'SAVING SABER' - 5 Weeks, 4 Camels, 1 Woman
A$4,284
of $3,727 targetyrs ago
Successful on 1st Aug 2012 at 2:00AM.
UPDATE!
A BIG THANKYOU TO ALL OF THE AMAZING VOLUNTEERS WHO HELPED CREATE AND OPERATE THE 'SAVING SABER' CAMEL TREK FUNDRAISER, Fashion Parade & World Music Night, June 29th 2012
WOW! What a night! MOPOKE took over a local cafe in Alice Springs & the laneway it lives in, turning it into a runway and serving up desert inspired food, imagery & music!
The night featured performances by Zada & the Sarasvati Belly Dancers, Chigwaiya playing beautiful Mbira tunes, Ba-Boom - turning the laneway into a Bohemian avenue for their Latin Lounge set, the beautiful Bec Matthews playing African Kora & local dj Mustaphaa playing camel beats & world music tunes....
Behind the scenes were many amazing local people and their incredible extensive efforts in cooking, cleaning, styling, bar & food tending, lighting & sound management, and all of their attention to detail that made the night possible!
Thankyou to Page 27 Cafe for allowing us to take over for the night!!!
Hello!
Or 'werte' in Arrente- the local dialect where I come from: Alice Springs, Central Australia
My name is Christy Van Der Heyden. I am a few things at any given time:
Fashion Designer of clothing label called MOPOKE, a youth worker on an Aboriginal Community outside of Alice, and a passionate Cameleer.......
Introducing SABER:
a young, wild, untrained, rare Jheepra Bikaneri breed of camel that was saved from an abattoir!
It's time for SABER to go to camel school and learn from some of her camel elders about how to be a desert trekking pack camel so she can join her new desert expedition family of pack camels and be a SUPER-EXPLORER-HERO!
Introducing MOPOKE:
designed in the desert, made in Melbourne, Australia.
A label of unique wearables made from natural fibres..
Garments for fearlessly passionate wild women and divine individuals...inspired by the concept of the 'Divine Warrior Who Wanders Confidently Into The Unknown Of The Desert'
Created in late 2007, and - YOU GUESSED IT- inspired by my work with camels over the past years....
WHAT AM I DOING?!
In August I will be setting off on a semi-solo camel trekking adventure from Old Andado, exploring the dune fields of the Simpson desert and tracing the far reaches of the infamous Todd River ('Lhere Mparntwe') back to Alice Springs.
(I say 'semi-solo' because you're never really alone with the beautiful company of camels!)
THE MISSION STATEMENT IN BRIEF:
To train SABER as we walk through the desert from A to B & everything in between, whilst using the time and space to be inspired to develop MOPOKE'S next range of designs. To slow down and experience the change in the landscape in 'real time'....camel time!
WHY I NEED YOUR HELP:
There is alot of gear needed for remote expeditions, especially if one is wanting to document the trek & SABER'S growth and have the creative space to design, so it can be shared with friends, interested camel loving folk and random strangers in the next MOPOKE fashion parade and camel slide show!
YOUR SUPPORT WILL MAKE IT A REAL POZIBILITY!!!
Heres what I need funding for:
- GoPro Hero 2 package for the ultimate camel-cam experience
- Transportation / Fuel Costs
- Medical Gear / First Aid gear for both camels and human!
- New GPS (or I may end up in the opposite direction, lost in the desert!!!!!)
- Sat Phone hire and call charge fees
- Solar set up for charging cameras, GPS, Sat Phone
- A little bit of camel gear for Saber: new halter, ropes, camel bell (help make Saber fashionable camel!!!!!!)
BE PART OF THIS EXPEDITION AND HELP KEEP THE TRADITION OF WALKING THE REMOTE PARTS OF THE AUSTRALIAN DESERT ALIVE, LIKE THE AFGHAN CAMELEERS FROM YEARS PAST....
WHY CAMELS?! WHY ONLY ONE WOMAN?!
