2009 Photography Workshop

October 21st, 2010 jen Posted in 2009 Photography Workshop, Media Workshops Suai, News 2 Comments »

PHOTOGRAPHY CLASS 2009

Click on one of the thumbnails to enlarge the photographs. A selection of photographs taken by Suai youth during a photography workshop facilitated by Richard Jones a Melbourne Documentary-maker and photographer and funded by the Friends of Suai. The photographs were exhibited in the St Kilda Town Hall Gallery in May 2010 as part of the Connections Across the Timor Sea Exhibition. More to come about this later …

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Graciano Gusmao Profile

March 22nd, 2010 jen Posted in Media Project, People Profiles, YoMaTre Comments Off on Graciano Gusmao Profile

No website about the Friends of Suai friendship is complete without a profile on Graci or Graciano Gusmao who quietly works away supporting everybody and anybody to help get his community back on it’s feet. This series of photographs will give you an idea of what I mean.

Graci drives us around, fixes things, installs things, learns how things work so he can help people who don’t have the same access or the same skills, or both. At first he pretended not to learn English on principle, preferring to try and get us all to learn Tetun. At some point he has learned English through exposure, or he has decided that he can be more helpful with the language, I have never asked him. I noticed more English  and more nodding in understanding in 2008 and Pat reported he was speaking to her in English when she was there in February. Graci was one of the people Egy included in the first Video Workshop – probably because he knew he could learn it quickly and pass on his knowledge to others. I got to know him better then. He always has Radio Taroman playing on his car radio or a tape in for our pleasure and his.  In the class I discovered Graci is incredibly democratic – always inclusive and willing to help others and he wasn’t shy about reprimanding others if he thought they were being rude or unfair. He is truly a man of the people with little interest in power but with a great curiosity and great capacity. His great love is architecture and the radio. He drew the first maps John Collins obtained of Covalima and he drew maps to help plan radio reception across the districts. He is absolutely beautiful with children and it’s impossible to drive around Suai without waves and smiles from people along the way who know him. Everybody knows everybody in Suai but this man is apparently well-loved. You can meet Graci in the social network.

Top left: helping Nata at CC. Graci DJ, Graci’s first look at the video camera, playing with Baby Barretto.

Graci-&-Nata-webGraci-DJ-Radiograssi-&-Jen-Graci-trick-kidsGraci-thinking-radio-statioGraci-Radio-MapGraci-radio-2008Graci & Natu teaching

Bottom left. Thinking about schedule, showing radio reception areas, fiddling with mixer, teaching Lin.

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Photos Satellite Dish Cova Lima Youth Centre

September 21st, 2009 jen Posted in News, Satellite Dish Installed, YoMaTre Comments Off on Photos Satellite Dish Cova Lima Youth Centre

Egy has sent through photos of the satellite dish that has brought broadband access to the youth centre in Suai and a media house dedicated to regional journalism thanks to ICFJ.Satellite-for-sms-web Egy in pink T Shirt with various others he has brought into the photo without giving names.

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Suai Youth Media Group win film prize

December 4th, 2008 jen Posted in 'Drinking Sacred Water', News, YoMaTre Comments Off on Suai Youth Media Group win film prize

Suai Media Space received news from Ergilio Vicente – Co-ordinator of the Covalima Youth Centre today that their film “Hadame Malu Hemu We Moruk’ – ‘Reconciled by Drinking Sacred Water’, won first prize in a film competition held as part of a recent film festival held in Dili.  The group won a video camera and a special commendation  from his Excellency President Ramos Horta.

Over the past 2 days the Youth Centre has been holding a series of activities with the Pre-secondary  students and Secondary students of Covalima.  In all 11 schools were in involved in the activities.  One was a Quiz contest among Pre secondary students and Secondary students drawing on the subjects of their study.and the other was a Magazine competition.  Ergilio reports Suai Media Space can expect some photographs soon and the video will be uploaded in the New Year when it arrives in Melbourne.

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Youth Peace Camp held in Kupang

September 8th, 2008 jen Posted in News, Peace Activities, YoMaTre Comments Off on Youth Peace Camp held in Kupang

Introduction
Peace – What is the meaning of peace around the world? Where’s the source of peace and who needs the peace? How do people get peace? Peace seems still a word without meaning – but who will give up the meaning of it? In expression of terminology mostly people inclined to pray to heaven, but how do we in practice it in our daily life?

Timor Leste is a post conflict country that lived under violence and torture for many years. The violence continued in 2006 in the independence era. The crisis in 2006 may have been influenced by the former regime, under colonization. It is necessary to fully understand the meaning of living in peace under independence.

The way to lasting peace is for understanding to arise in the heart of every single person in Timor Leste and in the rest of the world. To start lasting peace it needs to arise from the personal, from the family, from groups and everywhere. Once upon a time I said, I want peace; but personally I haven’t peace in my heart and I was poor at practicing it. This means that there is no peace. We cannot make peace in little bits and pieces while asking for peace, it cannot happen, because peace is not miracle that falls from heaven. Neither can it come from our God that we worship day to day.

