Music, spoken word and images will blend in an homage to pioneering scientist Galileo Galilei on Wednesday March 4 at the National Press Club in Canberra to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy.

Harmonious Revolutions: Galileo & the Music of the Spheres will feature lush Renaissance and Baroque music performed on instruments from the period by the new ensemble
Consort Astræa. The program, which includes some early drinking songs, will be interlaced with writings of both Galileo and his father Vincenzo. Questacon’s ‘Excited Particles’, Patrick Helean and Owen Collins, will present the readings. The concert and readings will also be accompanied by beautiful images of the stars by renowned astrophotographer David Malin.

Galileo and Vincenzo were both revolutionaries, radically shifting the ground in their respective fields of science and music. Galileo pioneered the use of the telescope in astronomy and his observations nailed in place the new, sun-centred view of the solar system while his father Vincenzo’s ideas lead directly to the birth of opera and the creation of a more expressive style in music, which we now call "baroque".

The list of composers in the program is a who’s who of the musical ferment of the day, including Galileo’s brother Michelagnolo, their father Vincenzo and the radical circle of musical philosophers he helped to found: the Florentine Camerata (which included Peri, Caccini and Cavalieri).

This is the debut event for Consort Astraea, featuring some of Australia’s finest period musicians: Louisa Hunter-Bradley (soprano), Julia Freddersdorf (baroque violin), Miriam Morris (viola da gamba), Laura Vaughan (viola da gamba), Ruth Wilkinson (viola da gamba), and artistic director Andrew Byrne (lute, theorbo).

“The ancient blend of music and cosmology is echoed in the achievements of both Vincenzo Galilei and his son, Galileo,” says lutenist and artistic director Andrew Byrne. “Scholars now think that Vincenzo’s distrust of authority and belief in original experimentation directly influenced Galileo, his eldest son.”

Dr John Beaton, Executive Director of the National Academies Forum, which is sponsoring the performance, says, “In Galileo’s day, thinkers used musical concepts to describe and explain the world. Science and music were linked in a philosophical way which they aren’t now. But this event brings them back together.”

Harmonious Revolutions: Galileo & the Music of the Spheres is sponsored by the National Academies Forum and forms part of Universities Australia’s Inaugural Higher Education Conference. It is also supported by Questacon – The National Science and Technology Centre.
The International Year of Astronomy 2009 is the 400th anniversary of Galileo turning a telescope to the heavens. It is a celebration of the science, history and cultural impact of astronomy, and of humanity’s common heritage of the night sky. IYA is coordinated globally by the International Astronomical Union and endorsed by the United Nations.

Event: 8pm, Wednesday March 4, The National Press Club of Australia, 16 National Circuit, Barton, ACT. The concert is FREE, but bookings are essential on 02 6249 1788 or [email protected] 
 

www.astronomy2009.org.au 

My name is Yingiya Guyula from Liya-dhalinymirr clan of the Djambarrpuy$B9,(Bu
People. I am a Yolngu Studies lecturer at University in Darwin

The intervention has only created problems in East Arnhemland communities
as well remote homeland centres. The Intervention has made our people more
frustrated and confused, the white man’s way of thinking is forced on us,
and forcing us to abandon our culture.

Government Ministers have flown into Arnhemland communities just for few
hours on the ground to gather a little bit of information, then they fly
back into cities thinking they know how to fix the problems in the
communities, thinking they know what’s best for us.

Governments only looked at the fringe camps and towns and wet areas where
people drink alcohol in places such as Nhulunbuy, Katharine, Tenant
creek, Jabiru Alice Spring and Darwin. White people see Aboriginal people in these places and think that these people that don$B!v(Bt care about life, who don$B!v(Bt care about living. But who
are they to judge them. They class all Aborigines the same, but they are
wrong.

These white people and those bureaucrats do not go out to the East
Arnhemland communities, where my people live, where there has never been
alcohol, and these is no child abuse. There are Aboriginal people living
on remote communities of Arnhemland, in homeland centres, away from towns,
away from the binge drinking areas, poker machine and gambling venues.

