In 1986, the Carrolup Project Committee was set up by a Noongar community meeting held at Marribank. Its purpose was to oversee the Carrolup Project, which was to be funded by the Australian Bicentennial Authority, and comprised four key elements:
- To employ two trainees (1986-87), featured in a previous blog.
- To create the Marribank Cultural Centre, repurposing one of the old stone dormitories (1987-88).
- To make a documentary film (1989).
- To develop a national travelling exhibitions highlighting the collections of Noongar child art from Carrolup, to be curated by the Berndt Museum of Anthropology, then named the Anthropology Research Museum (1992).
The video film, which came to be known as Show Us A Light, was part of the Project funding. Perth-based film director Nancy Sokill was engaged to create the film from interviews and other recordings in the South-West, as well as featuring the Berndt Museum’s collections. The video was produced by Pat Nunn, the Social Worker at the Marribank Family Centre.
The film was to be an educational resource, which would be available to schools and universities throughout Australia, and it was hoped that a national TV broadcast would be scheduled on the ABC.
The film was distributed on DVD by Ronin Films, Canberra. Now available from this website. You can see a clip from YouTube below.
Figure opposite: Publicity for the 1989 premier of Show Us A Light.