''Message Stick'' was an Australian television series about Aboriginal and

Torres Strait Islander Torres Strait Islanders ( ) are the Indigenous Melanesians, Melanesian people of the Torres Strait Islands, which are part of the state of Queensland, Australia. Ethnically distinct from the Aboriginal Australians, Aboriginal peoples of the res ...

lifestyles, culture and issues.

History

The weekly half-hour show began screening in 1999 on ABC Television. It featured profile stories, interviews, video clips, short films and cooking segments. The last show went to air in July 2012. Presenters included Aden Ridgeway (from July 2006), Miriam Corowa, Rachael Maza, Kelrick Martin,

Deborah Mailman Deborah Jane Mailman (born 14 July 1972) is an Australian television and film actress, and singer. Mailman is best known for her characters: Parliament of Australia, MP Alexandra "Alex" Irving on the Australian political drama series ''Total Co ...

, and Trisha Morton-Thomas.

Selected episodes

* "Bill's Wake" (2001) – About the wake held by

Bill Neidjie Big Bill Neidjie ( – 23 May 2002), nicknamed "Kakadu Man", was the last surviving speaker of the Gaagudju language, an Aboriginal Australian language from northern Kakadu, after which Kakadu National Park is named. He was an elder of the ...

, a

traditional owner Native title is the set of rights, recognised by Australian law, held by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander groups or individuals to land that derive from their maintenance of their traditional laws and customs. These Aboriginal title right ...

of Kakadu, while he was still alive *"Wayne’s World" (2005) – focusing on actor/director Wayne Blair *"Stephen Hagan" (Sunday 29 January 2006, 1.30 pm) – Aboriginal activist and former diplomat Stephen Hagan is interviewed about his campaign to have an offensive word removed from a

Toowoomba Toowoomba ( ), nicknamed 'The Garden City' and 'T-Bar', is a city on the border of South East Queensland and Darling Downs regions of Queensland, Australia. It is located west of Queensland's capital, Brisbane. The urban population of Toowoom ...

sports stadium. *"Giving Voice" (Sunday 8 November 2009, 1:30pm) – about the

Northern Territory National Emergency Response The Northern Territory National Emergency Response, also known as "The Intervention" or the Northern Territory Intervention, and sometimes the abbreviation "NTER" (for Northern Territory Emergency Response) was a package of measures enforced by ...

, featuring Bob Randall.''Message Stick'', Giving Voice
/ref> *"Spinifex Man" (2009), featuring actor, writer, director, dancer and musician Trevor Jamieson, interviewed by cinematographer Allan Collins

References

External links

* * (Episodes available to purchase) {{Authority control Australian Broadcasting Corporation original programming 1999 Australian television series debuts 2000s Australian television series 2010s Australian television series Indigenous Australian television series Food travelogue television series Bushfood