community cultural development project. It is run by Big hART along with the family of the late Albert Namatjira. The project is based in the Aboriginal communities of Hermannsburg and Alice Springs.

The project has several goals:

• To make family connections stronger between different generations.
• To keep Albert Namatjira's painting style alive and important.
• To help people think about Namatjira's story. This story helps us understand Australia's past, present, and future, especially how different cultures get along and how to achieve reconciliation with Indigenous people.

The project has two main parts: community work and a touring theatre show. To help new Namatjira artists earn money, Big hART works with Ngurratjuta Many Hands Art Centre in Alice Springs. They hold art shows of new Namatjira paintings alongside the theatre performances.

The project also uses digital tools. There's an iPhone app to promote the Namatjira painting style. They also run film workshops with the Hermannsburg School. A documentary is being made, and there are live webcasts from Hermannsburg. These webcasts are part of an exchange between the Ntaria school and Wynyard High School in Tasmania.

As part of this long-term project, they run painting and digital arts workshops in Hermannsburg. They also organize painting trips outdoors (called plein-air painting) to important places for the family. The project works with the local choir and with family members to share Albert's story. They also deal with issues about the copyright of Namatjira's art. Big hART also created a professional theatre show about Albert's life, working closely with his family.

The Theatre Show

The theatre show, also called Namatjira, tells a powerful story. As theatre critic John McCallum explains, it's about how Aboriginal experiences were sometimes used for money. But the play itself is a way for Namatjira's family to take back his story. They worked with Big hART and writer Scott Rankin to do this.

Family members helped create the story for the play. They also toured with the show across Australia as artists and performers. They led watercolour painting workshops and drew large chalk pictures of their home country live on stage. Two professional actors played different roles to tell the story of their grandfather.

The play mixes different theatre styles. It uses direct speeches and re-enactments. It also includes music, symbolism, and historical information. The music in the play uses wind and string instruments, gospel songs in the Aranda language, and popular music. This helps make the show very emotional. To show how important art is to the story, a painter creates an oil portrait of the main actor during the performance.

What the Play is About

The play has two acts and tells Albert Namatjira's life story in order. It also includes thoughts about current Australian discussions.

Act One talks about Namatjira's birth in the central Australian desert. It shows his childhood on the Lutheran mission in Hermannsburg. It also covers his marriage to Rubina and his struggles to provide for his family. The play playfully shows the cultural differences between the Aranda people and the Christian missionaries. These differences become clearer when Albert meets painter Rex Battarbee. Rex's own life story is woven into Albert's. As their friendship grows from teacher-student to equal artists, the play raises questions about how people from different backgrounds get along in Australia today.

Act Two shows Albert Namatjira's continued struggle to earn money. It also shows his rise to fame as an artist in Australia and around the world. He became very successful, and the art world and high society (even the young Queen Elizabeth) were fascinated by him and his art. He also earned a lot of money. However, this success is balanced with stories of racism and exploitation. The play suggests these issues were common in Australian society. Albert faced taxes without having equal rights. Some people saw him as just an interesting cultural object. He also faced "humbugging" from his extended family, which meant they expected him to share his wealth.

The play shows Albert Namatjira caught between two very different ways of life and sets of values. In the play, this eventually leads to his downfall. He was put in jail for giving alcohol to other community members. He died a broken man shortly after being released. The play ends with a video of Namatjira's family members talking about how the project started, how it works, and how it helps their community.

Awards Won

The Namatjira theatre show has won several awards:

• 2012: Winner, Critics' Choice artsHub Award for Contribution to the Australian Community by a Group, Organisation or Company.
• 2012: Winner, Helpmann Award, for the national tour.
• 2011: Nominated for two Green Room Awards, for Male Actor (Trevor Jamieson) and Production.
• 2010: Winner of two Sydney Theatre Awards for Best New Australian Work and Best Newcomer (Derik Lynch).
  • Nominated for six other Sydney Theatre Awards, including Best Mainstage Production and Best Direction.