The Bicycle Film Festival is an annual, curated film festival focused on sharing a range of new bike films. Each festival offering is unique, and the films included are selected from submission and the final collection are then toured internationally to sell out crowds.
Brendt Barbur is the Founding Festival Director. He was inspired to create this event in 2001 after a traffic accident while cycling in New York City.
The Bicycle Film Festival is a platform to celebrate the bicycle through various forms of artistic expression, including music, art, and, notably, film and has significantly propelled the urban bike movement as well as promoting lesser-known types of bike riding.
Image: Bicycle Film Festival
This festival now spans 90 cities across the globe and the BFF has garnered a vast audience of over 1 million individuals. It has become one of the foremost art and cultural event advocating sustainability. The Bicycle Film Festival also has offshoot links with associated workshops, screenings, panel events, concert, food events and art exhibitions worldwide.
I really appreciate this event because it showcases new and original films that you cannot see anywhere else. the festival covers such a wide range of experiences, places and styles and it really gives you an insight into how important bicycles are to so many people. It is really a celebration of people, place and riding – it is affirming and heartwarming.
The Bicycle Film Festival’s YouTube channel is a testament to the range of interests, skills and quality of bike films being produced by enthusiasts. Here are a few of the offerings over the years:
From its futuristic skyline, exciting tourist attractions and tranquil parklands, this vibrant metropolis is raising the bar when it comes to being a bike-friendly destination.
My brother lives in Singapore and I often keep an eye on what is happening there. I have been watching with interest as Singapore’s works to implement its intelligent transportation vision – of which cycling is a major focus.
Like most capital cities, Singapore boasts an extensive network of dedicated cycling paths, lanes, and connectors that cover both urban areas and scenic routes. This infrastructure ensures cyclists can travel safely and conveniently throughout the city.
The city’s urban planning emphasizes sustainable transportation options, including cycling. Well-designed bike lanes are integrated into the city’s infrastructure, making it easy to navigate and explore different neighborhoods by bike. Some local favourite routes include the Park Connector network, a 300km tangle of cycle paths, and the Rail Corridor, a 24km bicycle path in the footprint of an old railway, and the Eastern Coastal Loop.
Singapore’s Eastern Coast Loop. Image: Get Go
Also, Singapore’s well-maintained roads and bike paths are designed with safety in mind. They have separated bike lanes and clear signage to reduce the risk of accidents between cyclists and other road users and as anyone who has been there will know, Singapore is active in enforcing speed limits, and positive social behaviour.
Singapore has introduced various bike-sharing programs, providing locals and tourists with easy access to rental bikes for short trips around the city. Despite having some issues in the past, these programs are promoting cycling as a viable mode of transportation and usage is projected to boom.
Singapore’s relatively compact size allows cyclists to cover significant distances within a short period. This compactness makes it convenient to use a bike for daily commutes and recreational rides. The other drawcard is that cyclists can enjoy a mix of scenic routes including urban landscapes, waterfront paths, and lush green spaces. This makes cycling both enjoyable and is a great way to see more of the city beyond just the main tourist attractions – which are all easily accessible by bike!
Image: Singapore Land Transport Authority
The Singaporean government has actively promoted cycling as a sustainable transportation option. Initiatives such as car free Sundays, car free zones, the Car-Lite movement and investments in cycling infrastructure demonstrate a commitment to enhancing the cycling experience.
The city hosts various big-ticket sports events like the Formula 1 Grand Prix and it is not often you get a chance to ride along a legitimate F1 circuit pit lane! They also have a full cycling calendar offering events from leisurely rides to competitive races. These events foster a strong cycling community and encourage people to embrace biking as a lifestyle.
But still some issues to iron out…
Last year Singapore conducted a cycling review and as part of a discussion on safe cycling on roads, there was a proposal to register bikes and licenses for cyclists. This idea was met with intense public resistance – so it will be interesting to see what happens there.
