Digital Songlines: The Use of Modern Communication Technology by an Aboriginal Community in Remote Australia

Buchtmann, Lydia

doi:10.1080/08109020050000663

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Prometheus

Volume 18, Issue 1

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Digital Songlines: The Use of Modern Communication Technology by an Aboriginal Community in Remote Australia

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Author(s): Lydia Buchtmann

Publication date (Print): March 2000

Journal: Prometheus

Publisher: Pluto Journals

Keywords: Aborigines, Indigenous, Broadcasting, Technological Innovation, Remote Australia, Television, Satellites, Warlpiri People, Pitjantjatjara People

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Abstract

In the mid-1980s the AUSSAT satellite brought television and radio to remote Australia for the first time. There was concern amongst Aboriginal communities that the imposition of mass media without consultation could result in permanent damage to culture and language. However, over the years, the Warlpiri people have adopted modern communication technology including radio, video making, locally produced television, and more recently on-line services. This paper examines why the Warlpiri have adopted modern communication technology and whether there have been social changes as a result. It also looks at the pioneering media work by the Pitjantjatjara people at Ernabella in the far north of South Australia.

Content

Author and article information

Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): cpro20

Journal ID (archive): CPRO

Title: Prometheus

Subtitle: Critical Studies in Innovation

Publisher: Pluto Journals

ISSN (Print): 0810-9028

ISSN (Electronic): 1470-1030

Publication date (Print): March 2000

Volume: 18

Issue: 1

Pages: 59-74

Article

Publisher ID: 10032372 Coden ID: Prometheus, Vol. 18, No. 1, March 2000, pp. 59-74

DOI: 10.1080/08109020050000663

SO-VID: 75b9f3fc-4bfb-49be-aaec-e2d714345367

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All content is freely available without charge to users or their institutions. Users are allowed to read, download, copy, distribute, print, search, or link to the full texts of the articles in this journal without asking prior permission of the publisher or the author. Articles published in the journal are distributed under a http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.

History

Page count

Figures: 0, Tables: 0, References: 38, Pages: 16

References

Rose Michael. . 1996. . For the Record: 160 years of Aboriginal Print Journalism . , p. xxxvii Sydney : : Alien and Unwin. .
Michaels Eric. . 1986. . The Aboriginal !mention of Television in Central Australia 1982-86 . , p. 103––5. . Canberra : : AIAS. .
Warlpiri Media Association. . 1985b. . Purlapa at Chilla Well . , AIAIS. .
Michaels Eric. . 1987. . For a Cultural Future; Francis Jupurmrla Makes TV at Tuendumu . , p. 39––68. . Melbourne : : Artspace. .
Warlpiri Media Association. . 1999. . “Draft Polity Paper: Motional Remote Indigenous Community Television Broadcast Scheme. ”.
“1994. ”. In Encyclopedia of Aboriginal Australia . p. 184
Mitchell Glint. . 27 April. 1999 . “Administrator CAAMA/8KIN radio. ”. 27 April. , Alice Springs. .
Toyne Peter. . 17 February. 1999 . “Northern Territory Shadow Minister For Education And Training. ”. 17 February. , ABC Radio National AM program. .
Batty Philip. . 1996. . 'Imagining nations within nations'. . Australian-Canadian Studies . , Vol. 4((1-2)): 119––34. .
ATSIC. . 1999. . Digital Dreaming: Report for ATSIC on Aboriginal Broadcasting-Executive Summary . Canberra :
Brisebois Debbie. . 1994. . “'White out warning'. ”. In Film Policy: An Australian Reader . Edited by: Moran Allan. . p. 141––44. .
Ginsburg Faye. . 1993. . “'Indigenous media: Faustian contract or global village'. ”. In Rereading Cultural Anthropology . , Edited by: Marcus G.. p. 357––75. . Duke University Press. .
Willmot Eric. . 1985. . 'Aborigines, AUSSAT and satellite broadcasting'. . Media Information Australia . , Vol. 38:: 62––5. .
Australia, Department of Aboriginal Affairs. . 1984. . Out of the Silent Land: Report of the Taskforce on Aboriginal and Islander Broadcasting and Communications . , Canberra : : AGPS. .
Munn Nancy. . 1973. . Walbiri Iconography . , Ithaca : : Cornell University Press. .
Michaels Eric. . 1990. . ¢ model of teleported texts (with reference to Aboriginal Television)'. . Continuum . , Vol. 3((2)): 22
Dixon R. M. W.. 1980. . The Languages of Australia . , p. 31––5. . Cambridge : : CUP. .
Reynolds Henry. . 1981. . The Other Side of the Frontier . , p. 10––11. . Townsville : : James Cook University. .
Flood Josephine. . 1983. . Archaeology of the Dreamtime . , p. 237 Sydney : : Collins. .
Meggitt M. J.. 1962. . Desert People; A Study of the Walbiri Aborigines of Central Australia . , p. 29 Chicago : : University of Chicago Press. .
Spencer Baldwin. . 1982. . The Aboriginal Photographs of Baldwin Spencer . , Melbourne : : National Museum of Victoria. .
Warlpiri Media Association. . 1985a. . Early Transmissions . , AIAIS. .
Meadows Michael. . 1992. . A Watering Can in the Desert . p. 48 Nathan , Qld :
Venner Mary. . 1988. . 'Broadcasting for remote Aboriginal communities'. . Media Information Australia . , Vol. 47: February;: 37––43. .
Molnar Helen. . 1997. . “'Radio'. ”. In Media in Australia: Industries, Texts, Audiences . , Edited by: Cunningham S. and Turner G.. p. 203 Sydney : : Alien and Unwin. .
Australian Broadcasting Tribunal. . 1986. . Remote commercial television services: fourth report . , p. 101 Canberra : : AGFS. .
Central Australia Aboriginal Media Association. . 1997. . “Information kit. ”. In Communicating with Indigenous Australians; Conference Papers . Edited by: I & G. . Canberra :
Phillips John. . 1997. . “'MultiMedia--shrinking the continent'. ”. In Communicating with Indigenous Australians; Conference Papers . Edited by: I & G. . Canberra :
Molnar Helen. . 1995. . 'Indigenous media development in Australia'. . Cultural Studies . , Vol. 9((1)): 173

