AIAA in Queensland

During the last few months regular meetings have been taking place in Sothern Queensland involving a number of AIAA members and friends, aiming to share information and support for Indonesian cultural projects taking place in Southern Queensland.

The first meeting took place at the Artrageous Community Art Centre at Deagon. People attending the meeting have represented groups from the Gold Coast, Brisbane, the Sunshine Coast and NSW North Coast Region. These meetings have been very successful in creating support and connection between various Queensland and NSW North Coast groups.

Collaboration and co-operation between Queensland Indonesian cultural groups has been taking place for many years, for example Gamelan Giri Jaya from Toowoomba has had a close relationship with the Balinese communities and other groups in Southern Queensland, and performed with them many times, also assisting other groups to get involved with Woodford Festival. They often perform in Brisbane, the Gold Coast and further afield. Independence Day celebrations and other major events involve many Queensland groups working together from various areas. Kari from Palmwoods successfully organised the Woodford Gamelan Gathering a few years ago, and many people would like to see a similar event happen again in the future.

During the last few years AIAA has been helping to create greater contact with Northern NSW groups as well, Ibu Vera and the Indonesia Dance Group Gold Coast often participate NSW North Coast events. Indija from Musik Kabau Sati has worked with the Byron Gamelan to present a performance of Randai at Woodford, and also brought Admiral to perform at Bangalow. Kari, the Balinese community and other Queenslanders have also performed at Byron Bay concerts, while Brisbane poet Pamela Hardy collaborated and performed with visiting poet Fatin Hamamah at peotry readings in Byron and Brunswick Heads during the Australia Indonesia Poetry Exchange 2002.

AIAA visiting musicians have been happily crossing the border to participate in workshops and performances in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Toowoomba and the Sunshine Coast areas over the last few years, gradually moving further northward. The residency project of visiting Musician Efiq Zulfiqar has successfully operated in Southern Queensland and Northern NSW, also including visits to Sydney as well.

The recent AIAA meetings in Brisbane have further consolidated support and plans for future collaborations, such as the proposal to include Brisbane Writers Festival in the Australia Indonesia Poetry Exchange next year, support for the upcoming residency by Indonesian Jazz musician Bayu Wirawan, co-ordinated by Duncan Coleman from Maleney and supported by the Australia Indonesia Institute, and possible plans for reapplying for the "Living in Harmony with the Indonesian Community and Islam Project" to take place in Brisbane during 2003-4.

It has also been wonderful to have the contribution of John Jeffrey, Community Arts Officer from Brisbane City Council sharing information about the Brisbane-Semarang Sister-City relationship and other Brisbane Council activities.

The Queensland group have now established their own email mailing list - so if you are interested in joining, getting more information or coming along to a meeting, email the group at: aiaaqld@yahoogroups.com