These are people that are able to manage their funds and work, or want
work, educate, discipline, and practice ceremonies. Quarantining of centrelink payments should be optional and not compulsory. Quarantining might be ok for people living in town camps and cities, where alcohol and gambling is a problem, but it doesn$B!v(Bt work for my people
living on remote Arnhemland homelands where there is no gambling, no
alcohol and no child abuse.

We are asking simply for understanding that in life, their needs to be an
understanding between two cultures. There needs to be respect between
cultures. Mapuru homeland has a Coop store which won a National award for selling
healthy food. Centrelink won$B!v(Bt approve it to accept quarantined money.

This means an aircraft charter fight from the mainland homeland at Mapuru
to the closest shop on Elcho Island costs 560 dollars return. This means
it$B!v(Bs costing $560 return flight just to buy 150 dollars worth of food,
where$B!v(Bs the sense in that?

Arnhemland is like the European Union, made up of many different nations,
each clan-nation with their own language, each with it own national
estate. Bringing everybody in from the homeland centres into the major
settlements is not the right thing to do because people do not feel secure
or happy living in another mans land. Children are forced to go to school,
but really they do not feel safe and unsecure on other peoples$B!v(B land.

There are about 40 children who willingly run to school every day at
Mapuru homeland because it$B!v(Bs their home and they feel secure. Yet the
N.T. Government wants to close down the homeland schools and bring
everyone in to the major communities.

They think it$B!v(Bs not worth spending money on homeland schools who have 40
or more children freely, and with their own will attending school, but is
providing internet services, facilities and technology to white schools
with attendances as low as 5. The Education department provides computers
and internet and distance learning for hundreds of cattle station and
small schools, across the Northern Territory, but homeland schools are
neglected.

Further more I would like say that these homelands are our homes. There is
no violence in the remote homeland communities, no child abuse happens, no
alcohol, no pornography, because out there in the bush is where the
cultural ceremonial grounds are, and from it is where strong discipline
comes through spirits of our fathers talking through the land.
Both the Commonwealth and the Northern Territory Governments hasn$B!v(Bt given
equal opportunity to us the First Australians to be able to exercise our
rights.

Through the intervention white man police stations have been put in the
major communities for dealing mostly with cultural conflict issues
(problems that can only be solved through traditional cultural justice),
but instead the white policeman force white man law onto us, disrespecting
our black fella law. They think they$B!v(Bve done the right think. But often
they$B!v(Bre only making it much worst by locking up senior leaders, the very
ones who are wise and keeping our Indigenous Law strong.

This time we are taking the case further where it can be heard loud and
clear by people whose ears, brains, feelings have a heart for Indigenous
Australians. It is now being taken further where there is an ear that will
listen.
We are taking it further, to the United Nations and will talk about the
intervention, about how income management in the Northern Territory has
had a devastating and debilitating impact on remote communities in
Arnhemland.

Finally, we need you to support us. We need you to tell governments that
we want the same opportunities as white people, to live and enjoy our own
cultural life, but they must stop trying to make us like whiteman, we have
our own cultural identity. Let us be who we are, and together we will have
hope for the future.

Thank you

Climax is worth the wait
By Rama Gaind

THE latest Bollywood film to be screened in Canberra is titled ‘Billu Barber’.
Set in a north Indian village, it tells the story of a village barber, a man of principles, living a simple life and struggling to make ends meet.
He is not prepared to give up his proud values even though it means that his two children can no longer go to school or that his livelihood is being threatened.
As Billu struggles to make ends meet, a film unit comes to the village of Budbuda to shoot a futuristic film. Enter its superstar Sahir Khan – who is Bollywood’s real megastar – Billu’s childhood buddy.
Once the news spreads, the villagers begin to look on Billu with respect. When the locals coax him to arrange a meeting with Sahir, he reluctantly tries to contact the star, but fails.
Director Priyadarshan and writer Mushtaq Sheikh heavily emphasise the stardom and importance of Sahir which is already established. As a result, the characters are not deeply etched and we do not get a concise picture of Billu, his family or the villagers who are responsible for disrupting his life.
‘Billu Barber’ is oddly stolid and lacks passion with everyone simply going through the motions of acting. The film pays homage to Shah Rukh Khan.
In the lead role as Billu is Irrfan Khan and his dutiful wife is played by Lara Dutta.
Irrfan is the real star of this film: his role as a humble and penniless barber wins you over.
The second half gathers momentum and the climax, when the two friends finally meet, is worth the long wait.
In the meantime, sit back and enjoy the colourful musical extravaganza with Sahir displaying some toe-tapping dance moves in three item songs with such glamorous stars as Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone.
This one is for die-hard Shah Rukh Khan fans only!
 