A Today Online news report cites a lack of etiquette, disregard for the laws and ‘a need to exhibit showmanship’ as a few of the main reasons for accidents.
So, there are definitely a few more things to iron out!
But overall, it is great to see Singapore heading in the right direction.
Change is not easy.
But it is encouraging to see the Lion City taking action to be a more cycle-friendly city in the future.
Hey there, bike friends! If you’re a regular reader of this blog, you already know that I’m passionate about bikes, books, animals, and art. I’ve previously posted on a range of initiatives that celebrate bike books, for example:
Today, I have another fantastic book to add to your collection—one that combines a love for bikes, books and animals. Today, we are pedalling into an adventure called Duck on a Bike by David Shannon. This charming children’s book will make you smile, laugh, and maybe even inspire you to try something new. So, grab a cozy spot, a cup of tea and a young one who love bike stories and let’s ride into this delightful tale!
Enjoy!
Duck on a Bike is a popular children’s picture book written and illustrated by David Shannon. It tells the story of a duck who finds a bike and decides to take it for a ride around the farm.
In this story, Duck begins his adventure by discovering a bike that has been left by a child. Curious and excited, Duck climbs onto the bike and starts pedaling around the farm.
As Duck rides past other farm animals, they are amazed and wonder why a duck would want to ride a bike.
Duck encounters various animals such as cows, pigs, sheep, and horses. Some of the animals are impressed by the duck’s skills, while others are dubious or even jealous.
Duck loves the thrill of riding the bike and having the wind in their feathers (who doesn’t!!?).
Eventually, Duck returns to the farmyard, where the other animals gather around to see what happened on the ride. Inspired by Duck’s adventure, the other animals start trying out the bike for themselves, each with their own unique style.
The story ends with Duck suggesting that someday they might even see a whole flock of animals riding bikes!
I like Duck on a Bike because it is a charming and entertaining book that promotes the ideas of trying new things, breaking stereotypes, and embracing adventure.
This is a delightful story for young and older young readers – and I appreciate its humorous illustrations and inclusive subtext that anyone, (even a Duck or any other animals) can ride a bike.
Ride on Ducks!
Image: Good Reads
Image: Good Reads
And it’s good to see that this beloved book being celebrated by readers and libraries more broadly – like this installation below from Rippon Public Library!
The US National Bike Summit is an annual conference event that brings together bike advocates and enthusiasts from across the country. Now in its 23rd year, will be held from March 26 – March 29, 2023. This year the summit will be held in Washington, DC and the program offers a range of engaging activities, including in-person workshops, mobile discussion groups, biking opportunities, and networking events. Its primary focus is to foster the development of a Bicycle Friendly America that caters to the needs of everyone. In order to accommodate participants both physically and virtually, all sessions, panels, plenaries, and keynote speeches will be live-streamed online.
I was super excited to see this year that Keshia Roberson was one of the Key Summit speakers.
Keshia will be hosting the They Were Seeds: The Buried Legacy of Black Wheelwomen.
This session explores the legacy of Black women cyclists and how their roots have inspired future generations of diverse riders.
The incredible contributions of Black women in cycling deserve our recognition and celebration. Throughout history, remarkable figures like Kittie Knox and Ayesha McGowan have shattered barriers and blazed a trail for Black women cyclists.
Their groundbreaking achievements continue to inspire a new generation of Sheroes who are dedicated to creating more opportunities for Black women and girls to embrace the exhilaration of biking.
The remarkable Keshia Roberson founded Major Knox Adventures (MKA) with the aim of honoring the legacy of these trailblazers.
MKA is dedicated to providing affordable bike trip experiences, ensuring that women of color can partake in the transformative joy of outdoor adventures. It’s important to acknowledge the representation and contribution of African-American women cyclists which has been historically lacking and sorely underrepresented.
MKA seeks to change that by fostering inclusivity, creating a welcoming environment, and empowering Black women to experience the outdoors in all its splendor.