Youth Peace Camp
Based on the real situation in Timor Leste and in the world, Covalima Youth Centre is cooperating with The Frontiers from South Korea that has been conducting Youth Peace Camps annually since 2005 until now.

It was held this year from 28th July-22nd August. The program schedule was divided into 2 phases. In the first week representatives of each country conducted workshops to set up programs and activities in Kupang, Indonesia before holding Peace camps from 4th-22 August 2008 and organizing peace camps in the districts.

The Covalima Youth Centre delegated 2 participants – Lin and Anito – to become involved as instructors. Anito returned to Suai with 4 instructors: 1 from Germany, 1 from South Korea, 1 from Japan and 1 from Indonesia, while Lin selected to organize a Peace Camp in West Timor, Indonesia.
The Youth Peace Camp in Timor Leste, was conducted in 3 districts: Covalima District, Lospalos District and Oecusse Dsitrict.

Objective of the peace Camp

ÿ To put peace in the heart of young people to understand fully the value of love and peace.
ÿ To know exactly the meaning of peace and love affecting to our daily life.
ÿ For a number of participants to become pioneers of peace.
There were 60 young people participating in the Youth Peace Camp, divided into 2 groups. One group with about 30 participants, involved children 8-12 years old, and the second group, about 30 participants involved young people 14-17 years old.

The Youth Peace Camp also provided activities for the long holiday period the students in Covalima district had at this time.

Activities
1. Training

Training was provided to young people 14-18 years old. The training included such things as: Defining peace & love; the effect of peace versus loss of peace; Lasting peace; ways to practice peace; peace and conflict. This session involved brain storming, group discussion, story telling, rule play, games and singing. Training was conducted every afternoon for 3 hours.

2. Course.
The Camp provided the opportunity to hold an English course for the participants aged 8-12 years old to learn basic English. Most of the topics from the story books were related to peace; such as stories about a good child in the family, that future dreams are permitted, greeting and respect to the elders.

3. Painting

Painting was provided to the children 8-12 years old. This session allowed the kits to paint people or something else they might consider as an expression of love. It might come from father, mother, brother and sister, friends, animals (their chicken, dog, etc).

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EXCITING MEDIA OPPORTUNITY FOR SUAI OPENS UP

August 18th, 2008 jen Posted in Media Opportunity for Suai, News, YoMaTre 1 Comment »

Regional Media House on the Agenda for Suai

June Meeting about Broadband Access in Suai

(This was written months ago but I forgot to publish it sorry everyone – .

EXCITING OPPORTUNITY FOR SUAI OPENS UP

The first Uma Media Rejional (Regional Media House) has been set up in East Timor to cover the Districts of Baucau, Lautem and Viqueque. Now, thanks to the presence of YoMaTre and the suaimediaspace website, the Regional Media House project team have put Suai on the list for investigating the feasibility of placing one in Suai.

Many friends of East Timor know Emanuel Braz through his work as Co-ordinator of ‘Friends of Bacau’, as well as for his regular presence at gatherings relating to East Timor. Emanuel has been working in East Timor on media development with the International Centre for Journalists since 2006. Emanuel saw the suaimediaspace website and discovered YoMatre, the media group set up by the Suai Media Arts Group with funds and support from the Friends of Suai. The ICFJ Project Team had not been planning to open a Media House in Suai but have now put it on the list for consideration.

Baucau was the first of five media hubs planned for at the district level, to foster community media development and increase the flow of news and information to and from the districts. According to the fact sheet of the Project Team it is expected that at least one other Regional Media House will be set up in the western regions of the country in 2008. Indications are this will be in Suai where the community is disadvantaged by its isolation and lack of Internet access. Its feasibility will depend on further funding and co-operation with Timor Telecom in Suai.

The International Centre for Journalists through the Special Projects Team of the Timor-Leste Media Development Institute (TLMI) in partnership with four national journalism associations is implementing the project.

“The Regional Media House Project will be funded in its set up year by the Strengthening Independent Media Program in Timor-Leste (SIMPTL). It is foreseen that in future Media Houses will be supported and funded through national media fundraising initiatives”. (Fact Sheet SIMPTL)

The Regional Media Houses will offer both professional and logistical support to district-based media outlets and journalists. It will provide training for district journalists, foster new media development initiatives in the area, provide a focal point where local radio stations can go for technical support, link local media to capital media and provide local journalists with access to the Internet and a phone line. Providing low cost local Internet access for the local community through an Internet café is also a possibility.

Emanuel said they hope to link the five houses via the Internet so “there can be a constant flow of information and news around the country”. At this point it is “very expensive but hopefully it will be more affordable towards the end of the year as we hear rumours Timor Telecom may open up for other internet service providers to operate in Timor”.

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Returning from Suai with stories and pictures

August 7th, 2008 jen Posted in Internet Workshops for Youth, Media Workshops Suai, News Comments Off on Returning from Suai with stories and pictures

I’m back at my desk in my warm room in freezing Melbourne after a month in Suai that was warm in every way.