Late last week Calwell High School students responded well above their numbers by raising nearly $1000 through holding a ‘mufti’ day and throwing wet sponges at their teachers.

Most of the school was involved during lunchtime with students being invited the day before to come to school with at least a gold coin donation and then they were given permission to have a uniform free day.

In a twist that saw 3 teachers get soaked to raise money to support those affected by the Victorian bushfires, if students brought $5 or more, they got a sponge which they could soak with icy cold water and throw it at a teacher behind a wooden barrier with a hole cut out for their head.

Claire Reimann, one of the two Fusion Chaplains at Calwell High, funded by Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations under the National School Chaplaincy Program since the end of 2007 said the idea only came the day before.

“I was talking with the schools pastoral care coordinator and suggested that we invite the students to respond to the victims of the Victorian bushfires with a uniform free day. They checked with the Vice Principal who straightaway said yes, and then said lets do it tomorrow!”

“The idea to invite students to give $5 so they could throw a dripping wet sponge came from another teacher who had heard how successful it had been done before. We thought it would add some excitement to the day, and help build fun between teachers and students.”

And it sure did that. Over 200 of the 500 students in the school came out to the oval at lunchtime to be part of the sponge throwing or witness it.

“I was very proud of the generosity and response of the students. Our young people care more deeply than we often give them credit. The bushfires are a tragedy and our young people feel the pain and loss as well. They wanted to do their bit to support their Victorian mates.”

The funds raised will go to help the work amongst communities in fire ravaged Victoria and will be donated via the Commonwealth Bank appeal.

Fusion is an Australian grown international Christian youth and community organisation with centres in every state and territory and now over 10 other countries. They have Chaplains in 2 high schools in Canberra and have been supporting the Canberra community for over 30 years.
 

Absorbing crime drama
By Rama Gaind

‘Changeling’ is an absorbing crime drama about an amazing real-life case from 1920s Los Angeles.
Angelina Jolie’s performance as a distraught mother Christine Collins who pursues justice is the mainstay of this film which has been directed by Clint Eastwood. Jolie is superb.
This is a retelling of the incredible tale of a single mother who returns home from work in 1928 and finds that her son has disappeared.
After the besieged LA Police Department find a boy, Collins’ declares that he is not her son. This stand incites contempt, threats and a demeaning campaign which aims at making a concerned mother appear negligent and crazy.
This story of corruption, accusation and loss is a touching one.
IN a Golden Globe-winning performance, Kate Winslet teams up (again) with Leonardo DiCaprio in ‘Revolutionary Road’.
Based on a novel by Richard Yates about an unhappy marriage, the film has been directed by Sam Mendes (‘American Beauty’)
Both Winslet and DiCaprio excel in their roles as Frank and April Wheeler.
DIRECTED sensitively by Stephen Daldry, ‘The Reader’ is based on the 1995 novel by German law professor Bernhard Schlink about innocence that’s lost in post-war Germany
It explores the difficulties of subsequent generations to comprehend the Holocaust by using an affair in the 1950s between a former concentration camp guard and a teenager half her ago.
Superbly acted by Kate Winslet, Kavid Kross and Ralph Fiennes.

