 |
 |
|
|
RECONCILIATION 99
GETTING IT RIGHT
Read the Story
of the
Rainbow Serpent
Parade Pix, courtesy of Simon McGill 1999
Sydney Gay and Lesbian
Mardi Gras Parade
Reconciliation Pics
taken by Garry C
See our float live at
you can also see highlights of the
1998 parade including last year's
reconciliation float at the Netcast site!
FEBRUARY 27
Thanks for your interest in Black + White + Pink's Reconciliation Float for the Mardi Gras Parade 1999.
This site contains some basic information about the who we are and what the float is all about, how you can be involved, how you can stay in contact with us and important dates and times. The site will updated as more information comes to hand.
Last minute - Parade Entrant Information
Click here for more news (latest update: 19th February 1999)
NEW
We have had to change the dates for the Parade Briefings.
THE BRIEFING DATES ARE
WEDNESDAY 24TH FEBRUARY AND
THURSDAY 25TH FEBRUARY 1999,
6.00 -7.00pm
despite what we told everybody at Fair Day!
The venue is confirmed to be at the PRIDE Centre, 26 Hutchinson St, Surry Hills.
(click for map location of PRIDE Centre)If you have a problem getting to either of these dates/times, try to arrange someone to pick up your parade entry pass for you. If that is impossible, contact Garry or Liza-Mare at the AVP by email or telephone: 9360 6687 or fax: 9380 5848 and make an arrangement.
Last Mardi Gras Workshop day, Saturday 20th February: 1pm to 5pm
Mardi Gras Street Address
Crn of Gowrie St and Erskineville Road Erskineville
(Big White Building opposite the BP Petrol Station)
(click for map location of Mardi Gras workshop)Who is BLACK + WHITE + PINK?
B+W+P is a group of volunteers who have come together around a range of projects over the last two years concerned with Reconciliation specifically in the queer community in Sydney. B+W+P are connected to the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Anti-Violence Project (AVP) who act as a secretariat for us.
The aim of Black and White and Pink (B+W+P) is to keep Reconciliation between Indigenous people and non Indigenous people on the agenda of queer community in Sydney.
B+W+P were recently awarded a state Reconciliation award for some of the work we have done. Some of our projects have included working with the Sydney Star Observer on the 1998 Survival Day 1998 and hosting the "Harmony : An Afternoon of Reconciliation" Forum.
Why a Reconciliation Float For The Mardi Gras Parade?
Last year 'Queers 4 Reconciliation' organised the inaugural Reconciliation Float in which approximately 300 people participated. The central feature of the Float was a Goanna built by the Nindethana Aboriginal Project in Moree and artists from Mardi Gras. The float was an enormous success both with the crowd and with the participants..
B+W+P believe that it is important to keep the issue of Reconciliation on the queer communities agenda and believe that the Mardi Gras Parade is an excellent opportunity for this to happen. More importantly the process of putting this float together is a wonderful example of people coming together with a common goal whilst having a bit of fun.
One of the main reasons that last years float was so successful was the critical mass of Indigenous people involved. In fact for the Reconciliation float to be successful, the involvement of Indigenous people in all aspects of the float, from putting it together, to marching on the night , is of critical importance
Consequently, Black + White + Pink is working with both the queer Indigenous community here in Sydney through organisations such as Mardi Gras and ACON, and the wider Indigenous community - to seek their support and partnership in the float.
As well we have invited people from Indigenous organisations such as the National Council for Reconciliation, ATSIC (NSW), The Aboriginal Land Council, AnTar, Wik-Ed, the NSW State Reconciliation Committee, the Eora Center and many others. Most importantly we are extending an invitation to the Indigenous Elders of Sydney to lead the float.
We hope that this years float can match the exuberance and excitement of last year's float. Of course this is dependent on us organising things well as well as the involvement of people like you.
Who Can March in the Parade?
Anyone who is supportive of the principles of Reconciliation and has an understanding of the gay and lesbian community can march in the Float.
The Mardi Gras Parade is a chance for the gay people of Sydney and Australia to celebrate our identity. However, Black + White + Pink and Mardi Gras recognise that Reconciliation is something that involves gay people and extends beyond the gay community. So it doesn't matter if you are gay or straight or bi, black or white or pink, able or disabled - if you believe Reconciliation is important to support then come along.
We would particularly like to invite children to march in the Float with us (although depending on how young you are, you may have to have a parent with you!).
The Rainbow Serpent
Last year the Nindethana Aboriginal Project in Moree invited Mardi Gras artists to work with them building a Reconciliation Float using the Goanna Totem. Indigenous people of Moree contacted Mardi Gras again this year to offer the Rainbow Serpent that they had built as part of the Parade. Mardi Gras contacted Black + White + Pink and the rest is history.
The reason for the Rainbow Serpent being built was to celebrate the recognition of the cultural significance of Boobera Lagoon, resting place of Garriya, the Rainbow Serpent to the Toomelah community in the north of New South Wales. The Rainbow Serpent is 17m by 1.5m and is made of wood and chicken wire and muslin painted in rainbow colours. It takes about 8 - 10 people to carry it. It is expected that Indigenous people from Moree will come down to Sydney and carry the Serpent and participate in the Float.
We hope to have the Rainbow Serpent with us in Sydney a couple of weeks before the Parade. The Rainbow Serpent is intended to be the central feature of the float and we hope to construct the rest of the float around this theme.
Other Components of the Float
We hope to have a number of other components of the Reconciliation Float. We are relying on people to tell us their ideas for the float so don't be shy - let us know your creative ideas and how we might include them.
At this stage the ideas we have include:
Heading the Float:
We have invited Elders from Sydney's inner city community to lead the float.
