.jpg) Elle King in Blues
If you aren’t already familiar with the powerhouse rockabilly vocals of Elle King, you soon will be. Since watching her perform her catchy breakout hit “Ex’s & Oh’s” at Byron Bay Bluesfest in March this year, I have heard it on the radio in four different countries! One of the many joys of the annual Easter long-weekend Byron Bay Bluesfest in coastal-eastern Australia is having talented performers from around the world brought to our doorstep. Some are musicians we have known and loved much of our lives; others are fresh young faces with edgy new material see:. Sometimes they bring with them music and songs we are hearing for the first time; other times they perform familiar old favourites.
They come from the four corners of our ever-shrinking world, bringing international flavour to traditional blues and roots music; they speak to us, through their notes and lyrics, of their personal pains and of the human condition; they make us dance and laugh and cry, and bring us joy.
Join me for an international smörgåsbord of sounds, represented in pictures.
.jpg) JJ Julius Son (Jökull Júlíusson) and Kaleo
The Icelandic indie-blues rock band Kaleo was a crisp breath of Arctic air; these young friends garnered numerous music awards in their home country before moving to Austin, Texas to launch their international career.
.jpg) Elle King
American singer, songwriter, and actress Elle King is larger than life on stage. I get the impression from interviews (e.g.: Billboard on Ex’s and Oh’s) that her personality is just as big off-stage!  Raw Earth
Francis Chan Hon Pan wails a tune; Raw Earth from Singapore with their funky take on traditional blues is always a crowd-pleaser. Irish Mythen
From one side of the Atlantic to the other: Irish Mythen, a singer-songwriter born and raised in County Wexford, Ireland, and now based in Canada’s tiny Prince Edward Island, brought her irreverent humour, her original songs (for a sound clip, visit: Irish Pewter and Whiskey), and her infectious laughter to Bluesfest. The audience loved her. Irish Mythen and Joey Landreth
Festivals are a great meeting-place: Joey Landreth from The Bros. Landreth, based in Winnipeg, half-way across a very big country, joined Prince Edward Island-based Irish Mythen on stage for an impromptu duet. Ziek McCarter of Con Brio
On the Con Brio web page, Ziek McCarter talks about his father, an Army vet who died at the hands of police in east Texas in 2011, and about his decision to let the pain and anger be in the past, and to make music that lifts people up. Ziek McCarter of Con Brio
And lift you up, he does! He sings with passion: songs of joy and life with infectious, danceable beats. Ziek McCarter of Con Brio
I was exhausted after the set from just watching; he was irrepressible: all over the stage, performing gymnastic dance moves. Grace Potter
Described as “one hot sister of Rock”, the multi-platinum Grammy-award winning Grace Potter is a feast for the eyes and ears. Grace Potter
An accomplished multi-instrumentalist, Grace delivered thumping, pounding, bad-girl rock with attitude. Blind Boys of Alabama
At the other end of the blues-and-roots spectrum, the Blind Boys of Alabama perform American gospel. Shooglenifty
Shooglenifty delivered infectious toe-tapping laughter-producing Celtic-influenced music. Angus R Grant with Shooglenifty
“Snake-hipped fiddle-toting Highland front man Angus R Grant still rules the roost…” Kaela Rowan with Shooglenifty
The band was joined by Celtic singer Kaela Rowan whose angelic vocals moved me to tears – and tears of laughter. Duncan Campbell and UB40
Multiculturalism at its best: the long-standing reggae band UB40, from Birmingham in the UK, started in 1978 with musicians of English, Irish, Jamaican, Scottish and Yemeni parentage. Earl Falconer and UB40
Started by a group of friends from a working-class neighbourhood, the band used to practice in a local basement. Earl Falconer was one of those founding members. Duncan and Robin Campbell
Robin Campbell was another founding member. In 2008, after the departure of lead singer (and brother) Ali Campbell, another brother, Duncan, joined the lineup. UB40 has had more than 50 hit singles in the UK, and many around the world. I was personally horrified when they turned Neil Diamond’s mournful song “Red Red Wine” into an up-beat dance tune, but Neil didn’t seem to mind when it became a Billboard Hot 100 number one hit, and now performs their version in concerts. Tenzin Choegyal
It doesn’t get much more international – or gently political – than a displaced Tibetan singing plaintive stories of longing for his lost homeland. Tenzin Choegyal’s voice made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up; his stories brought tears to my heart. (For a sound clip, visit: Boomerang Festival.) Beach Boys
Much as I loved the Beach Boys in when I was in school slow dancing with some short guy to “Surfer Girl”, they seemed an odd choice for Bluesfest. Clearly, however, the crowd loved them, and forgave the ageing vocals. Fantastic Negrito
Now, this is the real deal! “Fantastic Negrito” is the stage name for Xavier Dphrepaulezz, an American musician who has faced death twice and come through it to say “I play what and how I want to!” Fantastic Negrito
His performance is passionate and personal as he strips himself bare – open to compassion and/or ridicule. Tom Jones
Tom Jones was another artist, who – much as I might appreciate him – didn’t fit my view of “Bluesfest” … but he was FABULOUS. For me, a lover of Leonard Cohen, Sir Tom’s version of “Tower of Song” was a high point. In another festival impromptu moment, he had the Blind Boys of Alabama join him in performing “Didn’t it Rain”. Blackberry Smoke
In spite of the Sir Tom Jones star-power, Tennessee “Southern Rock” band Blackberry Smoke still drew an enthusiastic crowd for their fourth set of the weekend. Pauline Black
Smart and sassy, the group mix ska rhythms… Pauline Black and Gaps Hendrickson
with style and punk rock attitude. It’s hard to imagine a more eclectic and international mix of fabulous music – I loved every minute of it.