It would be amazing to hear Keshia Roberson present the They Were Seeds: The Buried Legacy of Black Wheelwomen at this year’s 2023 Bike Summit.
It is great to see a virtual conference option as well….mmmm….maybe next year….
Image: Major Knox Adventures
5 Cyclists Project
As regular readers of this blog know, I have a particular interest in decolonial herstories and in uncovering the lesser-known stories, contributions and experiences of women on two wheels… which is how I come to know about Keshia.
I contributed to a journal publication last year which looked at geography and collective memories through art – and in this article, I cited the incredible 5 Cyclists Project (included below and see the full article here), which is the inspiration for Keshia’s MKA 1928 Legacy Tour.
The 5 Cyclists Project showcases the incredible untold story of five African-American women, Marylou Jackson, Velva Jackson, Ethyl Miller, Leolya Nelson and Constance White, who in 1928, biked 250 miles cross-country. At the time, cycling was overwhelmingly white and elite, a dynamic that still remains today (Mackintosh & Norcliffe, 2007). The centrepiece 5 Cyclists photograph (Scurlock, 1928), challenges essentialising assumptions as to when, how and why certain bodies cannot move through landscapes. It questions mainstream notions of who a cyclist is, where they can go, how far they travel, what spaces they can access, and how mobility shapes environments encountered. This project reminds us that certain voices and lived experiences are systematically overlooked, and the need to shed light on the complex issues and legitimacy of racialised, gendered, and classed experiences.
I am truly inspired by the multitude of remarkable endeavours undertaken by bike activists, and it fills me with great admiration to delve into the rich legacy of extraordinary women in the world of cycling, both past and present.
The dedication and passion exhibited by individuals like Keshia is so needed today.
To Keshia and the Bike Summit community, keep shining and making a positive impact!
Latin America is driving the promotion the use of bicycles as a means of transportation, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and creating cleaner and healthier societies. Costa Rica has a progressive national policy that promotes the use of bicycles and road safety education. Here is a little more about what is happening there. Very inspiring! Enjoy! NG.
Photo: Gabo G./Shutterstock
Costa Rica: leading the way with national bicycle policy
Costa Rica is driving bicycle riding and policy action in Latin America.
Costa Rica is leading the way with its national policy to promote the use of bicycles.
The country is offering tax incentives for companies that encourage their staff to use bikes. This initiative forms part of the strategy to decarbonize the country by 2050.
More and more businesses are providing exclusive parking slots, showers, and changing rooms for their employees, among other facilities.
The aim is to encourage more people to use bicycles instead of cars, which generate more than 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in Costa Rica.
Road safety education
To further promote the use of bicycles, the government is calling for better street infrastructure and road safety education.
This education will be mandatory for all students in public and private schools. The government is also encouraging and regulating municipal systems of public bicycles. Public and private initiatives that promote the use of bicycles are already booming in Costa Rica.
BiciBus, a company that provides advice to those who want to replace their cars with bikes, is one of them. Another is the Cycle-Inclusive badge, which is granted to cycling-friendly businesses.
In addition, a team supported by both BiciBus and Cycle-Inclusive travelled 917 kilometres by bicycle from San José to Panama City to raise awareness of the role of bicycles in creating cleaner and healthier societies.
This initiative shows the positive impact that bicycles can have on communities and how they can help to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Making positive change
The initiatives highlighted in the UN Environment Programme report demonstrate the positive impact that bicycles can have on communities.
Costa Rica’s national policy to promote the use of bicycles, better street infrastructure, road safety education, and municipal systems of public bicycles are all effective ways to promote the use of bicycles as a means of transportation.
This report is a perfect example of how bicycles can create positive change, and this initiative is a model that other places should follow.
By encouraging the use of bicycles, communities can live better lives while creating a cleaner and healthier environment for future generations.
