I snapped David marching with his mob just as they turned from Botany Road into Redfern Street. He had agreed to the shot but suddenly became shy. As you can see from his shirt, David is a member of Babana, Aboriginal Men's Group, Redfern. Seeing this shirt around the traps sent me to find out what this is about.
Babana means 'Brother' in the Dharuk language.BABANA was formed by local Aboriginal men in early 2006 to provide Aboriginal men with opportunities to network, discuss issues affecting local men, meet other Aboriginal men’s groups and do projects which benefit the Redfern-Waterloo community. The vision of this Aboriginal men's group is 'Support, enable and empower’ Aboriginal men and their families in their community.
7 comments:
It was tempting to put this in B&W except that I needed the colours of the t-shirt.
Remember how nervous I was photographing Aborigines at the beginning of this project. It has shown me the personal side of them: individuals rather than a race. That can only be good.
That's really interesting about the men's group. Shame he wouldn't look around. I guess its teaching us to approach people as people. There are still people I feel too nervous to approach, Aborigines because I'm not familiar enough with them and feel I would be exploiting them, which you have now overcome, and the homeless for the same reason.
The homeless is a tricky one. I have taken one shot, ages ago, and that was totally candid. The issue with the homeless and beggars is do I pay? If alcohol is the issue, do I pay?
If someone is busking I have no issue with paying. But there are guys who play the didge outside Redfern Station. Are they buskers or beggars? There is a guy who plays guitar and sings outside RS (they seem to alterate in a pattern I cannot pick!). Is he a busker or a beggar?
I would never consider a mentally handicapped person as a subject as I dont think they have the capacity ot know what i am asking. A physically handicapped person is different: although a challenge to justify.
Lots of ethical issues in all this ...
Did you sort out the WEA course?
Forgot to look at home ... but the website agrees with you: we start next Thursday May 14.
Now I want to know how my head and my diary thought it was the week following. They sent it to me on paper so (if I remember) I will look it up.
Otherwise, I will see you at the WEA next Thursday 7:30 - 9:30
umm ... duh ... my paperwork says that I stuffed up! The course does indeed start this Thursday at 7:30pm. Looking forward to it ... anything to get off P and to find out how to use that little wheel thing on the top of the camera ...
Me too - I'm terrified of that little wheel. I can do one or the other, compose a decent shot or play with the wheel, not both.
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