NEWS
Traditional culture practised for National Tree Day on Erub
ABOVE: Erub Erwer Uteb student preparing the soil for planting. BELOW: Torres Webb passing on traditional planting knowledge to Erub Erwer Uteb students.
NATIONAL Tree Day and Schools Tree Day provides all Australians with an opportunity to do something positive for the environment and reconnect with nature. This certainly is not something new for Erubam Le (Darnley Islanders) as planting and gardening has always been an important traditional cultural practice. Erub (Darnley Island) Community celebrated and participated in the Planet Ark National Tree Day by planting an assortment of tropical fruit trees at Erub Erwer Uteb (school) and also at Kemus near the Coming of the Light monument. There was strong support and enthusiasm from local school students and community members including local church leaders. Some of the species included white sapote, chocolate pudding fruit, chempadek and rambutan. The Erub community would like to extend a big thank you to Sea Swift for their swift delivery of these tropical fruit trees which arrived in excellent condition. Without the assistance of Sea Swift our tropical fruit tree planting day would not have been possible.
Father Kebei Pilot planting a white sapote fruit tree at Kemus with the assistance of Amos Sipi and Torres Webb.
Purple Spider weave magic web for world-wide audience THE Purple Spider Dance Team, from Ugar, has performed at the 2012 Henley Festival in Oxford, England, giving a world audience insight into the rich and vibrant culture of the Torres Strait. Held annually in July on the banks of the River Thames, the Henley
Festival is a major international event that presents a mixture of music, visual art, culture, food, wine and street theatre. This year the festival also coincided with the lead up to 2012 London Olympic Games. Members of Purple Spider, accompanied by the Torres Authentic Thai Cuisine Strait Regional AuthorDishes made to your LUNCH preferences ity (TSRA) Portfolio SPECIAL 107 Douglas Street, T.I. Member for Culture, Ph: 07 4069 2155 UNDER $10 Art and Heritage, Mr TRADING HOURS Phillemon Mosby, travMonday to Friday elled to England for the t -VODI BN o QN t %JOOFS QN o QN performances, for which Saturday t %JOOFS QN o QN Sunday t $MPTFE they have been preparing since the beginning of EJTDPVOU PG GPPE CJMM GSPN .BJO .FOV XJUI UIF QSFTFOUBUJPO PG UIF OFXTQBQFS BET the year. Our suppliers will be here so come get yourselfThe a bargain! TSRA Chairperson, Mr Toshie Kris, Members of the Purple Spider Dance Team with TSRA Porfolio Member for Culture, Art and Heritage (CAH), Thursday congratulated the danc- Phillemon Mosby, and CAH staff. Island ers on their attendance at the prestigious Cairns Indigenous Art Fair. traditional kab karr and island hymn to pay Servicing the event. An art exhibition was also developed to respects to their ancestors. Torres Strait & Outer Islands “The Purple Spider Dance Team has accompany the dance team to the Henley The experience has been reported as represented the Torres Strait with a passion Festival, with contributions from Torres having been very humbling, spiritual and and dedication that is to be admired. Strait artists including Flora Jo, Jimmy emotional. “The TSRA is pleased to have been Thaiday and George Nona. The Purple Spider Dance Team’s voyage able to support them in this endeavour,â€? Headed by coordinator, Rocky Stephen, from Ugar in the Torres Strait to Oxford, Mr Kris said. the Purple Spider Dance Team impressed London will be the focus of an NITV This trip was made possible through a audiences in their debut international documentary to air later this year, thanks partnership between the Henley Festival appearance following an official reception to the support of the TSRA and Special organising committee and the TSRA. by the Australian Deputy High Commis- Broadcasting Service (SBS). 91 Douglas Street • Ph: 4069 1548 The TSRA provided funding through sioner to the United Kingdom, Mr Adam The documentary will be one of the first the Torres Strait Dance Strategy - an McCarthy. to air on SBS’s new national free to air Do you need something from Cairns? initiative that offers a strategic approach to The team performed twice per night over Indigenous Television service. t (SPDFSJFT t 'VSOJUVSF t $MPUIJOH t 7FIJDMFT the development and promotion of Torres the five day festival, which also included For more information on the Henley t 1MBOUT t $VSUBJOT t .PUPS 1BSUT t (JGUT Strait dance. acts by notable artists Sting, Lulu and Festival visit www.henley-festival.co.uk. * $"/ 03("/*4& *5 '03 :06 Support was provided last year for 15 Australian, Tim Minchin. To learn more about the Torres Strait members of Arpaka Dance Company, from They were also guests of honour at the Dance Strategy, contact TSRA Cultural Phone or fax your order to me, St Paul’s community, to perform at the British Museum, where they performed a Development Officer on 4069 0873. and I will price it for you
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Page 6 Torres News
1 - 7 August 2012
Child is abused every 17 minutes
THE latest report on child protection from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare states that 31,527 children were abused or neglected in 2010-11. That’s one Australian child every 17 minutes suffering physical, sexual, emotional abuse or neglect. It breaks down to 5941 kids in
Queensland. And those are only the reported, investigated and confirmed cases. ACT for Kids Executive Director of Programs, Research and Education, Dr Katrina Lines, said it can lead to life-long impairments to children’s cognitive, physical, social and emotional development.
“Children who have experienced trauma from abuse and neglect can be left with life-long psychological problems and various developmental delays.� Dr Lines also urges individual and community action to support struggling families and report concerns about children’s safety to authorities.