SEA OF HANDS:
The SEA of HANDS is a recognised symbol of Reconciliation in Australia. Last year people who participated in the float carried HANDS that they decorated themselves. People were given a number of opportunities (Mardi Gras workshop and Fair Day) to decorate their HANDS. We intend to have people carrying their HANDS as the walking group of the Float. This was the largest component of the Float last year and we expect that to the case this year as well.Letters in Sticks:
We hope to construct out of styrofoam letters spelling out "RECONCILIATION" and possibly "BLACK + WHITE + PINK". We would need people to help make and decorate and carry these letters.
Colour Theme:
Everybody to wear something coloured black or white or pinkHow Can You Be Involved in the Float?
There are a number of ways in which you can be involved in the Float:
Being part of the organising teams putting the float together. These teams will each have a coordinator and range from activities from fundraising to organising volunteers, helping out when we have days at the Mardi Gras workshop and the Bump Out Team (putting everything away at the end of the parade).
Walking and carrying the decorated HANDS (this is the way most people were involved in last years Float)
Walking and carrying one of the letters on the sticks (may need a couple of practice sessions before the parade)
Helping with the Rainbow Serpent (probably involves assisting the people carrying the Rainbow Serpent)
Helping out at the Fair Day Stall - planning and putting the staff together, handing out information, assisting people to register for the float, collecting signatures for the citizens petition, assisting people to decorate their HANDS
Bump Out Team - this group of people of people are responsible for getting everything packed up and put away when the parade finishes - its a big job but somebody has to do it!!
Odd jobs: creating anything this size means that there will always be a heap of odd jobs.
Along with this information pack you will receive a registration form which asks you for your contact details and boxes to tick for the areas you are interested in or can help with.
How Do I Stay In Contact and Get Information
This year Liza-Mare Syron from the AVP and Garry Convery are co-ordinating participants registration forms and helping to disseminate information about important dates and times associated with the Float.
There are a number of reasons that we need people to fill in registration forms:
Help us coordinate where people want to be in the Float
Work out what skills people have to offer
Provides us with contact details so that we can get information to youThere are a number of ways in which you can stay in contact:
The Lesbian and Gay Anti-Violence Project:
Room 6 Level 1
94 Oxford Street
Darlinghurst 2010
tel: 9360 6687
fax: 9380 5848
email: avp@eagles.bbs.net.au
Garry Convery will be in the AVP Office Mon, Wed, Fri, 3:00pm - 4:00pmCome to the weekly meetings at
Gay and Lesbian Rights Lobby
Room 4 Level 1
94 Oxford Street St
Darlinghurst 2010
6pm on Wednesdays (unless otherwise advised)Bookmark this web site, and keep coming back! http://reconciliation.queer.org.au/mg99.htm
Financial Contribution
We hope to have the majority of the cost of putting the float together to be met by money that B + W + P have already raised and sponsorship from organisations.
We have also decided to ask people participating in the float to contribute five to ten dollars depending on what you can afford. We will be collecting this money at the briefing sessions to be held in the week before the Parade when we hand out the Parade passes.
In making a decision to ask for a financial contribution we were aware that not everybody will be able to make a contribution. This will not exclude you from participating in the float.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
MEETING DATES:
EVERY WEDNESDAY
GAY AND LESBIAN RIGHTS LOBBY
ROOM 4 / LEVEL ONE
94 OXFORD STREET
DARLINGHURST 2010AVP PH) 02 9360 6687 bh
E-MAIL) avp@eagles.bbs.net.auMARDI GRAS WORKSHOP DAYS:
There are three workshop dates at the Mardi Gras Workshop in Erskineville. We will be making and decorating the HANDS, making and decorating the letters spelling out "Reconciliation" and "Black + White + Pink" as well as making decorations for other parts of the float.
1) Saturday January 30th: 1pm to 5pm
2) Saturday 6th February: 1pm to 5pm
3) Saturday 20th February: 1pm to 5pmMardi Gras Street Address
Crn of Gowrie St and Erskineville Road Erskineville
(Big White Building opposite the BP Petrol Station)It is very important to attend one of the two Parade Briefing Meetings as we will be handing out the Parade Passes which you will need to get into the Parade area on the night. Without these passes you may be denied access to the Parade Marshalling area. We will also be giving out last minute details on the Float and anything else that we need to let people know about.
1) Wednesday 24th February: 6 to 7.30pm
2) Thursday 25th February : 6 to 7.30pmWe can confirm the venue to be at the Pride Centre, 26 Hutchinson St, Surry Hills
If you cannot make either of these nights please try and organise with a friend or someone you know who is able to attend to pick up the pass on your behalf.
STAY TUNED TO THE WEBSITE FOR UPDATES ON FLOAT INFORMATION.
IF YOU WANT TO TALK TO SOMEONE YOU CAN POP INTO OR RING THE ANTI-VIOLENCE PROJECT ON MONDAY WEDNESDAYS AND FRIDAYS BETWEEN 3PM AND 4PM.
BLACK + WHITE + PINK WANT THE RECONCILIATION FLOAT TO BE THE BIGGEST FLOAT THAT THE MARDI PARADE HAS SEEN. TELL ALL YOUR FRIENDS AND FAMILY TO COME ALONG AND HELP US CELEBRATE RECONCILIATION MARDI GRAS STYLE.
WHAT'S INDIGENOUS AT
THE 1999 GAY AND LESBIAN MARDI GRAS FESTIVAL?
The story of the 1998 Queer for Reconciliation float
See our float live at
you can also see highlights of the
1998 parade including last year's
reconciliation float at the Netcast site!
