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Aikido Northern Territory
Aikido Northern Territory members gave an excellent performance at the Japanese Festival Darwin.
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AJANT SOranbushi dancers
The Soranbushi Dancers group is made up of former committee members and volunteers, performed the Nanchu Soranbushi (南中ソーラン節) at a number of events in Darwin.
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ATSUI TAIKOTheir overwhelming performance fascinated all the participants of the Japanese Festival Darwin.
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Consulate-General of Japan in Sydney
The Consulate-General of Japan has been very understanding and supportive of our events and memorial activities. They publish various of Australia-Japan related information and consular information through social media.
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Darwin Japanese KOto ensembleThe KOTO is a Japanese traditional musical instrument.
The Darwin koto Ensemble performance at many EVENT events including AJANT member social gatherings. We very much appreciate a great opportunity to listen their beautiful tones. |
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The Darwin Koto Ensemble first began as a duo in August 2017.
Rehearsals are every Tuesday morning, and the group enjoys learning the art and the style of the koto through watching YouTube performances and advice from experts in Japan. They are keen to bring koto music to the public and look forward to opportunities to perform and demonstrate this unusual instrument. Their performance and workshops with school students have been very well received. They do not charge for their performances or workshops. |
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Darwin Kendo Club
Darwin Kendo Club members have actively participated in AJANT Children's Day events and AJANT Japan festivals, and their dynamic performances have attracted many people.
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Darwin Languages Centre
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Darwin Languages Centre has always been very supportive of our activities, including providing the venue for Japanese movie under the stars in July 2020.
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Darwin Shotokan Karate
Darwin Shotokan Karate members performed for the first time at the Japanese Festival Darwin 2019, and their dynamic movements excited the entire audience.
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Embassy of Japan in Australia
The Embassy of Japan has always been very supportive and understanding of our activities. They also publish various of Australia-Japan related information and consular information through their website and social media.
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INPEX FAMILY BAND
They participated in the Japanese Festival Darwin 2019 and brought beautiful sounds to the venue.
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The Japan Foundation, sydney
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The Japanese Film Festival, organised by the Japan Foundation Sydney, is one of AJANT's most popular events. The organization will also share online events and information dedicated to Japanese culture and Japanese language education.
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Mr. John LambAJANT members had a great opportunity to have a special meeting with Mr John Lamb and his wife Naoko san on Wednesday 6th November 2019.
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John Lamb
John Lamb was born in Melbourne in 1949, and grew up in a family of five competitive boys. His academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Architecture, University of Melbourne (1973), Master of Engineering (Architectural Design) Waseda University (1976), and a Graduate Diploma of Education, Canberra University (1998).
He has worked in many areas of the Australian Public Service, been a teacher in both government and private schools and for many years ran a small business. He has also spent more than five years working in Japan, principally as a design manager and liaison officer in Ebara Corporation, Tokyo, but also as an architect, English teacher and translator.
John Lamb was born in Melbourne in 1949, and grew up in a family of five competitive boys. His academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Architecture, University of Melbourne (1973), Master of Engineering (Architectural Design) Waseda University (1976), and a Graduate Diploma of Education, Canberra University (1998).
He has worked in many areas of the Australian Public Service, been a teacher in both government and private schools and for many years ran a small business. He has also spent more than five years working in Japan, principally as a design manager and liaison officer in Ebara Corporation, Tokyo, but also as an architect, English teacher and translator.
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It was only after purported retirement that he became seriously caught up in historical research. He has been the the recipient of a Northern Territory History Grant (2014), an Australia-Japan Foundation Grant (2016), and also a Commendation of the Ambassador of Japan for his distinguished contributions to the deepening of mutual understanding and friendship. His book ‘Silent Pearls’ was short-listed for a Northern Territory History Award, and he has given many presentations and published a variety of articles relating to the history of Japanese in Australia.
Besides such research he is also heavily involved in Masters Athletics and works hard to find a good balance between physical and mental exertion. |
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Mr. Lamb said:
I came to Darwin both to attend the NT History Colloquium on 2 November and to follow up on aspects of early Japanese immigration to northern Australia – research which I have now been pursuing for more than ten years. My first book ‘Silent Pearls’ was launched in Darwin in November 2015 with good support from AJANT members and was subsequently short-listed for the Chief Minister’s NT History Book Award. It covers every identifiable death of a Japanese in the NT prior to war in the Pacific (1891~1941) and traces their history and that of the pearling industry in particular. |
Mr. Lamb and AJANT members ( Nov 2015)
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My second book ‘Okinawans reaching Australia’ overlaps that period, but also moves on to the post-war period when men from Okinawa came to be indentured in preference to mainland Japanese. It delves into how and why this occurred and its varying success in different parts of northern Australia.
The NT Historical Society has also recently published, as a small booklet, a paper I wrote on ‘The Japanese grave of Warruwi’. It arose from a couple of photographs sent to AJANT by a Council employee on South Goulburn Island and sent on to me to see if I could help with identification. I didn’t really expect to be able to, but kept stumbling across fortuitous connections to people and events I had been separately pursuing, and a fascinating story steadily unravelled. If you read the first two books you will gain detailed insights into the extensive involvement of Japanese in the development of northern Australia. If you read the little booklet you will begin to understand how it has become my destiny to explore it. 
