News
Issue 2 Migration Heritage Project Newsletter February 2004
In this issue:
- Message from the chair
- Exhibition wrap up
- 2004 at a glance
- Membership
CELEBRATIONS -SPIRIT OF COMMUNITIES EXHIBITION WRAP UP
 
Photos: Celebrations-Spirit of Communities exhibiton opening night
& public program
Over 6000 people saw the MHP's first exhibition, at the Wollongong
City Gallery. It was a major undertaking for the team. Thanks
go to the IMB Community Foundation, the Wollongong City Gallery,
the Wollongong City Council Small Grants Program, Viva La Gong,
University of Wollongong Faculty of Creative Arts, and Downstairs
Graphic Design. Particular thanks go to the families and individuals
who generously shared their stories and donated objects to the
exhibition. They include: Portuguese, Macedonian, Greek, Italian
and Vietnamese communities.
The exhibition was well received.
Some of the comments:
"It's great to see Wollongong do something like this"
(interstate visitor during set up week)
"It puts us on the map" (participant)
"It makes you feel good to see your stuff in the Gallery"
(family member)
"Fabulous food - this is just fantastic" (visitor
to the public program)
"This has never happened in the gallery before" (staff
about the public program)
A video was made of the launch and public program for each participating
group and family. A limited edition of the catalogue is in production.
A booklet of the panels and content of the exhibition is available
on request (contact the MHP on 4275 2266).The exhibition panels
will be on display in the Telstra exchange building as part of
the Uptown Crown revitalisation program in March 2004.
MIGRATION HERITAGE PROJECT - ONE YEAR ON
Franca Facci - MHP chairperson
The migration heritage project of the Illawarra has grown in
leaps and bounds in the last 12 months. In the main this was due
to generous funding from the IMB Community Foundation which allowed
the committee to employ a project officer to carry out many of
the grand ideas that came up at committee meetings. The funding
also enabled us to produce a magnificent exhibition at the Wollongong
City Gallery highlighting the enormous variety and depth of migrant
heritage in the region. Hopefully many of you will have seen the
exhibition and have been impressed and stimulated by the professional
displays and interpretations. However, our work is still only
beginning. As many of you may be aware, our aim is to ensure a
sustainable presence in relation to migration heritage in our
region. This can only happen with support and input from a variety
of sectors including the migrant communities, the cultural services
sector, government agencies, business and industry. Our aim for
2004 is to identify opportunities to expand the awareness of the
rich cultural heritage in our area and attract commitment to ensure
its growth. We would love to hear from any one who has been involved
in heritage projects in the past or how is interested in pursuing
some element of their own heritage in the future. As part of this
we are collecting information about objects and local migrant
history.
Come on board and be inspired!
AT A GLANCE
• Some old things have heritage value. (March 4)
In 2004 we are holding workshops where you can learn about how
to identify what items have historical value. Things like recording
information, how to take care of objects and passing them on.
We are hoping this will unearth exciting objects, photographs
and stories. For more information about the objects workshops
contact Fidelia on 04388 32094.
• What has gone before
We know others have documents and produced work about migrant
history in the past. If you were involved or know of any project
we would love to hear from you. Feel free to come to our regular
meetings or contact the MHP.
• Telstra Exhibition Space On Crown
Celebrations exhibition continues at the Telstra Exchange on Crown
Street. The Uptown Crown project and Telstra are supporting the
display and exhibition of visual design projects in the street
level window space. The Uptown Crown project is currently installing
track lighting and display system for the space. The MHP Celebrations-spirit
of communities panels will be the first exhibition to make use
of the space. The Uptown Crown project is part of the Wollongong
City Council revitalisation program for the western end of Crown
Street. The MHP is looking forward to future project opportunities
with Illawarra Telstra.
• National Library Multicultural Documentary Project
- Tool Kit.
See the web site www.nla.gov.au/multicultural/kit for more information
about this great project. What's it about? Includes, collecting
records, arranging and describing what you have, preservation
and storage, applying for grants and much more. It will suit multicultural
organisations, businesses or families who have documents, and
photographs with historical value.
The University of Wollongong Archive is the local repository for
this material.
If you are interested in this project but don’t know where
to start, the MHP will consider running an information session.
Contact the MHP at mhp@1earth.net or phone 42752266 by Friday
March 26th.
• MHP Web Page
Watch this space - the MHP is going interactive with a web presence
soon. The best way to promote migration heritage of this region
to a world wide audience.
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Photograph of two brothers aged
12 and 7 one now living in Newcastle
and one in Wollongong. |
SNAP SHOTS
I was born in a 6th floor apartment in Alexandria, Egypt. I spoke
Greek and my brother spoke
some English.
Heritage - Greek, migrated to Egypt, then migrated to Australia
in 1953.
Why? Because of the political situation in Egypt.
What did you bring with you? Brass coffee maker, crocker, cooking
utensils, Singer Treadwell sewing machine, cutlery, photographs,
icons, jewelry, family heirlooms.
What did you think when you arrived? Apprehensive about the big
change. Missed the extended family - we had no relatives in Newcastle
where I grew up.
What do you do now? I work at Bluescope.
Membership of the Migration Heritage
Project
Interested persons or organizations are welcome to join the Migration
Heritage Project.
Membership fees are $5 for individuals and $10 for an organisation.
Membership forms are available from the Wollongong Public Library.
Newsletter contributions
Have you got a story or photos that you would like to share with
readers? The MHP would like to collect the stories of migration
from community groups in the Illawarra. You can send your contributions
to the newsletter by e-mail or by post.
Become involved
Interested persons or organisations are welcome to join the Migration
Heritage Project.
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