I worked with Annie Sloman ex Bibi Bulak, more recently of Jogjakarta, who is fluent in Tetun and very good now with Indonesian too who knows how to engage Timorese young people through her 5 years experience working there.

We held workshops in writing stories for sms and basic digital photography, converting them for the web and uploading through the terribly slow Timor Telecom in Suai. Hey – why am I complaining – at least they are there!

But the news about the internet in Suai is postively wonderful – following our previous stories – the latest word from Emanuel is that Broadband will be at the Youth Centre and the Friends of Suai Community Centre by October this year ! Too late for me to give them workshops this year – but c’est la vie for the people of Suai it’s brilliant.

I’ve just finished uploading the photographs to the stories our workshop groups wrote so you can see them below in news and in various other categories. I’ve finished uploading the animated movies they made using stills, music and imovie.

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Stories from the Youth of Suai – ‘Traditional Art & Identity’

July 29th, 2008 jen Posted in News, Tradition Art & Identity Suai, YoMaTre 1 Comment »

MEDIA CLASS of 2008

Tetun Language
‘Stories from the Youth of Suai’ were written by participants in a digital stories workshop held in the Suai Youth Centre in June 2008 in response to a request for stories that symbolise Suai for the Port Phillip community and the international audience that visits suaimediaspace. The eleven participants had just completed a five day workshop, that for many represented their first encounter with computers, when they were thrown into discussions about symbolism, local and international audiences and asked to write some stories and take the photographs to accompany them for this website. To read the stories click on the thumbnails.

The students were all aged between about 18 and their early twenties and there was a restlessness towards the end of the second week due to the fact that the students expected a ‘media workshop’ would involve video cameras and editing software. The third week therefore was dedicated to a simple animation workshop in which the students photographed each other and themselves with mobile phones and digital cameras and animated them to music in iMovie. The result is the collection of Comic Videos.

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Suai-Covalima’s Tais

July 28th, 2008 jen Posted in Suai Tais, Tais Weaving, Tradition Art & Identity Suai, Traditional Culture, YoMaTre 1 Comment »

Suai-Covalima’s Tais was written by
Ajay, Densi & Ameu who were made up one of the collaborative groups in the YoMaTre Digital Stories workshop held in Suai in June 20008. (Densi and the women in her family are weavers from Kamenassa near Suai.)

Tetun Version: Tais Suai Covalima

The Suai-Covalima’s tais are very beautiful since they have a variety of types and colours. The Suai-Covalima’s tais look most beautiful when they are worn during the ceremonies especially by women for dancing.

“The models of tais Covalima”, “Cotton tree”, “Cotton wool”, Cristalina Moniz, Residential Address: Fatuk Laran. Occupation: spinning traditional cotton wool”.

The process of turning cotton wool into threads takes a long time. Because of that only very few people who still make tais from the traditional—locally grown—cotton, while many women make tais from imported modern threads, that is, threads from Indonesia.

Traditional Threads
The making of traditional threads required the following materials:

A special shape of wood—beautifully crafted from solid wood for spinning.
A small bowel—traditionally either made form wood or mud for spinning.

Process of making traditional threads
1. It takes at least one month to spin the cotton
2. Boiling and drying cotton take one week
3. Rolling the cotton takes four days
4. Making design on the thread (turning into futus) takes two months
Modern thread
The process of making tais from modern threads is faster. Therefore more women prefer to make tais from modern threads. It is faster to roll, to dye and design.


“Modern threads (threads made in Indonesia)”, “Tais designed with flowers”, “Tais designed with names.”

Process of making tais from modern threads:
1. Rolling the threads
2. Dyeing the threads
3. Designing the threads (turning it into futus)
4. Colouring the threads by way of boiling them with colourful modern liquids).

Tais Designs
Tais can be designed with flowers, with names of people or places. There are diverse designs.

“welcoming the visit from the government”, “sitting together”, “preparation to welcome guests.”
The Role of the Tais in Timorese life
1. For wearing during the traditional ceremonies
2. For covering the dead bodies (the dead bodies are covered with layers and layers of tais, the quality and quantity of tais depend on the social status of the dead person)
3. For gift exchanges
4. For bride prize
5. For welcoming the visit of the government or the head of the Church, and for welcoming the statue of the Blessed Mother Mary (usually during the procession months for the Blessed Mother Mary, May and October.

SUMMARY:
The traditional threads still exist, but nowadays not so many women use traditional threads for making tais. More and more women use modern threads. This is simply because modern threads do not need a long process for making tais.

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Food Crisis

July 28th, 2008 jen Posted in Food, Food, Tradition Art & Identity Suai, Traditional Culture, YoMaTre 5 Comments »

Tetun Version: Krizi Hahan
The Food crisis has considerably preoccupied the mind of the Timorese people as the price of the rice is skyrocketing beyond the purchasing power of majority of the Timorese. The price of one sack of rice is now US$32.00, more than twice as high as the price before the crisis. Many people cannot afford to buy even just one sack of rice. Consequently, many Timorese are forced to return to their indigenous diets, such as, corn, cassava, banana, papaya, and other locally grown foods.


Read the rest of this entry »

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