5 September 2005
Shadow puppetry exponent and Monash Asia Institute honorary research fellow Ms Jane (Jai) Hartnell is heading to Cambodia as one of Australia's Youth Ambassadors.
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| Youth ambassador and community cultural education officer with World Education/Cambodia, Ms Jane (Jai) Hartnell. |
While in Cambodia Ms Hartnell will link up with World Education and work with shadow puppetry troupes to further their professional development and financial viability.
Her 12-month trip has been funded by AusAid's Australian Youth Ambassadors for Development Program. The program places skilled young Australians aged 18 to 30 in developing countries through the Asia Pacific region for three to 12 months.
The Monash Asia institute and the Department of Fine Arts at Monash University's Caulfield campus provided a joint submission to AusAid to fund Ms Hartnell's project.
Ms Hartnell completed a Bachelor of Fine Art (sculpture) degree at Monash in 2004, and works as a puppet maker.
This is her second trip to Cambodia . In 2004 she received the Handspan International Study and Travel grant and spent three months working with shadow puppet troupes in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, as part of the Cambodian Living Arts' annual cultural delegation.
"My role will be to assist in increasing the financial sustainability of shadow puppetry troupes, boost ongoing recognition of puppetry as an important cultural tradition and help ensure these traditions do not disappear altogether," Ms Hartnell said.
"I also plan to create and tour an educational shadow puppet show utilising traditional forms to combat contemporary problems."
The Monash Asia Institute has provided Ms Hartnell with a video camera to compile a documentary on Cambodia 's unique puppetry traditions.
The institute's director Professor Marika Vicziany said it was exciting that Ms Hartnell was contributing to the further enrichment of music and traditional puppetry in Cambodia.
"This is also an excellent opportunity to develop new ideas from Cambodia with puppeteers in Australia," Professor Vicziany said. "Bringing together the international love for puppets will help keep these traditions alive."
For further information, contact Ms Karen Stichtenoth, Media Communications on +61 3 9905 1253. Photographs are available.
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