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‘Silent Pearls’ can be obtained through Abbey’s Bookshop in Sydney or directly from the author for $40 plus postage, or from , Abbey's Bookshop for a higher cost but slightly reduced postage.
‘Okinawans reaching Australia’ is available through Hesperian Press for $40 plus postage. ‘The Japanese grave of Warruwi’ can be obtained through the NT Historical Society, Unit 1, 16 Charlton Court, Woolner. For an on-line purchase form and details of bookshop hours, please email or visit website. |
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Multicultural Council of the NT
We are grateful to them for their grant and support to hold various events.
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Dr. Tom Lewis OAM
Dr. Tom Lewis OAM
Dr Tom Lewis OAM is a consultant military historian, a best-selling author, and an on-screen presenter and scriptwriter. He is also a retired naval officer, secondary school teacher, and the author of 14 books.
In 2014 Tom was awarded the Charles Darwin University Essay Prize in the NT Literary Awards – which saw over 430 entries – for his article: “The Myth of Government Cover-up in the first Darwin Raids.” He has won nine other literary awards. He holds degrees at Doctorate, Masters, and Bachelor levels, from universities in Queensland, Tasmania and Darwin.
Dr Tom Lewis OAM is a consultant military historian, a best-selling author, and an on-screen presenter and scriptwriter. He is also a retired naval officer, secondary school teacher, and the author of 14 books.
In 2014 Tom was awarded the Charles Darwin University Essay Prize in the NT Literary Awards – which saw over 430 entries – for his article: “The Myth of Government Cover-up in the first Darwin Raids.” He has won nine other literary awards. He holds degrees at Doctorate, Masters, and Bachelor levels, from universities in Queensland, Tasmania and Darwin.
Dr Lewis is in popular demand from radio and television stations across Australia for his insightful comments on military history and how it intersects with modern-day life. He is a regular speaker to community groups, and appears often in TV documentaries, including with Neil Oliver in Coasts, and in Sir Tony Robinson’s Tour of Duty. He produced with Military Myths Defeated the documentary of The Borella Ride, the Anzac Centenary commemoration of Lieutenant Albert Borella VC, who rode 1000 kilometres in the Northern Territory Wet Season to sign up for the Great War. Dr Lewis was the Lead Historian for the Ride. Albert Borella VC, an Incredible Journeyscreened in late 2016 nationally on Channel 9.
Tom served for 20 years in the Royal Australian Navy, during which time he saw active service in Baghdad, Iraq, where he led American forces, and in East Timor. As a museum director he led two museums to new success; the Royal Australian Naval College Historical Collection at HMAS Creswell – for which services he received an Order of Australia; and the Darwin Military Museum, where he was Director for five years. He has just completed a range of NT Government projects for the 2017 The Territory Remembers, the commemoration of 75 years since the first enemy attacks on Australia.
Dr Lewis was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2003. Later decorations include the Australian Active Service Medal; the Iraq Campaign Medal, and the United States Army Commendation Medal. He lives in Darwin, and enjoys astronomy, collecting antique swords, and tournament chess. He is married with two daughters.
Tom served for 20 years in the Royal Australian Navy, during which time he saw active service in Baghdad, Iraq, where he led American forces, and in East Timor. As a museum director he led two museums to new success; the Royal Australian Naval College Historical Collection at HMAS Creswell – for which services he received an Order of Australia; and the Darwin Military Museum, where he was Director for five years. He has just completed a range of NT Government projects for the 2017 The Territory Remembers, the commemoration of 75 years since the first enemy attacks on Australia.
Dr Lewis was awarded the Order of Australia Medal in 2003. Later decorations include the Australian Active Service Medal; the Iraq Campaign Medal, and the United States Army Commendation Medal. He lives in Darwin, and enjoys astronomy, collecting antique swords, and tournament chess. He is married with two daughters.
Tom’s history works include many detailing the campaigns of WWII.
- One of his first was Wrecks in Darwin Waters, for which he carried out hundreds of scuba dives in Darwin Harbour.
- This was followed by others such as a novel for young adults – Darwin Sayonara – and Darwin’s Submarine I-124, detailing the sinking of the first Japanese submarine by the Royal Australian Navy.
- By Derwent Divided tells the story of the Tasman Bridge collapse
- Zero Hour in Broome (with Peter Ingman) analysed the second biggest air raid on Australia.
- A War at Home details the air raids on Darwin of the 19th February 1942, and is in its fourth edition.
- The Submarine Six discusses the sterling qualities of the six men who had Royal Australian Navy submarines named after them.
- Lethality in Combat, (from the Army History Unit through BigSky Publishing) discusses the reality of battlefield combat, with implications for modern war.
- Carrier Attack, (Avonmore Books, with Peter Ingman) is an extensive technical analysis of the first Darwin raid, revealing many unknown aspects of that assault.
- Honour Denied, Teddy Sheean A Tasmanian Hero (Avonmore) questions why an unfair system denied the Navy and Sheean a VC.
- The Empire Strikes South, (Avonmore, February 2017), gives a full accounting of all Japanese air raids made against Northern Australia, and shows the attacks were far more widespread than first thought.
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