About
Message Stick is a half hour TV program about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lifestyles, culture and issues. It features profile stories, interviews, video clips, short films and cooking segments and provides a slot where special half hour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander documentaries can be shown. It allows Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians to tell their stories in their own way.
The program delivers articulate, contemporary human stories from around the country and features engaging, inspirational local characters. It gives our audience intimate access to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lifestyles, perspectives and aspirations.
Five key full time staff work in the IPU, four of whom are Aboriginal. Message Stick is also hosted by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Our current presenter is Miriam Corowa. Past presenters have included Rachael Maza, Kelrick Martin, Deborah Mailman, Aden Ridgeway and Trisha Morton-Thomas.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander filmmakers from around the country are also employed by the IPU on a freelance basis to produce stories. Over the years many talented freelance writers, producers and directors have worked in the unit helping to give expression to an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspective on our television screens.
History of the Indigenous Programs Unit
The Indigenous Programs Unit (IPU) was established by the ABC, in 1987, with the
objective of becoming a centre of excellence for production of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
television in Australia. It is based at the ABC's Ultimo studios in Sydney.
During that time, the IPU has produced a number of stand out programs. Blackout was the longest running
magazine show. It was followed by Kam Yan (meaning "come yarn" in Creole) and the music series Songlines.
Its most current program is Message Stick.
In the past, the IPU also broadcasted and supervised the National Indigenous Documentary Fund - a series
of half hour films on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander issues, people and lifestyles. Many of these
documentaries have won awards including Bush Mechanics, which collected an AFI Award for best Concept.
The Mob
For the Program:
- Presenter - Miriam Corowa
- ABC Producers - Grant Saunders and Miriam Corowa
- Freelance Producers - Richard Frankland, Rima Tamou, Douglas Watkin, Pauline Clague, Penny Smallacombe
- Researcher/Associate Producer - Justin Pooley, Jane Cameron, Pearl Davern
- Editor - Danielle Akayan, Robert Kabel
- Graphics - Jane Prince
- Production Assistant - Natasha Lawrence & Nellie Pollard
- Producers' Assistant - Delia Bell
- Production Supervisor - Sacha Gregson
- Head of Factual – Jennifer Collins
- Production Manager – Mags Scholes
- Executive Producer - Susan Moylan-Coombs
- Series Producer – Michael Carey
For the Website:
- Information Design - Briony Williamson
- Design - Sharon Lee
- Website Developer - Warren Armstrong
- Website Coordinator (IPU): Natasha Lawrence & Nellie Pollard
- Website Producer - Majhid Heath
- Executive Producer – Stephanie Salter, Susan Moylan-Coombs
- The Talking Sticks Crew
