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Karla Grant presents: Tayamangajirri

NITV doco shows how Tiwi Islanders are working to keep their kids safe.

On NITV’s Karla Grant presents next week is a documentary about how Tiwi Islanders are working to keep their kids safe.

Directed by Charmaine Ingram, a Yidinji woman from Cairns, produced by Sally Ingleton and narrated by Tiwi Island actor Rob Collins (Glitch, Cleverman), this was funded through a special initiative of NITV and Screen territory to support emerging Indigenous filmmakers.

Director Charmaine Ingram, says: “It was important to me to show how Aboriginal leaders and families care about their kids and their kids’ education.”

Producer Sally Ingleton says, “Most Australians will never have the chance to visit the Tiwi Islands or a remote community. But thanks to NITV audiences will get the chance to see a really insightful and surprising story about how the Tiwi Islanders are grappling with similar issues to many parents when it comes to education and managing their kids use of mobile phones and social media.”

The film was shot on lands belonging to the Tiwi people 
and post produced on lands belonging to the Larrakia nation.

Set in Wurrumiyanga on the Tiwi Islands, Tayamangajirri takes a glimpse into the world of a dedicated team of Tiwi Islanders who work around the clock to keep the local kids safe.

Tayamangajirri means “we look after each other” and in this half hour doco made for NITV we see just how much the community plays a role in the town of Wurrumiyanga. The show follows patrollers Janey Puautjimi and Camilla Timaepatua as they work through the night to ensure that the local kids
 are off the streets by 9pm and ready for school the next day. We also see Nilus Vigona at work – he’s from the school attendance strategy team – also known as the “yellow shirt mob”. Even in the small community there are a lot of distractions, none less than the common struggle facing parents everywhere – how to get their kids off their phones?

Janey, Camilla and Nilus are proud to teach the next generation culture, history and lore, and encourage them to get an education so these young people will step up as future Tiwi leaders.

Production Credits: Tayamangajirri is produced by 360 Degree Films in association with Native Bird Media for NITV. Major production investment from Screen Australia and NITV. Financed with assistance from assistance of Screen Territory.

Monday, 28 October at 8.30pm on NITV

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