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Featured in: Highlighting Australia
As a proudly Australian initiative, we’re excited to showcase a collection of Australian stories, music, tributes and more.
The Baha’i Blog team is buzzing with excitement! An exclusive documentary about Euphemia ‘Effie’ Baker, an inspiring historical figure in the worldwide Baha’i community, has just been released! In this 32 minute film, the details of her life are more accessible than ever.
The first Australian Baha’i woman, the film follows Effie’s story from the town of Ballarat in gold rush era Victoria, across the oceans to her travels through Iran photographing relics and important sites on behalf of Shoghi Effendi.
Dr Graham Hassall, one of the academics who contributed significantly to the film, said:
Effie Baker’s remarkable life and accomplishments deserve a broader audience. She was the first Australian woman to embrace the Baha’i Teachings, and as such, paved the way for those who followed. She was a close confidant of Clara and Hyde Dunn, who had brought the Baha’i Teachings to Australia in 1920. She was the first Australian pilgrim to the Baha’i holy sites in the holy land (now Israel, but in her time, Palestine). She was the first Australian Baha’i to serve at the World Centre, remaining 11 years (1925-1936) in the service of Shoghi Effendi. She was an accomplished photographer, whose epic journey through Persia in 1930-31 provided the photographs of sites and relics reproduced in The Dawn-Breakers and numerous other publications. Her sense of adventure, independence, desire to serve humanity, intense curiosity, appreciation of creative arts as well as technical sciences, and her ever-present sense of humour – all grounded in a profound humility – can inspire each of us to be receptive to, make the most of, the opportunities that Divine providence places in our path.
The film was produced by Baha’i Blog and Full Stack Films. This production wouldn’t have been possible without the meticulous work of Dr Graham Hassall, Dr Anne Beggs-Sunter, the generous collaboration of the Australian Baha’i National Archives, and the Ballarat Observatory. Photography is courtesy of Australian Baha’i Community, Graham Hassall, and the Baha’i International Community.
It is hoped the film will be a source of inspiration to friends working towards the building of vibrant communities the world over!
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Horizons is an online magazine of news, stories and reflections from around individuals, communities
and Baha’i institutions around Australia
Baha’i beliefs address essential spiritual themes for humanity’s collective and individual advancement. Learn more about these and more.
We recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and their cultures; and to elders both past and present.
The views expressed in our content reflect individual perspectives and do not represent authoritative views of the Baha’i Faith.
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This was all new for me. How wonderful to learn more about such an extraordinary. Thank you to all those who contributed to this film.
Barbara Swenson (April 4, 2024 at 1:55 AM)