(A Living in Harmony project)

PHOTO: Elka Kerkhofs

Sticks 'n' Stones was nominated for a Human Rights Award 2000.

This was a community arts project developed by Tracks Inc and the Torture and Trauma Survivors Centre of the Northern Territory.

Sticks ‘n’ Stones brought together youth from refugee, Indigenous, migrant and other backgrounds to celebrate cultural identities, explore ways of understanding difference and promote racial tolerance through a wide range of creative art forms.

Sticks ‘n’ Stones was inspired by the ‘message sticks’ and ‘message stones’ of various cultures around the world - objects which have messages carved into them as symbols or words to be sent to other people or communities. This project created various ‘messages’ through art on the theme of cultural identity, racial tolerance and harmony. The messages were then ‘sent’ out to their local, national and international communities in the form of artworks, performances, postcards, film, a final exhibition and a website.

Focus was given to the Darwin High School Intensive English students and a group of refugees in Australia under six months (including Sudanese, Chinese, East Timorese, former Yugoslavia, Ethiopian). The project also reached out into these communities.

Artistic Directors

Tim Newth
David McMicken

Textile Artist

Joanna Barrkman

Indigenous Larrakeyah song woman

Allyson Mills

Photographer

Elka Kerkhofs

Web Design

Claire Pallant

Specific groups

Darwin High School Intensive English
Darwin High School dance students
Nightcliff Secondary School
NT International Buddhist temple