Unfortunately this is not an online seminar as previously
advertised due to circumstances beyond our control
GUEST SPEAKER: MADELYN VAN RIJCKEVORSEL
Madelyn van Rijckevorsel, a Medical Health Professional from the Netherlands, visited West Papua regularly between 2010 and 2017 researching maternal and child healthcare. She reports her findings, as well as the legal and sociopolitical roots of the conflict between West Papuans and the Indonesian State in Papua in sight, Barriers and Beyond (2023).
Madelyn’s family is steeped in Dutch history and the Netherlands colonial story in Indonesia and West Papua
Papua in sight, Barriers and Beyond by Madelyn van Rijckevorsel can be bought at the West Papua Women’s Office in Docklands, or through the office online store at https://westpapuawomensoffice.square.site
MEMORIAL FOR LORNA ARCHER
Usually our Open Day Memorials are for West Papuan heroes and martyrs. However, this memorial is for Lorna Archer, the kind patron and generous benefactor of the West Papua Women’s Office since it opened in 2014. With Rev. Dr Robert Stringer, Lorna’s friend and confidente, who accompanied her on a memorable trip to West Papua in 2018, and the West Papua Community Choir.
DR JOE’S WORLD FAMOUS AUCTION
Proceeds from Dr Joe Toscano’s Auction go to the West Papua Rent Collective, a galaxy of luminous Australians who support the West Papuans’ right of self-determination and pay the rent on their office in Docklands. For this auction, renowned woodsman David McKenzie has crafted this table-with-a-secret-drawer from reclaimed old-growth teak. (Teak is a now-rare tropical hardwood with a patina prized by dendrophiles all over the world). David also made the stylish, decorative stool (not for sitting on) with a cute concrete top embedded with red, blue, and white found-objects in honour of the West Papuans independence movement.
David McKenzie’s notes on the history of the table-with-a-secret-drawer
My grandfather worked at The Australian Jam Factory for 65 years, from the age of 11 to 76. He started picking up fruit that fell out of the crates, and ended up running the entire lines in the South Yarra factory. In the 1970s, the AJF was sold to IXL, and he was allowed to take what he wanted. He knew that I wanted to be a carpenter so he took the workers’ smoko table and bench seats (that was probably made in the 1890’s). In the 1980’s my mum had it done up, and I got one of the bench seats.
My father-in-law was a volunteer for the Dandenong Show Society for well over 50 years and Secretary for 15 years. Twenty years ago, after a big clean up, there were pews left behind by a Masonic Society that used the show grounds for their meetings. My Father-in-law saw the value in these pews and got them for me.
In a Council kerbside throw-out last year, I spotted a chest of drawers made of Teak. While I was looking at it the owner’s son came out and told me it was his mother’s. She made it in the 1950’s.
On construction sites there are signs everywhere telling you what you can and cannot put in the skip. Some are made of tin. WThat’s what the draw is made of.