An example for other countries
These initiatives taken in Costa Rica to promote bicycle usage are a remarkable example of how a country can take concrete steps towards decarbonization and creating a more sustainable future.
By offering tax incentives to companies that encourage bicycle use by their staff, improving street infrastructure and road safety education, and promoting public and private initiatives that support cycling, Costa Rica has set an impressive benchmark for other countries to follow.
It’s heartening to see the positive impact that bicycles can have on communities, and how they can play a crucial role in mitigating climate change.
This case study from Costa Rica provides valuable lessons and inspiration for other cities and countries looking to embrace clean mobility and create healthier and more sustainable environments for their citizens.
In Ireland, fewer than 1 in every 250 school girl rides a bike to school. This is despite the fact that bikes are an environmentally friendly and healthy mode of transportation. While the number of boys who cycle to school has been steadily increasing over the years, the number of girls remains relatively static. So why aren’t more girls cycling?
An Taisce is an Irish heritage charity that is working to address this issue. Their campaign is called #andshecycles aims at exploring the root cause of what makes teenage girls hesitant in commuting to their schools and colleges on bicycles. It was important to find out what was the cause, so the campaign involved interviewing many students, teachers, parents, and psychologists to get a solid grasp of what was going on.
One reason may be that teenage girls feel unsafe cycling on busy roads. They may also feel self-conscious about their appearance, especially if they don’t have the right equipment or clothing. Additionally, some girls may simply not have access to a bike.
The most common causes turn out to be peer-pressure, self-consciousness and harassment, which makes girls reluctant. Many girls said they feel ‘judged and intimidated’ by boys and men when cycling to school.
Image: Sticky Bottle
Many young girls expressed their concerns with the school uniforms which made it difficult for girls to bike. Some added on a lighter note that the helmets and high vis jackets can also scare off people from riding bicycles. It usually collides with the fashion statements. However, Caitriona Buggle from the campaign expressed that the addition of colourful helmets could make a statement that ‘Safety can be Sexy.’
Whatever the reason, it’s clear that more needs to be done to encourage Irish girls to cycle to school. The #andshecycles campaign is a step in the right direction, and with more awareness and education, hopefully more girls will soon be cycling to school safely and confidently.
An Taisce’s campaign #andshecycles was launched at Dublin’s Science Gallery. Many young girls attended the campaign and it went viral on social media.
The campaign’s panelists stressed the fact that girls needed more role models on wheels. It is necessary for an active and healthy lifestyle. Young girls were encouraged to get back on their bicycles.
Sylia Thompson from The Irish Times published an article (and video) on this issue and reported Jane Hackett, manager of the Green Schools travel programme as saying: “We have been working with schools around the country to increase cycling numbers for over ten years. Because of this work we realised that although teen girls wanted to cycle the numbers weren’t increasing at the same levels as their male counterparts. So we asked why, and #andshecycles was born.”
Let’s hope the #andshecycles campaign gets more Irish girls on bikes!
I’ve been missing meeting with other like-minded writer-researchers. So August this year, I had an idea to form a ‘student club’ where we could meet to talk about writing and share skills and hold events that helped us become better writers and researchers.
Well… I pitched the idea to three friends, and we made it happen!
We called it the Research & Write Studio or RAW for short.
(Actually, we called it GAWLERS first… see more below)
I just found out that RAW has been award Griffith’s New Club of the Year!
Woohoo! I am so proud!
A big thanks to all the inaugural members for trusting in me!
And an especially heartfelt thanks to Janis, Rebecca and Jenny for all their great input and effort in forming the Executive Commitee with me.
You guys all rock!
See below for more about RAW.
Nina (R) with other Griffith Uni Club Awards Friends.
Origins
Like most other educational institutions, Griffith University life and work changed profoundly in response to the recent COVID-19 ‘educational scramble’. Soon after moving online in April 2019, EPS HDR candidate Nina Ginsberg established an online ‘Show Up & Write’ space for students she knew as a way of staying connected, focused and productive. These sessions were regularly attended and participants said how useful it was to have a collegial space to talk, share, and create academic work. In break times, we asked questions, offered support, discussed our writing, and gave suggestions for improvements in a low-stakes and impactful way.
