Message Stick

For the form of communication traditionally used by Indigenous Australians, see Message stick.

Message Stick was an Australian television series about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander lifestyles, culture and issues.

Message Stick
Country of origin	Australia
Original language	English
Production
Running time	30 minutes
Original release
Network	Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Release	1999 (1999) – July 2012 (2012-07)

History

The weekly half-hour show began screening in 1999 on ABC Television. It featured profile stories, interviews, video clips, short films and cooking segments.^[1][2][3][4] The last show went to air in July 2012.^[5]

Presenters included Aden Ridgeway (from July 2006),^[6] Miriam Corowa, Rachael Maza, Kelrick Martin, Deborah Mailman, and Trisha Morton-Thomas.^[4]

Selected episodes

• "Bill's Wake" (2001) – About the wake held by Bill Neidjie, a traditional owner of Kakadu, while he was still alive^[7]
• "Wayne’s World" (2005) – focusing on actor/director Wayne Blair^[8]
• "Stephen Hagan" (Sunday 29 January 2006, 1.30 pm) – Aboriginal activist and former diplomat Stephen Hagan is interviewed about his campaign to have an offensive word removed from a Toowoomba sports stadium.^[9]
• "Giving Voice" (Sunday 8 November 2009, 1:30pm) – about the Northern Territory National Emergency Response, featuring Bob Randall.^[10]
• "Spinifex Man" (2009), featuring actor, writer, director, dancer and musician Trevor Jamieson, interviewed by cinematographer Allan Collins^[11]