My pet may be bigger than yours but the love is the same!
Walking with camels allows me to slow down to camel pace and take in the changes in the landscape in 'real time'.....Some days are focussed purely on the tasks at hand
On other days my mind is racing with new design ideas as I imagine walking the royal landscape with these regal creatures in some wildly warrior-ess costume!
Camels are an amazing way to travel as they allow you to go places completely off the beaten track where planes, trains and automobiles are rarer than SABER herself!!!!!
WANT MORE INFO?!
What else will I be doing whilst I'm out there?
- Alot of writing and reflecting
- Filming / documenting the adventure with GoPro gear - camel-cam style!
- Observing the flora and fauna / learning about native plant use, pressing wild flowers....
- Visiting remote communities on the way back to Alice so the kids can come and hang out with the camels!
- Feeding oranges and telling bedtime stories to my beloved dromedary companions
- watching stars in a swag by a fire every night
- slowing down!
"SABER SAYS THANKYOU"<br /><br /> <br /> A postcard of Saber & the Saving Saber project story, posted to you from Alice Springs after the trek!
0 chosen
Est. delivery is Sep 12
"INSIGHTFUL THANKYOU"<br /> <br /> The above postcard that has been hand written to YOU from ME somewhere along the trek. The postcard will share some trek insights and will be posted from ALice Springs after the trek!<br /><br /><br /> (and you'll be amazed at how much I can fit onto a postcard!)
3 chosen
Est. delivery is Sep 12
"DIGITAL DESERT DREAMING"<br /> <br /> You will recieve 5 digital prints of trek plus digital "insightful" postcard emailed to you from Alice Springs after the trek! (proofed by Saber before sending of course!)
2 chosen
Est. delivery is Sep 12
"PACK CAMEL PACKAGE"<br /> <br /> An "Insightful" postcard with hand written letter and an 'actual' photographic print will be posted to you from Alice Springs, signed and kissed by myself and maybe SABER......
2 chosen
Est. delivery is Oct 12
"SABER TELLS A STORY"<br /> <br /> As well as the personalised "Insightful" digital postcard Saber will email you unique video footage of her adventure taken with the GoPro Hero gear that your money will help purchase! Camel-cam style!<br /><br /> You will also recieve the 5 digital prints emailed to you with a trek summary
1 chosen
Est. delivery is Oct 12
"PERSONALISED CAMEL JOURNAL"<br /> <br /> A hand made cameleer notebook made by me, including a personalised thankyou note from SABER and myself and a pressed wild flower from the trek. Posted to you from Alice Springs<br /><br /> Also includes the "Insightful" postcard...
1 chosen
Est. delivery is Oct 12
"CAMEL COUTURE"<br /> <br /> A choice of clothing from the MOPOKE fashion range that you can adorn yourself with and think of SABER as you walk down the street looking like a desert Queen...<br /><br /> You will also get the "Insightful" postcard where SABER will thank you for her support...posted to you from Alice Springs!
1 chosen
Est. delivery is Oct 12
"CAMEL CAMP"<br /><br /> A hand written "Insightful" postcard will be given to you in person when you come to share lunch with SABER at the end of the trek. BRING THE FAMILY OR COLLEAGUES (and some oranges if you'd like to feed SABER!!)<br /><br /> You will also recieve a "PERSONALISED CAMEL JOURNAL".....
0 chosen
Est. delivery is Aug 12
"SAVING SABER BUSINESS SPONSORSHIP"<br /> <br /> A unique way to advertise your business!<br /> Your company logo photographed on one of the camels in the string during the trek and printed for you.<br /> PLUS an opportunity to come and meet SABER and the team- bring colleagues and a camera!<br /> You will also receive video footage of the trek and the "Insightful" postcards for you and your team!<br /> HELP SUPPORT SABER TO BE A LEADER & A SUPER ADVENTURE HERO!!!
0 chosen
Est. delivery is Aug 12