February 29th 2011
Page 3
New Principal at Umbakumba School
A Swedish man has survived two months of frozen isolation in his car, after becoming trapped inside with temperatures outside reaching as low as –30C. A gas-fuelled fire may burn on the surface of the Atlantic Ocean for months in the waters off Nigeria, Chevron reported to media this month, after an explosion at an exploration rig in January. A new treatment for advanced skin cancer doubles survival times according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine. US President, Barack Obama, has apologised to the Afghan people for the burning of Korans by American troops at a US base. Zoologists in Botswana have been diving with wild saltwater crocodiles to study the science behind croc attacks. Little is known about crocodiles in the wild underwater because of the obvious risks associated with studying them. Japans fishing industry is under threat from swarms of giant Echizen jellyfish which have appeared along the pacific coast, costing the industry millions of yen. (Source: BBC news)
Umbakumba School welcomed a new principal this year. Robyn Beauchamp (pictured right) said she was excited to be on Groote Eylandt and was looking forward to building on the positive changes the previous principal, Adrian, had established. Robyn moves to Groote Eylandt from New South Wales, with her husband Mark, and dog, Bella. “It’s my first time to teach in a community like Umbakumba,” Robyn said. “It’s great to see a real sense of community ownership and see kids take responsibility for themselves to come to school. I am excited for the challenges ahead.”
School children find their rhythm 20 Angurugu students facing the challenges of Machado Joseph Disease in their families, explored their emotions in a hip hop workshop in Angurugu earlier this month. Award winning hiphop artist, Nick Juan taught the students how to express themselves to the backdrop of beats. “Many hip hop MCs rap about problems they face, offering various solutions to the rhythm of their favorite break-beats,” said Nick from Elements Hiphop Workshops. “Like in other communities, the kids wrote lyrics about community life. There was some real talent up here – both making the beats and writing the raps,” he said. Three of the participants also worked with two local men, Hilroy Manggurra and Steve Wurramara, to record their film clips. Hilroy and Steve have been learning the art of film making as part of the MJD Foundation’s Our Story project and this was a great opportunity to put their skills into practice as well as learn new techniques on shooting hip hop videos from Nick. After receiving a $10,000 grant from the CocaCola Australia Foundation, the MJD Foundation worked closely with the Angurugu Campus of the Ngakwurra Langwa College and East Arnhem Shire Council’s Youth Sport and Recreation department to make it happen. The MJD Foundation’s Director of Research and Community Services, Libby Massey, said
Katriana recording her first rap at the Elements HipHop workshop..
engaging young people affected by Machado Joseph Disease (MJD) and broader youth cohort is vital. “We know that 130 Groote Eylandters alive today are at risk of having MJD, and each generation often experiences early onset and more severe symptoms, so a lot of the kids who attended, are or will be directly affected by MJD,” she said. “The Hip Hop workshops were a fun way to engage the kids and provide respite for them as carers of family members with MJD and also for their carers. For us, this was a great way to kick off 2012.” Nick is now back in his Brisbane studio mixing the tracks and they will be released in April for Youth Week. The participants will also be encouraged to enter their tracks into the 2012 Youth Week competition ‘Imagine, Create, Inspire’.
Students from schools all over Groote Eylandt have been cooking up a storm in Alyangula this month. As part of a Certificate one in hospitality, students have been learning the tricks of the hospitality trade including hygiene, food preparation and cooking. “They’re a great bunch of kids to work with. We’re having fun cooking a bit of everything,” said chef Kelly Craig. “It’s a good opportunity to learn valuable life skills too,” said senior secondary school teacher, Clare Schoeller. A trainer from Charles Darwin University will arrive on Eylandt 12th March to work with the students and assess them on what they have learned. Kelly Craig with Umbakumba student Nicholas Marawili cooking a bacon and pumpkin frittata. Eylandt Echo, 29 February – March 13, 2012 - 3