Two Indigenous music festivals have been announced, both for autumn.
Sydney Opera House presents Homeground on April 5 and 6. Events include a Boomerang Concert featuring Shellie Morris, Casey Donovan, Moana & The Tribe (NZ) and Breabach (Scotland) with other performers including Shane Howard, Dubmarine, Steve Pigram, Street Warriors, Stiff Gins, Yirrmal, Emma Donovan, Ursula Yovich, Pirra featuring Jess Beck, Bow & Arrow, Marcus Corowa and Thaylia. The Opera House’s head of Indigenous Programming Rhoda Roberts said: “Homeground is a feast of music and dance that will showcase the uniqueness of First Nations culture. We have made this a free event to encourage all Sydneysiders and visitors to discover the cultural diversity in our own backyard and on our doorstep.”
Archie Roach will headline the inaugural Baany to Warrna Ngargee (Water To Water) festival – the Mornington Peninsula (Victoria)’s first Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander music and cultural festival. It is held March 29 in Mount Martha. The festival is a non-profit endeavour to promote cross cultural awareness, and to highlight the significant Indigenous population on the Mornington Peninsula (approx. 1000). Baany to Warrna gets its name from the local Boon Wurrung word meaning ‘water’ and the West Coast South Australian word for ‘water’. Maintaining language is important to identity and culture, organisers point out, and the expression ‘water to water’ represents unity, sharing and collaborations.
- Christie Eliezer