While Griffith responded to COVID and snap lockdowns by reducing staffing, decreasing services, and suspending many student professional development and networking opportunities until further notice, our study group flourished. As word of mouth about our group passed to others, ‘new’ people joined from all over Griffith. It was clear there was an immediate need for this group and so in June 2021, the main proponents (Nina, Janis, Rebecca and Jenny) decided to formalise this opportunity and open it up for all Griffith students and candidates. We call the group Griffith ‘Research and Writers Studio’, or RAW for short.
What we do
We are an online club bound by our commonality of academic work, research, and writing. Our club aims (see at end) articulate our ethics, commitment and focus. RAW members include undergraduates, postgraduates, and professional teaching staff who are also studying at Griffith. Our members come from all Griffith locations not only in Brisbane (26) and Queensland (10), but all over Australia (6) and around the world (6). We are proud to be a truly transdisciplinary group, transcending cultures, hobbies, degrees and programs, ages, gender, ability, locations, backgrounds, and personalities. This plurality in membership adds vibrancy, interest and new skills we would not otherwise have access to at Griffith elsewhere.
Editing Heptathlon by RAW President Nina Ginsberg. November 2021.
What makes us exciting
We began with 28 inaugural members in August 2021. This increased to 48 members in 6 weeks by end of September 2021 with no advertising, further attesting to the popularity and need for this club. At a time when many other clubs have slowed activities, RAW has expanded in response to member needs, thus standing out as a unique, reliable and reassuring hub for Griffith students and candidates in progressing their university work.
What makes us so exciting as a new club at Griffith is that we are a cheap, open access and inclusive club for all. We are also lockdown proof, independent of university-dictated content and wholly needs-based and our events are run by RAW members for RAW members – meaning members gain valuable presenting and leadership experience. We are a grass roots club that continues to grow organically and is responsive to member’s needs.
One of RAW’s greatest features is that we are not defined by, or exclusive to, any particular educational discipline, cultural background, sporting or personal interest. On the contrary, RAW incorporates and celebrates disparate characteristics, harnessing these valuable differences in diversity collectively, so members collaboratively learn with other members, not learn about each other as separate from others in most other contexts. And it has been a smashing success!
Our membership includes Griffith researchers and writers who are First Nations, international students and speakers of languages other than English, mature aged and returning to study, first-in family, differently-abled and adaptive learners, part-timers, single parents and many others – including a wide range of cultural backgrounds. Being online means we are not bound by campus restrictions or scheduling, so RAW operates anywhere (across all Griffith campuses, remotely, online and for those on-campus as well) and at any time (for example, we have a 24-7 open online, drop-in ‘study’ space where local, national and international members meet). This enables multiple opportunities for social connections as people study and work from a myriad of locations.
As well as study group spaces, we offer a range of writing, editing and university skills workshops (see some examples below) which can be joined virtually in real time or accessed asynchronously via recordings. This means our events are equitable and accessible to all members. Our club allows for networking and skill sharing and provides opportunities to broaden minds and sharpen transferable capabilities. We have an active Teams site that is our communications, events and resource space where we also notify members of other (external) writing and editing events of interest so members can expand skills and contacts within and beyond the RAW cohort.
Screenshot of RAW’s Get ahead for T2 classes (Session 2): Rediscover your motivation! July 2021. This session was run by RAW Vice President, Wiradjuri woman & Griffith PhD Candidate, Ms. Jennifer Campbell
What is our future?
Our vision is to allow the club to grow and to continue to offer a range of academic skill workshops not provided elsewhere, while providing online participation and facilitation. We seek to connect people with our overarching purpose of enhancing our research and writing capabilities.