Comments

Comment on this article

[1] Rose Michael. . 1996. . For the Record: 160 years of Aboriginal Print Journalism . , p. xxxvii Sydney : : Alien and Unwin. .

[2] Michaels Eric. . 1986. . The Aboriginal !mention of Television in Central Australia 1982-86 . , p. 103––5. . Canberra : : AIAS. .

[3] Warlpiri Media Association. . 1985b. . Purlapa at Chilla Well . , AIAIS. .

[4] Michaels Eric. . 1987. . For a Cultural Future; Francis Jupurmrla Makes TV at Tuendumu . , p. 39––68. . Melbourne : : Artspace. .

[6] Warlpiri Media Association. . 1999. . “Draft Polity Paper: Motional Remote Indigenous Community Television Broadcast Scheme. ”.

[7] “1994. ”. In Encyclopedia of Aboriginal Australia . p. 184

[8] Mitchell Glint. . 27 April. 1999 . “Administrator CAAMA/8KIN radio. ”. 27 April. , Alice Springs. .

[9] Toyne Peter. . 17 February. 1999 . “Northern Territory Shadow Minister For Education And Training. ”. 17 February. , ABC Radio National AM program. .

[11] Batty Philip. . 1996. . 'Imagining nations within nations'. . Australian-Canadian Studies . , Vol. 4((1-2)): 119––34. .

[13] ATSIC. . 1999. . Digital Dreaming: Report for ATSIC on Aboriginal Broadcasting-Executive Summary . Canberra :

[14] Brisebois Debbie. . 1994. . “'White out warning'. ”. In Film Policy: An Australian Reader . Edited by: Moran Allan. . p. 141––44. .

[16] Ginsburg Faye. . 1993. . “'Indigenous media: Faustian contract or global village'. ”. In Rereading Cultural Anthropology . , Edited by: Marcus G.. p. 357––75. . Duke University Press. .

[18] Willmot Eric. . 1985. . 'Aborigines, AUSSAT and satellite broadcasting'. . Media Information Australia . , Vol. 38:: 62––5. .

[19] Australia, Department of Aboriginal Affairs. . 1984. . Out of the Silent Land: Report of the Taskforce on Aboriginal and Islander Broadcasting and Communications . , Canberra : : AGPS. .

[21] Munn Nancy. . 1973. . Walbiri Iconography . , Ithaca : : Cornell University Press. .

[22] Michaels Eric. . 1990. . ¢ model of teleported texts (with reference to Aboriginal Television)'. . Continuum . , Vol. 3((2)): 22

[23] Dixon R. M. W.. 1980. . The Languages of Australia . , p. 31––5. . Cambridge : : CUP. .

[24] Reynolds Henry. . 1981. . The Other Side of the Frontier . , p. 10––11. . Townsville : : James Cook University. .

[25] Flood Josephine. . 1983. . Archaeology of the Dreamtime . , p. 237 Sydney : : Collins. .

[26] Meggitt M. J.. 1962. . Desert People; A Study of the Walbiri Aborigines of Central Australia . , p. 29 Chicago : : University of Chicago Press. .

[27] Spencer Baldwin. . 1982. . The Aboriginal Photographs of Baldwin Spencer . , Melbourne : : National Museum of Victoria. .

[29] Warlpiri Media Association. . 1985a. . Early Transmissions . , AIAIS. .

[30] Meadows Michael. . 1992. . A Watering Can in the Desert . p. 48 Nathan , Qld :

[32] Venner Mary. . 1988. . 'Broadcasting for remote Aboriginal communities'. . Media Information Australia . , Vol. 47: February;: 37––43. .

[33] Molnar Helen. . 1997. . “'Radio'. ”. In Media in Australia: Industries, Texts, Audiences . , Edited by: Cunningham S. and Turner G.. p. 203 Sydney : : Alien and Unwin. .

[34] Australian Broadcasting Tribunal. . 1986. . Remote commercial television services: fourth report . , p. 101 Canberra : : AGFS. .

[35] Central Australia Aboriginal Media Association. . 1997. . “Information kit. ”. In Communicating with Indigenous Australians; Conference Papers . Edited by: I & G. . Canberra :

[37] Phillips John. . 1997. . “'MultiMedia--shrinking the continent'. ”. In Communicating with Indigenous Australians; Conference Papers . Edited by: I & G. . Canberra :

[38] Molnar Helen. . 1995. . 'Indigenous media development in Australia'. . Cultural Studies . , Vol. 9((1)): 173

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