Big hART’s Ngapartji Ngapartji is based in Arrernte country in Mparntwe (Alice Springs), a long way from Trevor Jamieson’s Spinifex country. The main stage theatre production explores themes of dispossession and displacement from country, home and family. We acknowledge the pain and the difficulties of all people living away from their homelands; and of Indigenous people across Australia in being forced to play host to so many people from other countries on their land.

The production is only a small part of a much broader project and community, which is ever-growing. This includes the Ninti website - ninti.ngapartji.org - an online place of language learning and cultural exchange with a national community of participants; and a long-term community development program which takes place in Alice Springs, Ernabella (SA) and Docker River (NT). A project of this magnitude requires years of research, relationship building, language learning, experimenting, and the ongoing development of trust. In exploring new terrain and pioneering different models of community development, language maintenance and theatre-making, Ngapartji Ngapartji is a fragile, demanding and dynamic project to be involved in.

Developing new models involves hard work and risks and is only possible in a supportive and positive context. With this in mind the Big hART team acknowledges the gift of the Jamieson family’s story, the generosity of the Pitjantjatjara community in sharing their language and culture, and the depth of commitment of all those working on the project.

- The Ngapartji Ngapartji team