As Stevie Wonder once said:
“Music is a world within itself, with a language we all understand.”
May it bring us all closer together together in these increasingly troubled times.
Posted in Australia,Entertainment,Music,Performance,Popular CultureTags: Australia,blog,environmental portrait,environmental portraits,music,musicians,Photo Blog,portrait,portraits,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Bruce Lee
Hong Kong – American martial artist Bruce Lee was raised in Kowloon. Credited with changing the way Asians are portrayed in American films and considered one of the most influential martial artists of all time, Lee is a local hero and has a prominent statue on the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui. (11March2011) Hong Kong has to be one of my favourite cities. The harbour, the skyline, the street markets, the parks, the culture, the shopping…
Exotic and “oriental” while having all the familiar comforts of a large cosmopolitan city, Hong Kong buzzes with excitement, oozes with money, and, at the same time, feels accessible and safe.
This sense of safety is important, as every time I’ve visited the Hong Kong area, I have spent considerable time wandering the streets alone while my husband is in meetings somewhere-or-other.
On my last visit, we stayed on the Kowloon side of the beautiful Victoria Harbour, in Tsim Sha Tsui (TST). Billed as a “giant world bazaar”, the district is a major tourist hub, with international hotels, shops and restaurants. But, it is also home to many galleries, museums, and beautiful outdoor areas, including the Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade along the harbour. We were just across the road from the Hong Kong Museum of Art (closed from 3 August 2015 for approximately three years for renovations), where I was able to amble around the sculptures in the forecourt.
Tsim Sha Tsui Street
The streets around the southern end of Kowloon are busy, but orderly. English sign-posting in central tourist areas makes navigation reasonably easy. Hong Kong Taxi
Cabs are easy to come by, and regulated – so there is no haggling over fares. Daxiatitan Binglingi
I took myself to a photographic exhibition (No pictures allowed!) at the Hong Kong Museum of History. The neighbouring Science Museum was still playing host to “Legends of the Giant Dinosaurs”, so various animatronics graced the courtyard. Security Guard
The dinosaurs had attracted crowds of families; the entry area to Hong Kong Museum of History was much quieter! Orchid Flower
Bauhinia × blakeana, commonly called the Hong Kong Orchid Tree is the floral emblem of Hong Kong and blooms all over the city – including in front of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum … Bruce Lee
… where another statue of Bruce Lee welcomes visitors to the “Bruce Lee: Kung Fu ‧ Art ‧ Life” exhibition which examines his cultural influence, as well as his martial arts and film legacy. Bird in the Frangipani
There are green places all over the city. Back near the waterfront, the birds are noisy in the gardens. I think this is a Yellow Wagtail. “Waterdrop”
Representing “Heaven”, this sculpture by local artist Danny Lee is part of the first-ever outdoor exhibition in the Art Square in the the Salisbury Garden. “Big Apple”
This giant green apple by Hong Kong artist Kum Chi-Keung is the “Earth” part of the “Heaven, Earth and Man – A Hong Kong Art Exhibition” concept. Happy Folks II
Leading Hong Kong ceramic artist, Rosanna Li Wei-Han, was chosen to depict “Man”. Two groupings of her plump and fleshy figurines took their space in the Art Square. (iPhone4S) Parachutes
The “Ju Ming – Sculpting the Living World” exhibition overlapped with the “Heaven, Earth and Man” exhibition. Ju Ming – Children on a Wall
Charming, blocky pieces by the renowned Taiwanese sculptor were all around the Hong Kong Museum of Art. (iPhone4S) Ju Ming – Resting
The pieces seem to invite “audience participation” … Ju Ming – Lining Up
… as young and old work their way around the sculpted figures… Ju Ming – Umbrellas
