Instead of ‘passive’ and more informal recording of elders’ songs, an ‘intergenerational learning’ approach supports elders and their communities to travel to specific sites with young people who are taught the songs, stories, dances and art that relates to those sites in Country.  In addition the whole process is recorded using digital recording technology.  The recording is done by both professional technicians as well as community participants. The result is a living record that can be used as a learning tool for future generations.  This is ‘field work’ for the benefit of a local community rather than for the sole purpose of academic research.

Since 1788 there has been much damage to the rich and vibrant cultural traditions of Aboriginal Australia.  Today there are only a few last strongholds of traditional culture, such as in the remote desert country and in the tropical north. We are now witnessing the ongoing loss of these last few precious artistic and cultural traditions.  At the present time, there are senior Aboriginal people still alive who grew up at a time when their cultural traditions were still being passed on to younger generations.  This generation of old people are now dying, with much of their knowledge not transmitted in its fullness.  We have very few years left to assist many Aboriginal communities in recording and archiving threatened cultural practices for the benefit of younger generations and the wider Australian community.