Frances Larder returned from the Netherlands, from where, on 11 September, 2006, she had reported:
"I have gathered a lot of information from the provinces. People I have met from different regions have been very generous by giving me information, material, and even books.

The enthusiasm and generousity have been overwhelming. Next week we are going to Zeeland so we shall have covered just about most of the provinces.

I have managed to buy books on the costumes, history, and cultures from each region plus lots on the different caps including patterns and history.Some info on the wayang puppets and gamelan was obtained including the music."

For our Dolls and Regional Costumes Project....

"We require a volunteer woodworker(s) to make shadow boxes, showcase and stages, and crossbows to manipulate the marionettes"

Email us (In subject line write: Dolls Project)

Mr Kon Gouriotis, OAM, Exec. Director., Casula Power House Arts Centre, welcomed the Project's Volunteers.
On June 10, 2006, volunteers met at the Casula Power House Museum Arts Centre

Kon Gouriotis OAM, Executive Director Casula Power House Arts Centre, addressing meeting of volunteers for the Dutch Dolls Costumes Project (continued):

...."and not just one event but several events and we hope that this project will not only be shown here, but go on a national tour.

It is very important with projects like this that it has the community's support and we are hoping that the level of enthusiasm, shown here, is continued all the way through the project and that it will open up new doors for us in regards to bringing people to the project who can, perhaps, assist in the production of it, or actually assist in the sponsorship of this exhibition, which is always very useful."

Frances Larder(co-ordinator, Dutch Dolls Costumes Project): "I've had a lot of response from the Dutch Community. A lot of people are very interested, which is good. We've just got to look for a couple of venues and I've got to form some sub-committees, sothat we can work together.

And, about once a month, I have to go around and oversee, just to make sure you'll be very good and keep up the work."

Kon Gouriotis: "You're talking about puppets. You're talking about costumes, while you're talking about all the ritual that goes with costumes. The project can expand on a multiple of different levels. Not just exhibition content.

It could be a children's production. It could be a chance to make certain costumes in a workshop that could even be a master-class. But for us that is most important because it is about engaging new audiences and a lot of people get a great deal out of interacting with the objects in their stories."

Frances: "It's going to be a wonderful project and big project and it's not going to be finished in just twelve months. I can see us working on this for a couple of years. So, you're committing yourselves for a long-term project."

Kon: "I can give you some rough idea, because the programming in the next five years, for us, we are breaking up into six block themes. In 2008 there's a theme to do with the community - community engagement and we would like it to be in the early part of 2008, between January and June, 2008."

Here is an introduction about myself - Frances Larder.I am a board member of DACC and also an artist. I have recently completed the "Odyssey" project - a textile quilt project involving twelve Dutch women here in Sydney.These quilts detail the stories of their experiences as well as revealing their difficult times.So now it is my intention to do a different type of project, involving a lot more people within the Dutch community. Volunteers are asked to put in as much time as they are willing and able to give. Seeing that this is such a huge project, I feel that "many hands will make light work" or so they say.The project is about doing the marionette puppets dressed up to depict the national dress costume from each of the provinces in Holland. They will be enacting the stories and dances of each of the provinces.

When the project is completed, the dolls will go to different libraries and communities to give an insight into the cultures. After all it is also a part of Australian history.

To do this we need volunteers for the following ten areas:

1. Ladies involved in making the quilts (maps of Netherlands) and dolls clothes. 2. Volunteers to assist in making the actual puppets (including faces) eg sculptures. 3. Woodworkers to make puppethouse and other props which may be required. 4. Someone able to make a copy of the jewellery which is part of the costumes. 5. Artists to design the set layouts and decorate the puppethouse. 6. Musicians to adapt the folk dance music for the puppets. 7. Researchers of the dances from the different provinces to obtain the different cultural history. 8. Story tellers who can adapt the history cultures in an interesting way for children and adults alike. 9. Actors who can relate these stories and can manipulate the puppets10. Someone who can do the electronics

My aim is to set up subcommitties and probably visit once a month to see how things are progressing. I am well aware that a lot of your members are elderly citizens but this can be an exciting project. Maybe children and grandchildren could become involved. I am not looking at wanting to have it completed next year but am looking at a more reasonable time frame of approximately four years. Fairfield City Museum has it booked in for this time for the initial opening. It would be a wonderful way of preserving our Dutch heritage and allowing Australians to understand our backgrounds and cultures.

For those willing volunteers who wish to become involved, please contact me. Dutch Dolls Project, PO Box 2059, Smithfield 2164
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