Hi, I’m Kiara and my language groups are Warlpiri, Pintupi and Luritja from Lake Mackay and Nyirripi in the Central desert.
My position at Waltja is Art and Media trainee. There is another trainee, Kevin Buzzacott. Lenny Hillman is the senior worker in our team. Jane Clark from Netgrrl is our on the job trainer and we learn so much from her.
Every week we learn about social media, photography, procedures, desktop publishing, cataloguing, writing up our work and reporting on our bush trips. There are so many things Jane teaches us. I started work with Waltja at the beginning of the year, so I have nearly finished my 8 month traineeship.
Trainees are expected to go on bush trips organized by senior field staff working in programs like the Reconnect youth service, NDIS, Family Mental Health, Boarding School Support and cultural trips.
As part of the media team I have learnt to use a DSL still shot camera, video recorder as well as post production using Adobe Premiere. I would like to further educate young Indigenous people on communities using these devices and be a good role model.
In Waltja’s art store there are carvings and wood works, necklaces, bracelets, clapsticks and hand painted book covers all made and painted by women from remote communities within the central region.
I’m truly grateful to Waltja and to the Tim Fairfax Family Foundation who fund my position and training. I like working with the Waltja mob!