Way of the Turtle

Project summary: Way of the Turtle

Outline

The Way of the Turtle is a collaboration between Yorta Yorta researcher Lee Joachim and artist Tracey Benson focused on how connection to country can build strong and healthy communities though skills and intergenerational knowledge sharing.

The project uses a range of media including environmental data, augmented reality (AR), video and photography to creatively engage with scientific research on Yorta Yorta country and to share and build knowledge.

In January 2016, Lee and Tracey participated in a symposium and residency event in Aotearoa New Zealand – Water, Peace, Power where they developed an installation at Parihaka Pa. The installation used a combination of story and song in Måori, Yorta Yorta and English with LEDs driven by patterns in turtle data from Yorta Yorta country.

This project is seen as a prototype to create a larger work that would be the result of community engagement.

Edited Doco Way of the Turtle Parihaka from bytetime on Vimeo.

The Way of the Turtle project is supported by key scientific researchers Professor Dave Griggs, Deirdre Wilcox and Professor Ross Thompson, who have long-standing research relationships with YYNAC.

Project outputs

There are a range of outputs intended for this project, they include:

• The development of a Yorta Yorta language book for children incorporating the use of augmented reality technology
• The development of an augmented reality walk around Barmah National Park, which builds on the existing GPS/Bluetooth project.
• Providing workshops for young people in the Yorta Yorta community in digital imaging, bookmaking, video and creating augmented reality works with the Aurasma tool
• The creation of an interactive map/screen at the Dharnya Centre which would be enhanced by augmented reality
• To reinvigorate the Dharnya Centre through the above activities.

Project update April 2016

So far 2016 has been busy for our project. In January we went to Water, Peace, Power in Taranaki and created our first collaborative work, titled Way of the Turtle: Exchanging breath.

In April, we presented a talk at the Land Dialogues conference in Wagga Wagga. Here is a link to our presentation on Prezi.

Project update May 2015

Although the project is in the early stages, a number of things has been happening:

• We have a Pozible campaign to raise funds for the program of events
• We recently secured a grant to kick start the project from Ethos Global Foundation – a fantastic organisation that supports many community development projects

Here is a clip about the project from the Pozible campaign.

Way of the Turtle from bytetime on Vimeo.

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