16 October 2005

bush mechanics




This web-site is dedicated to the amazing ingenuity of the indigenous mechanics. Whether it be finding a solution to a flat tyre when you've got no spare or overcoming many obstacles of the notorious Tanami Track by playing the Bush Mechanics game. This site is full of information and new experiences.
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Kumanjayi (Tom Kantor), who was the manager of Warlpiri Media serveral years ago approached Francis Jupurrurla Kelly about using the inventiveness of the local mechanics as an idea for television. Together, with Simba (Adrian) Nelson they developed the idea further into the original television documentary - Bush Mechanics.

Both the documentary and the series use the memories of Warlpiri elder - Jack Jakamarra Ross - in his early encounters with both white men and motor vehicles. These memories, together with the adventures of the Jupurrula gang, form the basis of Bush Mechanics for television.
Despite being located in Yuendumu (300 km north west of Alice Springs in a remote area of Australia) Warlpiri Media produced this award winning and popular documentary.

What a lot of people don't realise however, is that the makers of the original Bush Mechanics were not the same as for the series, which was produced by Film Australia. Ultimately Bush Mechanics for television was a co-operative idea, by a group of people working for Warlpiri Media Association. The concept, theme, characters are the property of Warlpiri Media Association as the representative media body for the Warlpiri.

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Stories that are linked to this page are

(from top to bottom):

The first car - Francis Kelly
The first plane - Francis Kelly
Land rights, Land Rover - Francis Kelly
The great debate - Neil Egan
Car owner profiles - Big Bear
Bush magician movie - Francis Kelly
Jack's story - Jack Ross
Jukurrpa (Dreaming) - Jack Ross
Jorna's story - Jorna Nelson
My old car - Kasman Spencer
Car gallery - Big Bear

The stories include multimedia quicktime content.

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