Some 2021 RAW events already held:
Show Up & Write Space – 24/7, online, drop-in study space.
Early Bird Study Sessions – every weekday 5am -7.30 am.
Inaugural Annual General Meeting.
RAW Coffee & Chat: Member Drop-in Meet-and-Greet. (1-hr)
Get ahead for T2 classes (Session 1): Leveraging course profiles. (1-hr)
Get ahead for T2 classes (Session 2): Rediscover your motivation! (1-hr)
Get ahead for T2 classes (Session 3): Start(ing) class right. (1-hr)
The Dark Academy (and how to survive it). (2-hr symposium)
Getting Feedback on Thesis Writing (HDRs). (1-hr)
Goal Setting Bootcamp. (half day intensive)
How trees help us write better sentences by RAW President Nina Ginsberg. December 2021.
Research and Writer’s Studio Aims
Aim 1. To present academic writing and research in influential ways to diverse audiences. Develop and grow fundamental and advanced academic, writing and research skills and experience through a range of online and in-person opportunities. These include exclusive focused study groups, writing, editing and specialist workshops, writing process forums, accountability writing groups, skill drill sessions, special events and writing retreats and targeted academic skill sessions. These events consolidate and extend transferable oral, written and visual communication skills underpinned by positivity, engaged expression and critical evaluation of information, argument and opinion. Applicable for all levels of study across all disciplines.
Aim 2. To build confident, competent, and collaborative identities.
An inclusive and safe space to share university, writing and researching experiences. Instead of the usual teach-to model, this club moves towards a learn-with approach. Members are X to pursue their own academic and professional goals in ways that are productive, thoughtful, engaged and self-directed. Supporting a passion for lifelong learning through achievement, capacity and mastery. Provide opportunities for leadership and active engagement. Connect members with additional editing, proofreading, mentoring and/or other academic support services if needed. Interaction between Ph.D, Masters, Honours and undergrads is encouraged. To build relationships within and beyond the physical campus by establishing a collaborative and diverse community of practice.
Aim 3. To extend, challenge and share innovative, creative, ethical, and positive writing-research-action.
Provide members with opportunities to develop their own personal and professional goals. Respecting and strengthening engagement with First Nations, cross-cultural, and individual or cultural diversity people, culture, perspectives and lifeworlds. This club adheres to an ethical code of conduct based on compassion, positive change and social and environmental responsibility and action. This club supports members to be intrepid and innovative in their writing and research endeavours to initiate, develop and implement new ideas and projects.
In the bustling city of Edmond, it can be difficult to keep up with watering all of the urban planters. However, one man has come up with a solution: a solar-powered tricycle that can reach even the most hard-to-reach planters.
Edmond local, Travis Kennedy, has devised an ingenious solar-powered plant watering bike after noticing that the big watering trucks that serviced the curbside planter boxes couldn’t reach them all.
He came up with the idea after meeting a local cafe owner who was using an e-bike to deliver coffees – and so put two and two together!
With the help of Travis Kennedy’s bicycle and some solar power, Edmond residents are now able to water their hard-to-reach urban planters from the bike lane.
The tricycle has a 70-liter water tank run by a solar-powered electric pump. The attached hose pushes the water with the help of this electric pump. The bike is one-seater and it carries its solar panel and is a great investment in the environment. It is outfitted with a tank of water and a hose, allowing users to pedal around and water their plants while they get some exercise. The solar-powered pump ensures that the tricycle can be used even on cloudy days and doesn’t require any extra energy to operate.
The tricycle is also available for use by anyone in the Edmond community, and it has already been put to good use by residents who are passionate about keeping their plants healthy.
In addition to watering plants, a similar style of tricycle could be used for other tasks such as delivering food or supplies to people in need and so is a valuable asset to the Edmond community.
With this new invention, keeping Edmond’s urban planters and community happy is a breeze!
