Pormpuraaw Indigenous Knowledge Centre
By Indigenous Services | 25 November 2022
The Pormpuraaw IKC was the seventh IKC to open in 2002, the last for the year. The Pormpuraaw Aboriginal Shire Council (PASC) owns and operates the IKC in partnership with State Library of Queensland. In 2019, PASC requested support from State Library to assist with refurbishing the space to create a more modern library environment for the community. The project was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic, however in February 2021 it was reopened for community use.
Pormpuraaw Indigenous Knowledge Centre after the refurbishment in February 2021
Over the years, the IKC has partnered with State Library and other stakeholders to deliver various programs and projects which include Cape Treasures, Deadly Digital Communities and First 5 Forever.
Kaangkan Brothers animation
In 2012, the community participated in the Culture Love project, which was a partnership between PASC, State Library, and Arts Queensland. The project led to the Kaangkan Brothers animation. The animation was developed over a five-day ‘Culture Love’ event in Pormpuraaw, in November 2012. Elders shared this traditional story about respect and discipline with the children and young people of their community. The children then illustrated the characters and scenes. Visiting artists and animators worked with the community to record the narration in English and Mungkan languages and to animate the characters using stop motion techniques. Participants were delighted with the results, with nine-year-old Tara describing the experience as "awesome".
Here is the The Kaangkan Brothers – A story from Pormpuraaw.
The Kaangkan Brothers – A story from Pormpuraaw
Cape Treasures
This story is part of the Cape Treasures collection which explores the interconnectedness of Country and Place, People, Identity and Culture of the Aboriginal cultures of Cape York. The Cape Treasures collection compliments the 2011 publication: Island Treasures: Torres Strait children share stories.
Exploring the collection
If you’d like to explore some of State Library’s collection items relating to Pormpuraaw, we have a few suggestions in the links below:
Images
Articles
Looking at the landscape from the air can tell you a lot but there is nothing better than driving on bush tracks and dirt roads, if you really want to get to know a place. Sid Bruce Short Joe and his friend and mentor, American artist and art centre manager, Paul Jakubowski invited Andrea and me to visit the Art Centre at Pormpuraaw.
In 2002, the first Indigenous Knowledge Centres (IKCs) were developed in partnership with Aboriginal Community and Island Councils across Queensland. Seven IKCs were opened in 2002 with many more to follow over the years.
This year thirteen Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Shire and Regional Councils will celebrate the role their IKCs play in their communities as libraries, meeting places, hubs and keeping places.
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