Fascination with shopping malls
By Rama Gaind

Residents in New Delhi, the capital of India, have a fascination for shopping malls.
With a population of almost 14 million, this is one city that is not only buzzing with life and vigour, but it is also a city of opportunities. The property business is booming and newly-constructed world-class accommodation is available in satellite townships.
Delhiites have a natural passion for shopping. There are shopping malls, shopping complexes and markets in almost all areas of Delhi and the region. While complexes in Noida, Gurgaon and Faridabad – both for shopping and entertainment – have to be seen to be believed for modern conveniences, there are numerous multiplexes that will meet your every need.
Shopping malls dot the capital’s landscape. They have given a new dimension to the whole idea of shopping in and around Delhi. These one-stop malls are the window to the latest trends in fashion, food and other retail spheres.
CTC Mall in central Delhi is one example of an enjoyable shopping experience. Spread over three levels, you will be bemused for choice from heavily embellished saris, salwar kameez, lehengas and sherwanis best suited for bridal wear to ready-to-wear fashion tops, shawls, jewellery and other accessories for both men and women.
There are supermarkets and central stores to purchase grocery and home utility items. Food Bazaar is one such supermarket. Fresh dairy products can be purchased from the state-owned Mother Dairy. It has outlets in all residential areas. Imported furniture showrooms are abundant in south Delhi near the historic Qutab Minar. Other showrooms can be found in Noida, near Connaught Place in Panchkuian Road and in west Delhi at Kirti Nagar.
Home linen and furnishings can be bought from shopping malls or home furnishing retail outlets. Curtains can be bought as fabric or readymade. Brand-name clothes are as popular as sarees and salwaar kameez. While western outfits are commonplace, well-known labels are freely available, along with fabrics and readymade garments. Most of the stores have tailors and drapers so made-to-measure clothes can be whipped up in next to no time.
Markets are in abundance: there’s Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi, South Extension I and II, Connaught Place, Karol Bagh, Kamla and Khan Markets. Many have a preference for clothes at Janpath and Sarojini Nagar markets. Visiting emporiums for that extra special gift from various parts of India is also an enlightening experience.
Whether you indulge in impulsive buying, go on a fanatical shopping spree or are just a passive participant – just content with window shopping – the experience will be an exhilarating, though exhaustive, one!
 

The Burlesque Hour
Street Theatre
February 10-14
 

There was a different kind of heat in Canberra city last night. The Burlesque Hour at the Street Theatre certainly pushed the envelope with its mix of saucy, sleazy and bizarre titbits (pardon the pun).

It seems that Canberrans have a thirst for a deviation from the humdrum. Young Goths sat alongside mature housewives and elderly couples were peppered throughout the audience. There was a distinct sense of anticipation—and while the start was a little slow (and late), the energy built consistently to an up-beat finish.

Transformed into a voyeur’s paradise with small tables packed together on the stage plus a full house in the auditorium, Street 1’s setup created the desired cabaret effect. While the stage tables offered an intimate aspect, the auditorium seats offered an uninterrupted view of the entire show.

The acts were varied: most were provocative and some aesthetically pleasing.

Each artiste brought her own unique energy to the show. Azaria Universe oozed feminine sensuality—with her elegant Butterfly Dance a nice relief from the more overt performances. Her costume for her Total Eclipse of the Heart gave a whole new meaning to the term ‘Pearl Necklace’.

Yumi Umiumare’s performances were invigorating and had the desired shock effect, particularly Mouth Piece, which showed a high degree of body mastery while at the same time triggering a slight level of repulsion. Her Kiss of the Serpent Warrior striptease was done with such precision and focus to be mesmerising.

Maude Davey’s Dairy Queen and Strawberry Trick certainly tested the boundaries.

Moira Finucane is the mistress of her domain, however. Two elements set her apart from her counterparts: her absolute familiarity with every inch (inside and out) of herself, which shows in the way she manipulates her body to exaggerated effect, and her enigmatic face, which can simultaneously appear classical and grotesque on cue.

It was wonderful to see REAL female forms, resplendent in all their bits and bumps, cellulite and sags that we ‘normal’ girls try to hide from the world. And not a Brazilian in sight—just as Mother Nature intended.

The stage crew must be mentioned—their fine attention to detail meant the transitions went smoothly (there was a lot of cleaning up required).

The Burlesque Hour was a wild and woolly ride driven along by a high energy soundtrack and enhanced by vibrant costumes. It drew the expected response, from bemusement to joy to unease—but no major shocks, no audience members leaving in indignation—in fact the audience ate it all up joyfully.

The token male Paul Cordeiro’s performance was the only let down. While his striptease was sensuous and fun, he stopped short of a full strip, which was disappointing. It wasn’t that I was out for a peek at some stranger’s manhood, but I felt that as the women didn’t hold back during their performances—I can certainly tell you what they had for breakfast—it seemed out of place that the only male performer wouldn’t do the same.

Nonetheless, the Burlesque Hour is engrossing to say the least, and something to talk about for some time to come.