In this session, we are truly transcending time, space, place and bodies as we explore the NM potentialities of reimagining an inspirational, yet relatively, unknown WWII story.
We are very excited to have guest presenter Jenny Ginsberg (University of La Trobe) presenting key insights of her recent Master’s research.
Jenny is putting together a PhD submission and is keen to discuss this opportunity with the SIG to garner some initial New Materialisms ideas and suggestions as a launching off point for this exciting next step.
…and yes, as you might have noticed from the similar surname, Jenny is my Mum!
This session’s provocation was:
What new possibilities might emerge from a New Materialist ‘return’ to the inspirational flight and return of the Danish Jews 1943-1945?
The Civilizing Process: moving from sociological understandings to Posthumanist materialities.
Abstract
The genesis of this research lies in an extraordinary moment in history. It was one in which lives were saved; when courage, creativity and social cohesion combined and triumphed.
This research merges a fortuitous and rare meeting of a wartime story of escape and return. It is the story of the flight of the Danish Jews in 1943 and their return home in 1945. Nearly 8,000 Danish Jews escaped directly to Sweden while 470 were imprisoned in Theresienstadt (Terezin) concentration camp. This project traces the extraordinary and unparalleled rescue of those imprisoned in Terezin, as well as the survival of more than 95 percent of the Jewish population of Denmark – a remarkable achievement at the time that was unmatched by any other Nazi-occupied European country.
In her Master’s, Jenny used Norbert Elias’ concept of national habitus to foreground relational, long-term state formation processes as part of a theory of The Civilizing Process (Elias, 2000). Jenny’s project uniquely put to work national habitus to argue that the events of 1943 flight and the 1945 return, must be considered as an ‘entangled’ experience. This enables a close relational understanding of the significance of this point in time with(in) the inclusive and compassionate Danish national ‘habitus’ at that time. This project looks at the multiple figurations found in Danish society and the crucial role they played in the successful escape and return of the Danish Jews.
Of particular interest for the NM SIG is the recognition of the often overlooked and under-appreciated contribution of Danish women to the wider occupation historiography, which was largely written and curated by men. Jenny invites the SIG to engage in the yet-to-be-explored materialities of this story – such as the boats used in the escape, letters, clothing, symbolisms and defiant collective practices adopted by the Danes – and myriad other material-affective-discursive forces and most notably, those co-contributing to the unified and compassionate leadership and the sustained, collective response to the urgent needs of fleeing and captive Danes.
Some session snapshots
We had an amazing time! The warmup activities got us thinking beyond and making links that we were not able to arrive at individually. Jenny’ session was expertly put together and she is a highly engaging storyteller.
The rich materiality of this era gave us much to discuss and there were some great ideas on how Jenny could move forward using a posthumanism and/or New Materialist approaches.
Below are a few session highlights.
NM SIG Activity
To start, we did a few collaborative thinking-writing activities. The first was a collaborative poll of keywords and ideas (see above). We then did a responsive, collaborative writing task using the chat box. That was great fun! Below is what we cocreated (names removed for privacy).
Collaborative chat box writing activity
My 100-word worlding for this session
Jenny’s telling untold stories again. The WWII flight and return of Danish Jews. Snippets of materialities: no yellow stars, food parcels, clothes, boats, Red Cross visitations, propaganda films and the king defiantly riding his horse down Copenhagen’s main street. Ignoring German soldiers in bakeries. Leadership agreements. Unspeakable everpresent brutality. Inescapable – ineluctable. A nation-wide underground resistance: all locals were in on it. National Habitas. Protect all Danes. Homes preserved (not looted), goods boxed up, gardens watered for those ‘away’. Rescue missions, drunk signatures and white buses sweep for ‘others’. Secret fishing boat crossings. Flowers, chocolates and K1,000 compensation on return.
*Postscript: As of March 2022, Jenny was accepted to do this topic as her PhD.*
CONGRATS to Jenny….
…and a massive thank you for sharing her hard work and this most remarkable story.
