What makes an old person an Elder?

How do we create Eldership in Australia?

What could the Elders do?

We know Elders can be wise and graceful and bring healing and insight – if we create the space and if the Elders themselves have done the work.

But what space do we need to create? And what work must the Elders do?

Over the next twelve months, Andrew Horabin is launching The Eldership Project – in two parts.

The first is a one-day Forum on Eldership in November.

The aims are to:
• define Eldership and the potential roles of Elders
• explore a possible rites of passage into Eldership
• describe projects that could help to create modern Eldership
• inspire people to begin or further develop such projects

Then we will meet again in February ’08 at the public launch. The aim of this second part is to present all of our projects to the media and the greater community.

The Eldership Project Film Contest
Horabin Company is proposing one project – a national short-film competition for young film-makers who can capture the wisdom of Elders. The Eldership Project will be an interface between all the Eldership projects across Australia – maybe your project could be part of it. Or you could be part of a project.

We hope that this connection – this meeting place of Eldership projects – will grow, inspire and multiply so that

By 2020, we have Eldership across all communities in Australia.

It should be understood that creating Eldership is NOT about entertaining or occupying senior citizens. This is about re-creating the lost magic of Elders – their arts, their knowledge, their cultural value and responsibilities. This is life and death stuff. We’re suffering the loss of Elders. This is an opportunity to call their forms and power from the ashes.

Andrew would love to hear your thoughts, dreams, experiences and ideas.

We’d like to see you at
The Forum on Eldership.
MosArts
16 Lochee St, Mosman Park
November 17
10am-4pm
All food and drink will be provided.
RSVP essential: mail@horabin.com or 0410 823 153

If you can’t make it to the event but would like to contribute to the discussion, please email: mail@horabin.com or call Andrew on 0409 884 369.