Kuyata's Country
Audrey Kuyata Stewart is the last speaker of her language, Lower Southern Arrernte. Audrey's nephew, Richie Aitken, and his family travel from over 1000km away so that Audrey can pass on her knowledge of Country and language amidst the stunning and remote landscape of Oodnadatta.
Interview with Writer Audrey 'Kuyata' Stewart
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Thank you! I had always been thinking about telling my story, where I was born, where I grew up, and where I walked. I will never forget when I used to work at Macumba when I was 18. I loved where I grew up, I remember all the stories my mother told me and never forgot any of them. My mother used to take me out there and show Country, and I myself am really happy to show my Country and tell those stories, whatever was passed down to me. Not many people are interested in this, I’m sort of proud to show my Country. Not many people are interested, I am glad through this project I was able to make this film about my Country.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Most people live in cities, they don’t know the outback. I still live in a remote area and keep going back to visit Country. A lot of people who weren’t brought up on Country just don’t know what to look for. It’s really hard to tell other people not living on Country about these places.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
Language is tied to Arrernte Country. I’m the only one that speaks Lower Southern Arrernte language and I’m telling my story in this film. This is what we’re talking about, all our stories are connected to this place. Country connects these stories and Arrernte people.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
I just took them (Nicky - director, and Celeste - linguist) out on the Country, and the places we walked were where I walked - on the steam train stop, bush camps; we got to Country and where Aboriginal people lived. I think about this still, why did they live there? There were no shops or anything. It was because they loved their Country and I love going back to those areas and visiting and that’s what I did with Nicky and Celeste.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
<NB: The film has not yet been released. MDFF on 23rd June will be our world premiere>
People have been buzzing me and texting me asking me how to get tickets. My daughter and granddaughter have seen the film, you should ask my daughter what she thinks.
Judy: ‘It was wonderful! all the land that was showcased and the film showed how beautiful it all is. Mum’s interpretation of English and language was put beautifully together, just being able to share that with all the beautiful scenery - I could see myself through those stories. I sketch and put paint to canvas, Tjukurpa for me personally it’s a visual connection to manta and Tjukurpa. The filmmaker was able to showcase the scenery in its true depth. It was wonderful to see Mum there we had a bit of a giggle and it was just great to see the film both as her daughter and as an artist.
*Manta is land, earth. Tjukurpa means Dreaming Stories in Yankunytjatjara.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
For us knowledge is passed down from women to women across generations. It was passed on to my grandmother from my great-grandmother and to my mother from my grandmother. I’m doing the same thing with my daughter and granddaughter and I am glad to do it. One of my close friends since the 70s, from the cattle station days where we grew close, has bought tickets to watch the film with me!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I would like them to listen to it and to look at the Country and how I am connected to the country and learn from that. Learn about the problems of Aboriginal People and their stories. I want people to be happy and to feel connected (to Country) like I am. I was born and grew up there and am still proud to talk about Country and show my country and continue to do what my mother did, what my uncle did - I am just doing that.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
What I really want from this film is for people to learn more about these stories and the Country. Most people visiting Finke or Oodnadatta know only about the towns, people don’t know about the stories and their connections to different places. Every waterhole has a story connected, people need to look at the film and see that connection. I am passing that down.
Would you like to add anything else?
I have always told our stories to my daughters, I hope people can look at the film and see how as a Lower Southern Arrernte woman I am connected to Arrernte Country.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
Audrey 'Kuyata' Stewart is working with Paul Monaghan (Mobile Language Team manager) on a book based on stories of her life.
Nicola Bell is researching information for a documentary based on developmental disorders and the prison system while learning to make SFX prosthetics.
Celeste Humphris is working as a linguist in Darwin, Northern Territory.
Interview: July 2023
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Kuyata's Country
Audrey Kuyata Stewart is the last speaker of her language, Lower Southern Arrernte. Audrey's nephew, Richie Aitken, and his family travel from over 1000km away so that Audrey can pass on her knowledge of Country and language amidst the stunning and remote landscape of Oodnadatta.
Length: 23:53
Director: Nicola Bell
Producer: Celeste Humphris and Nicola Bell
Writer: Audrey 'Kuyata' Stewart
About the writer, director and producer:
NICOLA BELL is a stills photographer and drummer who holds a lifelong love of learning languages (and alliteration!) She first turned her camera to motion when a trip to visit a linguist friend in a remote Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory led to working with local community members and the Ngukurr Language Centre to document some of the area's endangered languages. Nic has since worked on several short documentaries in critically endangered languages, all of which have been selected for festivals, including the American Documentary and Animation Film Festival, Flickerfest, and the Melbourne Documentary Film Festival.
AUDREY STEWART is a Lower Arrernte and Wankangurru woman. Born in Aparlakert (Macumba Station), AUDREY grew up speaking Lower Southern Arrernte, a language that is no longer in common use, with her family, as well as Wangkangurru. While some of Audrey's family understand some Lower Southern Arrernte, she is the only remaining speaker of the language. When she was eleven years old, Audrey and her family moved to Oodnadatta, where she predominantly spoke Yankunytjatjara with other Anangu, and English at school. Audrey is a spokesperson for Dunjiba Community and has been involved in the maintenance and preservation of her language for a number of years. She wants her language to get 'back on track' and has run Lower Southern Arrernte language lessons at the local school. She also likes to paint what she sees on Country, capturing different plants and animals.
CELESTE HUMPHRIS is a Darwin-based linguist who has worked with Aboriginal language communities across South Australia and the Northern Territory. Audrey and Celeste have been working together since 2015 on projects aiming to revitalise Audrey's language, Lower Southern Arrernte.
Audrey's nickname for Celeste is Arrkwetye-arerte ('crazy lady').
Key cast: Audrey 'Kuyata' Stewart, Richard Aitken
Looking for: journalists, film festical directors
Instagram: @nicolabell_pictures
Hashtags used: #kuyata #kuyatascountry #kuyata'scountry #mobilelanguageteam #arrernte #lowersouthernarrernte
Other: Vimeo
Made in association with: MLT (Mobile Language Team)
Funders: Yitpi Foundation, Mobile Language Team
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
Melbourne Documentary Film Festival / Melbourne, Australia - Sunday 23rd July 2023
(Keep an eye out for other film festivals!)