(Photo credit Julie Reece, 2017 Connecting Spirits Community Tour: Tamika Williams, Polygon Wood)
It is often stated that
when you publish anything on the internet that it is there for eternity so when
you go public, get it right. Over the years the ‘Connecting Spirits’ story has
been shared on numerous platforms, some of our own making, others from
interested others in the world of academia, tourism and other fields. Responses
have ranged from one- line comments on blog or Facebook posts to full length
articles in respected journals and public media outlets. Some have come to
light recently along with a request from NSW researcher Paul Kiem who is
writing a piece on the ‘History Travel industry’ where the co-leader of CS, Mal
Jurgs and I have been asked for comment. We look forward to reading Paul Kiem’s
final copy of his analysis. The project was also referred to in the excellent
text The Lost Boys by Paul Byrnes, (2019) in the chapter ‘Rufus
and Cyril Rigney’ page 336. This account was carefully written with
consultation by the author at draft stage to determine accuracy.
So, when public pieces
appear, sometimes from academics with impressive credentials that display
inaccuracies and assumptions that are plainly wrong, then it’s time to set a
few records straight. Before going into specifics, I would like to put these
into context: at no time have Mal Jurgs (Co-Project Manager of Connecting Spirits) and I ever purported to be expert
historians, nor have we set our responses and approaches in solid stone. We too
have grown over the years with the ways we approach commemoration and the
sharing of that via the CS website and social media. Finally, on a number of
occasions where inaccuracies have been published by others, these could have
easily been avoided by a quick perusal of the Connecting Spirits website for
clarification or even an email to our contacts listed on the site. In relation
to the research done on each of the hundreds of soldiers commemorated since
2006, it is plainly stated on our website:
The information
contained on each page has been obtained from the public domain, through the
National Archives of Australia, the Australian War Memorial or through the
Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Other information has been obtained through
the families of the soldier in question. We publish this information in good
faith but realise that the public record is not always accurate or complete.
The same can be said of individual family oral histories. While we make every
attempt to provide accurate information, if there is anything on these pages
that you know to be untrue, or that may cause offence, please contact us
as a matter of urgency.
The key issues that need clarifying are:
-The Connecting Spirits project was a school -based initiative from 2006 to 2015 under the banner of DECD in South Australia. During those years it was NOT a commercial operation with profit as a focus. During the period where CS was a DECD project, ALL fund-raising money was allocated to the students on tour. All participants were otherwise self funded.
· -Over the years
the DVA never contributed funds for travel though some small grants for the
website and book publishing were granted.
· -Funds for the
publishing of the CS book and CD’s came from fund raising efforts by the
committee and ongoing sales. Any profits from sales of the book or CD went back
into the funds to support the students.
· -The
commemorative cards left on graves and memorials: in the early days of the
project, we did place a photo card of the group with email contacts not for the
purpose of commercial gain but rather to make connection with any relatives or
community members who may have been interested or linked to the soldier being
commemorated. To suggest otherwise is inaccurate. In fact, after being
contacted by a local resident from Villers Bretonneux some years ago
criticising us placing the group cards, we decided not to continue with that
practice. We also removed from our commemorative program large gatherings with
media and other locals in France and Belgium reverting to keeping the
ceremonies private and only for the CS group.
· -Since 2017
Connecting Spirits changed status to a public project rather than one
exclusively designed for schools. That change also saw the running of the
finances moving to my small business ‘Julie Reece Tours’ where I operate as a
Sole Trader. I do NOT employ any individuals and all the work completed by Mal
Jurgs is done on a volunteer basis using his personal Long Service Leave when we
are on tour.
· -The CS website
still operates with Mal overseeing this. As with all other input into the
running of CS, Mal does this in addition to his position as a Principal in a
DECD school (Coomandook Area School). No DECD resources are used for any part
of the project.
· -Commentary on
the book Connecting Spirits: A Journey of Reconciliation and
Commemoration by Meningie Area School and Birdwood High School. Compiled
by Julie Reece & Chloe Oborn (2007): when criticising the text and its
weaknesses, it needs to be understood that the writers whose contributions
featured in chapter1, were members of the tour group, students and adults
alike.
· -The students
from both schools were NOT part of one single history class- many had no
background on the history of the Great War. Mal and I ran workshops prior to
touring in addition to printed material on the war to give the students an
historical context. (The year levels of the students ranged from years 9 -12)
· -While on tour
we had the services of several battlefield experts who told the story of the
war from their perspectives. When we compiled the book, the students and adults
were asked to submit their tour diaries for inclusion in the text. Some of the group
requested that their diaries not be used, for personal reasons and others due
to a lack of confidence about their writing being published. Hence some of the
group, were NOT represented in the book, at their request.
· -The students
were incredibly varied in terms of their literacy skills and backgrounds and
for some it was the first time they had ventured into such public exposure of
their thoughts and ideas. These factors need to be taken into account when
reading this book: it was the first time these young people had ever written
for a public audience and consequently expression of their experiences is often
one dimensional and at times cliched. However, the intent of the book was never
to publish a definitive text on WW1, it was a personal record for those who
were touched by the project. Keep in mind that most of the students on this
tour had never left Australia and their three weeks overseas was also a broader educational
experience beyond the former battlefields of the Somme and Ypres.
· -The book was
co-authored by Chloe Oborn who at the time of publishing was studying Year 12.
Her contributions to the book formed the basis of her independent Community
Studies subject: this was assessed by the SACE board for her university entrance
score. Chloe was not the 2006 CS project manager though her work as a Youth
Leader along with Florence Bourke was of great significance in assisting both
Mal Jurgs and myself in the running of CS. Joint decisions and collaboration
with the Youth Leaders was always part of our philosophy of CS, but the
responsibility of running the project and the tour, was firmly in our hands as
project managers.
In conclusion, both Mal and I are happy to take on
board suggestions, criticisms and public commentary on the Connecting Spirits
project but add that fact checking is advisable prior to making assumptions and
drawing conclusions about our intentions or assumed agendas in past or future
tours. We welcome the conversation and where appropriate will adjust or
formulate our own thinking and approaches after well informed reflections.
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