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Walking Without Feet – Đi Không Chân Strength thru Community, Power thru Art August 08-09, 2003 Footscray Community Arts Centre, Australia
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Artists
Co-writer & Director: Dominic Golding Co-writer & Performer: Ty Andre Production Co-ordinator: Huu Tran Dramaturge: Tony Le-Nguyen Movement: Anna Schlusser & Myphuong Nguyen Painting: Van Rudd Pottery: Julia Pickwick Lighting: Christie Walton Video Projection: Yen Nguyen Music: Anh-Dung Nguyen Designer: Mai Ly Video Artist/performer: Rad Rudd Audio: Neil Ta Photographer: David Johns |
Participants:
Tony Phong Huynh Tuan Hon Tran Phu Du Que Thi Cong Hong Bui Thanh Mai Quyen Thu Thi Linh Tran Thi Bui Nga Do Rad Rudd
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Support Committee:
Elizabeth McGarry David Everist Bridget Monro Naomi C.K. Ngo |
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Naomi C.K. Ngo Coordinator - VCA-Vic Chapter
The issue of disability in the Vietnamese-Australian Community is not well understood and is severely stigmatised that it has made Vietnamese-Australians with disabilities and their lives invisible. This project, although short term, has set the foundation for development of further initiatives and work on the issue of disability by the Vietnamese community for its members. Therefore, the VCA/Vic wishes to congratulate the Department of Human Services for this initiative and thank the Department for its support.
Walking Without Feet is a community disability arts and theatre project that is managed by the Vietnamese Community in Australia - Victoria Chapter (VCA/Vic) and implemented by the Australian Vietnamese Youth Media (AVYM). The project aims to empower and connect Vietnamese young adults with disabilities and their families through the creative arts to enhance their sense of optimism and belonging in the Vietnamese and wider communities. The project also attempts to use the performing arts to raise understanding about the issues of disabilities in Vietnamese families.
Furthermore, this project has forged meaningful partnerships and working relationships with relevant organisations, namely the Australian Vietnamese Youth Media, Footscray Community Arts Centre, Inner Western Region MRC and Department of Human Services.
VCA/Vic wishes to thank these organisations for their generous and valuable support, as well as all the young people and their families, who participated in the project and have opened up their lives to all of us.
Marion Crooke Director - Footscray Community Arts Centre
Through the work of Footscray Community Arts Centre, professional artists and members of the community are encourage to freely exercise their creative talents in a climate that encourages excellence, participation and innovation and celebrates the diversity of cultures of the Western Region of Melbourne. The centre is a supportive place where people can be nurtured and grow through their own creativity.
The innovative Australian Vietnamese Youth Media has been auspice by the Centre since its founding in 1994 by Tony Le-Nguyen as a unique arts program for young Vietnamese-Australians. Tony came to the Centre seeking to encourage young Vietnamese to develop and express their creativity. Chay Vong Vong-Running in Circles written by Tony Le-Nguyen, explored the life of a refugee and his family, newly arrived in Australia and featured Vietnamese music and in both languages. Tony continued to organise a number of highly successful Dem Lieu Mang (Night Risking Lives) in schools in the Region. AVYM went on to develop and perform Aussie Bia Om at Victorian Trades Hall in 2001 to capacity audiences. The Viet Boys from Down Under at La Mama in the Nextwave Festival and Banana Strip in 2002. AVYM also produced short films and CDs giving expression to young Vietnamese-Australians.
Walking Without Feet features music, visual and performing arts which participants were able to access at the Centre. The final project is the culmination of an extensive community development process and the creative expression of a diverse and talented group.
FCAC is pleased to be supporting young artists from Vietnamese backgrounds like Huu Tran, Dominic Golding and facilitating an innovative community project.
Participants & Artists’ Notes
Dominic Golding Co-writer/Director
As an artist and a member of the community we need to understand those who feel isolated, and have the need to be counted as people, not just a statistic. Walking Without Feet is about using art practice to enable Vietnamese Australian young people with disabilities to express themselves.
Walking Without Feet has been a journey for me as I rediscovered the need for stronger communities. This means we have to make an effort to break down barriers and the stigma of disabilities in the Vietnamese and Australian society. Cultural barriers for to long has been used as an excuse, to explain the lack of understanding and recognition of a few in such need. Through this project the Walking Without Feet participants have explored many art forms, from theatre, pottery, taking photos, dancing, making music, going to the zoo and Luna Park, and showing us that through their art they are telling us many stories.
