Pizza in the Park
In the Age today, there’s a lovely, feel–good story about a council building a wood-fire pizza oven in the local park. Originally the idea of Narelle Vogel, the Albury City Council’s Cultural Development Officer, the oven opened last October, and appears to have been a great success.
So far, the wood-fired oven has been used at a number of community events. Money raised from selling the food at an outdoor screening of Kenny on Australia Day has been put towards food education classes where kids learned to cook their own pizzas and bread.
Feasting on food in the great outdoors has, not only had benefits for the stomach, but, has brought people together where 'Neighbours and strangers sit together and talk about the food they are cooking, their family and other community matters'.
Sure beats the humble BBQ in the park. |
Posted by Lisa at 4:52 PM
A Letter to the Natural History Museum
The National Indigenous Times (NIT) recently sent a letter to the British Natural History Museum asking for the location of the museum director, Michael Dixon’s, deceased relatives.
Dripping with sarcasm, the letter stated ‘Our intention is to locate a close relative of Mr. Dixon’s and apply for the body to be exhumed so that we can organize DNA testing for a variety of scientific and other reasons’.
To which the Natural History Museum replied:
‘I’m afraid I don’t think I’m going to be able to help you on this one. The Museum doesn’t actually hold records on the location of deceased kin of members of staff, and individual arrangements for organ donation are ultimately a personal matter’
As odd or even funny as these letters may seem, the issue is a very serious one. As the article in the NIT explains, the Natural History Museum is repatriating seventeen Tasmanian Indigenous people, but are conducting invasive scientific tests, before returning the remains.
The case has been taken to the British High Court by the Tasmanian Aboriginal Centre. According to this more recent article the case has been ‘adjourned pending mediation’.
To me, this is a matter of respect. Of course museums must conduct research, but not at the expense of the communities they serve. |
Posted by Lisa at 9:49 PM
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