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  • Thread starter Thread starter John Sayers
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Hi Q - don't know. I'm currently in Wyndham in the Kimberly. This is real remote aussie and I'm working with a group here to setup a recording training school for all the young aboriginals in the area. The aboriginal story is not unlike your own native americans. Until 1968 they were all living on the McBurger cattle stations as basic slave labour. These stations are anywhere from 1 - 4 million square acres and they used the aboriginal Ringers (our word for cowboy) to herd, brand etc the cattle whilst the ladies cleaned house etc. They lived in squalid conditions called Humpies and the stations gave them food. In 1968 the government introduced a wage scale so the station owners threw them all off the stations. Now they live in scattered communities throughout the top end. BTW the stations now muster the cattle with helecopters :) Fortunately they are now going through a series of Native Title claims where they are claiming back the land that was stolen from them originally. The stations aren't owned but leased under Pastoral Leases from the government.

These communities are extremely remote and can only be reached by 4WD boat or plane and the kids are a real problem as they have no real future and are destined to turn to alcohol and drugs like their parents so any program that gives them an interest and raises self esteeme is encouraged. I'm currently designing a proposal for a 'live in' training studio so the kids can come in from the communities and get into recording themselves and then we'll organise a similar studio setup to be installed at the communities so they can continue with a basic knowledge of recording behind them. The setup will be a typical HR studio setup so I hope you may meet some of them in the future online here at HR.

So who knows how long I'll be here - I love the area and would be happy to stay here a while.

At least I've got access to high speed internet for a few days while I type the proposal. :D

cheers
John
 
John,


Are you rich or something? I would love to be able to go on a vaction like that and be able to say "don't know when I'm comin' back"!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

hehe

glad your having a good time and stay out there long enough for all of us!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
That's one really worthwhile project. Wished I was there. Well, perhaps sometimes in the future I'll use a vacation to do some helping there?
 
That's one really worthwhile project. Wished I was there. Well, perhaps sometimes in the future I'll use a vacation to do some helping there?
 
Thanks sjoko2 - I believe it's a good project and so do the people here which is good.- I'll try to organise it for you to come and stay and do some teaching OK?? I hope you like the heat cos we are heading for the wet season where the temperatures hardly ever drop below 100 degrees and the humidity is 99%!!

So how's that great studio of yours going??

cheers
John
 
LOL Cool! and I'ain't going there in the summer! Done that once, my northern european butt fried!
In the home-stretches of the studio. Control room is done, wiring in progress, and started doing some mastering here last week, so I've been dragging the masters to a bunch of studios, as well as handing them to collegues for comments. Seems the system is working as planned, producing very good masters. What's more, working is easy and fast in such a unique acoustic environment.
Bet you can't wait to do some more tracking when you get home, those sounds were VERY promising!

Just one thing - remember all my bravado when I started this project? Well, let me tell you something, I've learned my lesson. "I'm doing everything myself" he said. What a stubborn basterd I am! NEVER again! I don't like to be a builder!
Oh well, the idea was to create my vision and I've done just that, so hopefully I will get years of benefit from it.
One thing is for sure........... the second control room and the mastering room......... ALL I'm going to do is the drawings!
All together, start to finish, it will have taken a full year, the days off you can count on less than 2 hands. I've had a couple of days away sailing, and days away recording and mastering in LA, but that's all.

I'll make sure I get some more pics done for the site. I'm really glad you're having such a good time.
 
Yup sjoko - I can relate to that. I bet you are now the kind of carpenter you should have been when you started :) I have found that you have to be fit and practised to be a good carpenter and when I pick up the odd hammer I'm neither so while you were slaving away lifting huge sheets if plasterboard I was relaxing listenning to the sound of power saws from downstairs :) but - camping does have a way of making you fit, all that bending down to the fire etc.

We were visited the other night by and old aboriginal elder with his lady friend who happens to have title over the land we are looking to turn into the school. Coincidence? Nah.....he was accompanied by a young ex army pilot who is into shamanism. The young pilot told me that one night a girl came to the old man (80 old years next month) doubled up in pain. The old man looked at her and told her who had hit her and where and what he was wearing etc etc. He then put his hand over her body and her skin rippled like water after a stone is dropped in. He then drew a fine thread from her body and slowly pulled it until a small fragment of bone appeared which he calmly removed, the skin rippled again and she jumped up totally cured. Freeky stuff - this is a totally different culture to any other - they share everything so there is no concept of ownership, the families are all extended so kids are bought up by members of the skin group but not necessarily their parents. It's a completely new learning curve for Maggie and me but it's really exciting.

Today we went with them to a billabong (small lake) where we fished and cooked a Kangaroo on the open fire. You could see the fresh water crocs further down the pond eyeing us off, (freshies are safe unless they are breading). I don't particularly like roo, it's got an odour I'm not used to especially when it's cleaned and gutted in front of you and they go through the intestines selecting different bits to cook. :eek:

But they like the school idea so I've got their blessing which is a good start.

cheers
John
 
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