SUGARLAND context

AFTER WATCHING THE VIDEO:

CONTEXT: CONTEXT: CONTEXT: CONTEXT:

The PlaceThe PlaceThe PlaceThe Place

Katherine is a town in Northern Territory 2

hours south of Darwin. Its population is made

up of 30 di#erent nationalities and the climate

is governed by a WET and a DRY season.

→WATCH: →WATCH: →WATCH: →WATCH:

SUGARLAND:THE PLACE

https://www.atyp.com.au/whats-on/

productions/sugarland

In this video you see some of the places where

the young people in Katherine hang out. These

have become the locations within the play:

Low Level, Hot Springs, the Skate Park, the

Footy Field, Maccas. Some of these locations

are unique to Katherine itself, others could be

in any town, anywhere in Australia.

YOU HAVE A GO:YOU HAVE A GO:YOU HAVE A GO:YOU HAVE A GO:

→ Have a think about the locations that

make up your life story.

→ Select 5 places and create a scene list

for your top 5 places. Flesh them out into

scene descriptions.

→ Draw a map of your locations.

→ In groups of 4 or 5 compare your scene

lists. Which ones do you have in

common? Which ones are di#erent?

→ As a group select 4

locations and create a

soundscape for each one.

→ Share with the class.

DISCUSS:DISCUSS:DISCUSS:DISCUSS:

→ Identify the things the young people

like about their town.

→ What are some of the challenges of

living in Katherine?

Katherine has the highest rate of

homelessness in Australia. Young people

aged 12 to 18 make up the largest age

group of people experiencing

homelessness in Australia.

→ How do you think the rate of

homelessness in Katherine a#ects

people’s sense of belonging and identity?

→ In groups of 4 create a tableau that

re@ects your discussion.

→ for tips about creating a soundscape go to www.atyp.com.au/education/online-resources

SUGARLAND: SUGARLAND: SUGARLAND: SUGARLAND:

BEHIND THE SCENESBEHIND THE SCENESBEHIND THE SCENESBEHIND THE SCENES



The PeopleThe PeopleThe PeopleThe People

The greater Katherine region has a

population of 24,000 people. How does that

compare to where you live?

60% of these people

identify themselves as

indigenous. The two largest

clans of Indigenous people in

Katherine are the Jawoyn

people and Wardaman people. You will End

saltwater, freshwater and desert people in

Katherine.

The Royal Australian Air Force RAAF base

Tindal is 15km out of town.


SUGARLAND:THE PEOPLE

https://www.atyp.com.au/whats-on/productions/sugarland


→ → → → Discuss the types of people that live in

Katherine how does this compare with where

you live?

→ → → → Identify the biggest issue for schools and

young people in the town.

A TRANSIENT POPULATION

The indigenous population and proximity

to the RAAF base contribute to Katherine

schools and the town having a transient

population. This means people come and

go, don't stay very long, attendance at

school @uctuates.

Why is the population transient?

RAAF families serve for short periods of

time in di#erent places. They may be

there for a year, three years or move on

after Eve. Families like this often become

the new faces in town, learn to adjust

quickly and are supported by other RAAF

families.

Indigenous people have a deep

connection to their families. If a family

member is in need that is where their

focus and responsibility will be. If there is

a death in the family, a sorry day, that is

the priority. School comes after these

community responsibilities. Thus the

perception at school is that the

indigenous population in Katherine seems

transient.

→ listen to our cast

and creatives

www.atyp.com.au



The PeopleThe PeopleThe PeopleThe People


→ As a class, stand in a semi circle. Place 4

or 5 people in the space in front of you.

Start with a nursery rhyme you all know eg

Ring a Ring a Rosey. Something with

actions works best. The group starts the

song and the actions.

→ At sudden intervals one person leaves the

group to join the semi circle. One person

from the semi circle joins the group.

→ Once you get the hang of it experiment

with altering the timing of when people join

and leave the game. Sometimes there is a

big gap where no one re-enters. Other times

there might be a big influx of people. How

do you adjust to the transient population in

the game?

REFLECT:

→ Discuss how the transient population

effected the game? How did you make

adjustments? When were things

particularly difficult?

→ How does this exercise reflect the

transient nature of the population in

Katherine? What would it be like to go to

school with different people coming and

going? How does this relate to your

school? How would this transience affect

your ability to put on a school production?

Do a group activity? Have a friendship

group? Know who you are and how you fit

in?

EXTENSION:

→ Have a go with a scene you have been

working on in class. Use a movement

improvisation. Use a series of tableau.

EXTENSION:

→ Build a scene around this idea of

transience. Think about the types of

characters you will use. How do they

connect with each other?

→ WRITING TASK: write about what it is

like to be the person always moving on.

The person having to make new friends,

adjust to new schools, new places. How

does it make you feel? What are your

coping mechanisms? Do you like always

moving or find it difficult? How do you find

a sense of self?


SUGARLAND:THE PEOPLE




The CultureThe CultureThe CultureThe Culture

What is it like to live in Katherine?

This Hip Hop video was created by the young

people in Katherine during the residencies run

by ATYP and Desert Pea Media in 2011.

Their lyrics give you some clues as to what it is

like to grow up in Katherine.

NZ to Iraq all corners of the map

We’re the East side South Side bringin it back

On the track on the mic

We about to drop these raps

Introducing the K Block G’s

This is the place the skate park and hot springs

Spot the big crocs in the river and drop things

Hip hop brings u a lesson of the land

Listen close to my @ow and you’ll understand .

. . . .

Truth is brother we all bleed red

From all corners of the map we bring it back see

Rappin on track like a lyrical factory

The fact be

Thru the wet and the dry

Everybody role together like clouds in the sky


REFLECT:REFLECT:REFLECT:REFLECT:

→ What do you like about the hip hop

video?

→ What does it tell you about the young

people in Katherine?


We'd love to hear what it is like living in

your town. Have a go at making your own

hip hop video that tells us about your life

and your town. Lyrics are all important in

this genre. Send us your lyrics, send us

your Elms! We'll feature the top clips on

our website alongside our own K BLOCK

G’s ‘It’s Thaa Life’


K BLOCK G’s”It’s Thaa Life”


→ BEFORE YOU SEE THE SHOW → BEFORE YOU SEE THE SHOW → BEFORE YOU SEE THE SHOW → BEFORE YOU SEE THE SHOW Listen to our cast and creative interviewed by radio national http://www.abc.net.au/radionational/programs/booksandartsdaily/darwin-festival3a-sugarland/5683078

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SUGARLAND context