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Sydney Morning Herald Yes, we are beautiful: Aborigines prove their pin-up credentials Date: 05/01/2001 By Penelope Debelle An observation by visiting supermodel Naomi Campbell has been the motivation behind a group of Aboriginal women publishing Australia's first indigenous pin-up calendar. Liza Fraser-Gooda, a member of the Bidjara tribe in Queensland, raised sponsorship money to produce the calendar after Campbell last year noted the scarcity of indigenous models. "She raised the question of why there weren't more Aboriginal models on our catwalks," said Ms Fraser-Gooda, who co- produced the calendar with friend and calendar cover girl Dina Paulson. "Twenty modelling agencies were interviewed and only one could come up with an indigenous model." Ms Fraser-Gooda said the Australian modelling industry favoured blonde-haired, blue-eyed women, and Aboriginal women also suffered racial prejudice because of assumptions made about them. "There is this typical stereotyped image of indigenous people, you know, low income, drugs and alcohol, in the park," Ms Fraser-Gooda said. "So we've still got that sort of perception we have to fight." Concepts of beauty also differed, with Aboriginal beauty reflected more through cultural affiliation and a spiritual attachment to the land, she said. Because of this, the 14 calendar shots - one for each month and a front and back cover - were in areas of significance to each woman, and their tribes and totems were listed. "People have said there aren't enough of us and we aren't beautiful enough," Ms Fraser-Gooda said. "This is our opportunity to show Australia and the international market that yes, we are beautiful and we have what it takes." The women, aged from 16 to 32, were chosen from 100 applicants. Most are from Victoria, NSW and Queensland. Their inclusion was based not only on appearance but on their strength as role models for young Aboriginal girls. Those featured include University of Newcastle tourism lecturer Delvene Parkin, 26, who is a former Miss Aboriginal Australia; Jessica Gooda, 17, a student from Melbourne who is Liza's younger sister; and Tamara Edwards, 20, a dental nurse from Geelong. The youngest model, Aleira French, 16, from Kempsey, has just returned from Europe where she was a model in the travelling Australian Fashion Show. Ms French, who has modelled twice in Egypt, said acceptance was greater overseas where there was less prejudice. A NSW finalist in last year's television model quest Search for a Supermodel, Ms French said she had mixed feelings when she was told she was too pretty to be Aboriginal. "I get flattered but offended at the same time because there actually are a lot of beautiful young Aboriginal women, it's just they don't have parents to push them along," she said. Ms Fraser-Gooda said the calendar was available by mail order through the Web site www.jinnali.com.au. Story Picture: Here's to you, Naomi ... indigenous women pose for their own calendar. This material is subject to copyright and any unauthorised use, copying or mirroring is prohibited. ************************************************************************* This posting is provided to the individual members of this group without permission from the copyright owner for purposes of criticism, comment, scholarship and research under the "fair use" provisions of the Federal copyright laws and it may not be distributed further without permission of the copyright owner, except for "fair use." |
Title: article: Jinnali calendar/Naomi Campbell