Huu Tran Artistic Director
I told Dominic that the one and the only chance to understand about Vietnamese culture, you must be Vietnamese or you have a very close Vietnamese friend. Because most Vietnamese tend to hide their feelings, avoid conflicts and reject confrontation, in order to avoid hurting or embarrassing anyone. For example, a 'Yes' may not only be a positive answer, but could also be a polite reply used to avoid hurting the feelings of the interlocutor. The Vietnamese usually smile when they do not want to answer an embarrassing question or when they do not want to offend the interlocutor. They will also smile when scolded by a person senior in age or status to show that they still respect the person scolding and do not hold any grudge.
I am sure Dominic understood what I meant by now, especially during three months working tirelessly with these young people and their families. Once again I want to thank Dominic, the young people and their families for giving me a chance to reflect my Vietnamese before I forget how wonderful of being Vietnamese.
Walking Without Feet will be an unforgettable experience for and all of us.
Ty Andre Co-writer / Performer
I started off as a disabled orphan boy, and was then evacuated to Australia by American and Australian soldiers in 1975. I was adopted out to an English family, then to an Australian one, but none of those situations worked, so I was relocated to a halfway house.
It was a very hard road, particularly because I couldn't speak English. During the day time, I went to school, and in the evenings, I would attend night school to re-qualify in electronics. Fortunately enough, I had managed to get work in several different factories. The money I earned, paid for my rent, bills, food, clothes and the rest, I sent to Vietnam to help the three orphanages where I used to live. With my knowledge of electronics I then became involved in working as a projectionist for the theatre and film industry. As well as repairing and servicing projectors and cameras, I became a cameraman, and spent 2 years sailing around the Pacific, living with the Aborigines, camel-catching in the outback, editing documentaries and being responsible for sound effects.
I then settled down in Adelaide, where I began writing my autobiography "On My Brothers' Shoulders", as well as the accompanying documentary, "Return to the Mission in the Mekong Delta" All of these achievements, I have done confined to a wheelchair. Life has never been dull for me, and never will be!.
Tony Huynh Phong Performer I like to go out is what I like about being part of this group. Doing painting and sorting out photos. I want a wife, get married. Been in Australia 20 years, I go to Rosamond Special School where I do work experience, wash cars, cut grass. With the project, I'd like to do it again, do a show, a different show with the group, go out, somewhere and do it again.
Tuan Hon Tran Performer With this group it's fun, like a community, you have like chats. I liked the monkeys, I like the zoo, you see animals, I enjoy it, its special. I have hobbies like martial arts and driving around cars, I'm very happy I've got my Ps. Luna Park, it was fun going on rides like the roller coaster, I wasn't scared.
Been in Australia for 20 years, born in 1981. Taking photos, I'd like to develop more photography skills. I still work at Stanford Factory in Braybrook- it's ok. I'm red belt, id like to get black belt, but taekwando in St. Albans and Sunshine is closed. It's really hard to find a personal trainer, I've been training for six years.
Phu Du Performer Oh, yeah ok, ok. I live in two homes. A house during the week with my carers and at home on the weekends. I live in Braybrook, I like painting and drinking Coke a Cola.
Que Thi Cong Hong Performer Everything we do in group is very good. I liked the butterflies at the Zoo, the boat ride, the first ride I liked the most at Luna Park. I’m on holidays so I go to the movies, I like painting, I want to be an artist. With this group I liked the excursions and like to do more.
Bui Thanh Mai Quyen Performer I like everything, I liked the dodgem cars at Luna Park. I work in Go-Lo in Sunshine, I like everything. I’m working there for three weeks. I’d still like to be involved in this group.
Thu Thi Linh Tran Performer My name is Thu. I came to Australia 10 years ago. Currently I live with my mother. I go to Brimbank College, specifically for disabled students. I have learnt cooking, computer skills, cleaning and gardening.
I got involved with this group about 3 months. I’ve learned pottery, taking photo and painting. I wish to continue to work and play with this group. I like lots of different things. I like pottery arts work. I encourage my friends to get involved with this program. I would like a gardening program.
In future, I want to learn knitting, I have just begun knitting but my teacher got sick, therefore, I have to stop. I have just knitted only half of my jumper. |
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