Leadership and the art of storytelling go hand in hand for Derik Lynch
The winner of the 40 Under 40 Creative Thinker Award from KWPX says he’s now much more aware of his responsibility as a community leader to ensure Indigenous stories are told with “clarity and honesty”.
"My cultural knowledge underpins all of my work and in sharing that knowledge with the wider South Australian and global community, I am hopefully keeping our history alive and contributing to truth telling," says Derik Lynch. Photo Samuel Graves
Originating from Aputula Finke, Northern Territory, Anangu Yankunytjatjara man Derik Lynch has lived in Adelaide for the last 20 years as a performer, visual artist, health practitioner, interpreter and educator.
His short documentary film Marungka Tjalatjunu (Dipped in Black) follows his journey from country to city life as a queer, Indigenous artist.
Lynch, 37, collaborated with film director Matthew Thorne on the film and describes the experience as “reconciliation in action”.
Marungka Tjalatjunu received the Silver Bear Jury Prize (Short Film) and the Teddy Award for Best Short Film at the Berlin International Film Festival.
“My career has been characterised by singular focus on generating honest and moving art that enables the sharing of cultural stories and collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians,” Lynch said.
Marungka Tjalatjunu (Dipped In Black) / Trailer from Matthew Thorne on Vimeo.
But Lynch is much more than an award-winning documentary filmmaker, he is a performer and visual artist, a health practitioner, interpreter (who speaks 10 languages) and educator.
“I am committed to sharing my cultural knowledge with communities across South Australia and the world with a view to promoting reconciliation between non-Indigenous and Indigenous Australians,” Lynch said.
“For 20 years I have worked across diverse community groups to improve the quality of life and experience, especially for Indigenous Australians to encourage them to build confidence and a sense of wellbeing and have provided an example of how to navigate life in two worlds.”
Lynch shares traditional perspectives and stories through art, music, dance and film, with Marungka Tjalatjunu being his most recent success.
“This film enabled me to share my story and my journey from country to city life,” Lynch said.
“Collaborating with Matthew Thorne, a white Australian film director, we were together able to enact successful cultural conversations, working collaboratively to tell my story.
“This was reconciliation in action.”
Lynch said that while in Berlin for the Berlinale Internationale FIlm Festival, he found that international artists and media were genuinely interested in Australian Indigenous stories and this has inspired him to continue his art.
“I realised the importance of articulating, with clarity and honesty, the stories of my culture and sharing our untold history – including stories of stolen generations and mission life – languages, different perspectives of settlement with future generations,” he said.
“Working in education I know the value of storytelling and learning language in schools for all young Australians.”
Lynch said the Berlin award and being named in the 40 Under 40 has shown him the importance of the role he plays in representing Indigenous people on the local and world stage.
“I have recently discovered that others in my community see me as a leader and I am beginning to understand the responsibilities of that,” he said.
Lynch said he is now concentrating on his artistic practice.
“In the short term, I will be working on creative development for a cabaret show inspired by “Dipped in Black”, using contemporary and traditional live performance incorporating song, dance, physical storytelling, drag, humour and a live band and chorus to tell my story,” he said.
“It will reference the rhythm and blues, soul and pop genre of Tina Turner, who features in the film as a symbol of the vast journey travelled in my life.”