Presenter Bio
Jenny Ginsberg is an educator of 40+ years, a social activist and an artist. She has taught at a range of Melbourne schools, including MLC as a leading teacher in gifted education and oral history. This September, Jenny is submitting her Master’s by Research (School of Social Sciences at La Trobe Uni, Melbourne) and is looking to undertake a PhD in 2022.
She aims to use the PhD to deepen and extend her Master’s project (see abstract below). Jenny’s research interests include the sociological theories of Norbert Elias, an emerging interest in Feminist New Materialisms, long-term historical/sociological processes, leadership, and the interconnectedness of all things.
As a mature-age researcher (74), she is growing old, with the emphasis on growing, and brings a wealth of knowledge and life experience to her work.
The annual Chicks in the Sticks event was coming up and I was registered. This year, I wanted to continue conversations about the unbearable whiteness of cycling and lack of support/inclusion of First Nations riders, decolonising MTB, celebrating First Nation experiences and better recognising First Nations connection to country at MTB events.
CITS is Queensland’s biggest, annual all-female 3hr Enduro mountain bike event. Those who know me know I like to bring the fun – so a theme bike and outfit was in order, but not anything mainstream.
Chicks in the Sticks – Annual All-female 3 hr Enduro Event
At this event, there is a big emphasis on fun, inclusion, and ‘giving it a go’, so there is lots of costumes and colour: – there is a profusion of ladybirds, bees, rainbow tutus, Where’s Wallys amongst the more ‘serious’ riders.
I wanted to continue the good vibes, but also raise awareness of First Nations experiences. But ‘Decolonise MTB’ was not the right approach for this event.
So I came up with an idea to promote First Nations experiences in a way that was positive and clear, but not confrontational. My idea consisted of a costume that was comfortable to ride it that matched a uniquely decorated bike highlighting my key theme.
To bring my vision to life, I enlisted the help of two incredible women to make my idea happen. A massive thank you to both Alison and Nix for their collaboration!
My Outfit
The outfit centred mainly on a custom-made T-shirt. This was the visually impactful piece and meant I could still ride safety and comfortably. Alison is a creative mate who I have collaborated with on a number of previous projects, including prepping for Bike Hack 19. Alison was integral in producing my T-shirt vision.
The T-shirt was a bright yellow and had connecting circles and indigenous artwork prints on the front and the words ‘celebrating’ over the same indigenous print panel on the back. I specifically chose ‘celebrating’ as a present verb (ie doing) and it was a positive message. The print was sourced from a First Nations art Collective (to support artists) and the other material (black spots and yellow T) were sourced from Opp Shops.
Nix is a proud Quandamooka woman who is highly creative. I had the idea of decorating my bike in a way that combined the approaches of my previous Art Bike Projects CONS_U_Me Blues with the Kids Bikes are Hard Work …but also it needed to be lightweight, snag-free, and still easy to ride during the event.
We used recycled clothes from Opp Shops to decorate the bike in the colours of the Australian Aboriginal flag (red, black, and yellow) by strapping the frame in red and black with yellow hanging tassels (emulating the flag’s yellow sun) in the middle.
We added a large ball under the seat in the Torres Strait Islander colors.
On the handlebars we had a hint of the theme colous for front-facing reference.
We then decorated the helmet to match.
See the stages of development below.
Archie ‘helping’
Before shot
frame wrapping
Torres Strait decoration
In-progress
helmet decoration
helmet test
It was a great project to collaborate with others and it ticked all the important boxes for me like being based on recycling and sustainable principles, increasing awareness for First Nation experiences, creating a new and original outfit to ride in, supporting the event by dressing up and bringing the good vibes, creating something we collectively made that was low-cost, sustainable, and low-tech, and I got to share quality creative time with people I admire.
A massive, big thank you to Alison and Nix – I love what we co-created!
In the next post, I’ll let you know how the event went.
