Traveller’s Teacup

Here’s a little report on our festival from the United Nations University’s website. I’ll upload a photo gallery shortly

Writing from a hotel room in Stockholm… the film festival was a success, lots of people, lots of discussions, and much opportunity to further tour the stories within international festivals, human rights events, community centres, museums, universities etc…more later but in the short term just wanted to share with you the blog and photo posted on the UNU’s website.

Generally as you may already know, we are all felling sad with how things have stagnated at the climate negotiations currently.. I hope this week, the real leaders in the room will stand up and be a wise global council for the people of the world!… and…. decide to reevaluate the pile of “not negotiable” market agendas that were decided weeks before this event.

If only plants and animals could lobby!

Below is a mobile phone photo i took when Tuvalu’s negotiator Ian Fry (Australian) voiced his concern for the negotiations direction. He was immediately backed by PNG and also China asked for further considerations. You can just make out the COP15 Chairperson Honorable Connie Hedegaard talking (off-microphone) with UNFCCC colleagues. If you have time, please watch the link to Ian Fry’s later speech on youtube  below. I have also pasted the UNU Carterets video if you are interested at seeing the current situation first hand.

After a year of intensive global film-making (8 short films in 13 months!), our little UNU media caravan is trundling out for Copenhagen. This week Megumi and I are heading off to the COP15 to present the “Indigenous Voices of Climate Change” film festival. The festival being MCed by Marilyn Wallace, will be screening over 5 days at National Museum of Denmark 9-13th, Dec 4-6pm.

The festival is a 4 hour program of videos from communities, friends, and colleagues in Australia, Africa, South America, Arctic circle, Central Asia, Iran, PNG… (basically across the globe) presenting community stories that climate change is happening and hurting now. These assessment case studies provide the Conference of the parties evidence, references, but most importantly amplified voices demanding changes to behavioural responsibility. Sadly, this voice is almost missing from the official governmental delegation lists and from the rather stale scientific tit-for tat being splattered across the newspapers of late.

If you are in Copnehagen, please come down to the museum to be a part of this extraordinary global movement. Admission is Free! In particular, don’t miss Indigenous Day on 12th December which promises to be a full day of exhibits, films, panel discussions, dancing, music and other creative outpourings. A full list of the films and screening program can be downloaded here: www.ourworld.unu.edu/COP15_filmfestival

With a UN delegate passes and small HDV camera in hand, Megumi and I also hope report a little from inside the Bella Centre too. Stay tuned to our twitter feed for updates: @cittw, @luvmegumi, @ourworld20

Have been working in Australia of late, on the makings of a global portfolio of “Indigenous perspectives of Climate Change” for UNU. Its a cracker of a project, actually quite confronting.

Far from the city’s supermarkets,  many of the world’s Indigenous peoples live land to mouth, relying on their traditional knowledge – particularly  seasonal animal migrations, weather systems and pollination cycles to put food in their children’s mouths.  Furthermore, many spiritual practices that anchor culture and identity are party to these systems.

Today’s disconnected industrial appetite, subsequent climate predictions, and first world “no consultation” mitigation strategies are already having a disastrous effect on our world’s Indigenous peoples and their rights and responsibilities. We need to be very, very sensitive and respectful to what’s really going on.

This first video below was recorded in the wet tropics “Kuku Ngungkal” country (near the Daintree) with Traditional Owner, Marilyn Wallace. She shows Paul Bell (camera/editor) and I how Climate change is being experienced by her mob.

Although not explicit, the learning I received came from a little word called “bubu”. Whilst doing the translations, Marilyn explained to me the word bubu means – my home country, the land, the soil beneath, the ecosystems (all plants/animals), the biosphere above and beyond,  and my identity and responsibility.  Its a profound and spiritual paradigm shift.

I really don’t care for arguing with people whether climate change is happening or not anymore. Sorry, but its a shortsighted argument. What I hope to share is unsustainable development IS happening and its visible everywhere all around us. And if our timely “climate change” paradigm shifts can steers us sharply away from this cliff, then call it climate change and get in tune with your bubu’s needs, baby.

I would very much like to share with you news of a landmark and incredibly important documentary series that premiered tonight on Australian public television SBS (8:30pm). The series was conceived and created by Indigenous filmmakers, Rachel Perkins and Darren Dale (Blackfella Films).

“‘First Australians’ chronicles the birth of contemporary Australia as never told before, from the perspective of its first people. First Australians explores what unfolds when the oldest living culture in the world is overrun by the world’s greatest empire.”

Screening over the next 7 weeks, the stories are powerful and told through correct protocols.
I hope you will agree, this is worth sharing with others.

www.programs.sbs.com.au/firstaustralians/content/