North of the Tropic of Capricorn | The Road to Nullagine | Out on Highway One | Outback Kid | The Big Sing | Way Out West

Outback Kid is a multimedia presentation incorporating a slide show, storytelling and songs from Joel Smoker that tells his story of growing up in the Kimberley region of Western Australia during the 1950s to the 1970s. His story is used to tell a wider story; the story of the changing face of European and Aboriginal relations, from first contact to present times.

Bruce and Pearl Smoker, Joel's parents moved to the Kimberley in 1952 to work for the United Aborigines Mission. They were there for 21 years and in that time raised a family of five: four boys and one girl. Joel is the eldest of those children, and using slides of the photographs his mother took, he tells the story of their time in the Kimberley. Joel's mother gave him a Box Brownie camera while he was still in Primary School and he too took photographs of his environment. These pictures are also featured in the presentation.

Joel moved back to the Kimberley during the 1980s for 9 years, first working as an Arts Advisory Teacher for the Education Department, traveling to the schools of the Kimberley, and then as the Arts Coordinator of the Waringarri Aboriginal Arts Centre in Kununurra. Using slides of photographs that he took during that time, he documents the changes that have taken place in the Kimberley since his childhood.

The monologue is interspersed with songs that Joel has written, which further tell the stories of those times. These songs are presented with the accompaniment of the Red Dirt Band, which includes Joel on vocals and guitar, Dave Clarke on fiddle, mandolin and harmonica, and, when available, Fred Kuhln on bass guitar. The songs are taken from Joel's three albums, Out On Highway One, Outback, and The Flesh And The Spirit.

Outback Kid is a one hour show that leaves a few minutes for questions at the end. It is a show that is designed for children from late primary school to early high school and raises issues that are covered in the Year 8 Social Studies course. For bookings or further details please get in touch with Joel - contact details.

Music - Shows