… and have their pictures taken with them. This was the Taiwanese artist’s first large-scale solo exhibition in Hong Kong. Hong Kong Waterfront
Low clouds rolls in over Hong Kong on the other side of Victoria Harbour. I’m sure it is not always overcast in Hong Kong – but it always is when I visit! (iPhone4S) Young Couple
A young couple on a day out watch the boats on Victoria Harbour … Young Couple on Victoria Harbour
… then check the photos they have taken. Hong Kong Film Awards
For a long time, Hong Kong had the third-largest motion picture industry in the world, and it still has a distinctive and prominent place in international cinema. The Avenue of Stars along the harbour front celebrates the industry. This 4.5 meter tall statue of Film Awards trophy stands at the entrance. Lighting Man
Bronze lights, cameras, and actors line the waterfront … Handprints
… while visitors look for the handprints of their favourite Hong-Kong cinema stars. (11March2011) Jackie Chan’s Star
Another local hero is actor, martial artist, film director, producer, stuntman, and singer: Jackie Chan. I admit it: I did try the hands on for size! 😀 (11March2011)  Hong Kong is always a pleasure; the sculptures made it a real joy.
Until next time,
Keep smiling!
Pictures: 11March2011 and 30March2014
Posted in Culture,Hong Kong,Popular Culture,TravelTags: art,blog,Hong Kong,Kowloon,Photo Blog,public art,sculpture,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Boat on the Bay
A Dragon’s Pearl junk rests at anchor with the batten sails up on Bai Tu Long Bay, North Vietnam. One of the nicest things about going to sleep on the water is waking up on it.
I love waking up on a boat, well away from ‘civilisation’ in the middle of ‘nowhere’ – provided there is coffee!
It was the morning of our second day on a beautifully fitted-out oak- and teak-finished Chinese-style junk, anchored on the waters of Bái Tử Long Bay, just northeast of Hạ Long Bay in North Vietnam. The staff were already up, so fragrant Vietnamese coffee was ready for me as I made my way – wrapped in a wooden blanket against the winter chill – up to the top deck to watch the sea eagles soar over our heads. The boat swung gently on its rode, so that we had a slowly changing view of the karst mountains rising up around us.
Join me for a magical day on these UNESCO-listed waters.
Quiet Waters off Cap La Island
We weren’t the only tourists anchored in the bay, but the other boats were far enough away that their presence didn’t disrupt the morning peace. Apparently, there is a new government regulation that all boats cruising the Halong Bay area must be white; gone are the brown and red junks of the past. Sea Eagle
It’s times like this I wish I had one of those massive wild-life lenses… Even with a lot of cropping, my 70-200mm is no match for the magnificent sea eagles flying loops high over our heads in the hazy morning sky. Dragon Pearl 1
Can you imagine a more perfect place for breakfast? All of the meals included in our package were superb: fresh and beautifully presented. Kayaks at the Ready
Our time on the boat is well ‘managed’; not long after breakfast, our boat has cruised from Cong Do to Cong Dam. Our tender has gone to a local village and returned with red kayaks that contrast with the dark green waters . Kayaks
We climb into the kayaks and set out on the waters … Lead Kayak (iPhone6)
… following our guide past towering karst cliffs… Kayaks in the Caves (iPhone6)
… and into one of the many pitch-black caves in the limestone. Limestone Karst Formations
Roughly 20 million years of geological upheaval combined with the effects of erosion have carved out a landscape of caves and hollows and jagged shapes. Happily, the waters here seem cleaner than where we have been kayaking the day before (see: Spring Rolls and Winter Weather). Cong Dam Fishing Village
We kayaked past some of the boats and floating houses that are part of Cong Dam, a small fishing village comprising around 120 people. According to our guide, these families used to live in the caves that riddle the islands, but they were moved into villages when Bái Tử Long was established as a National Park in 2001. Boat Skeleton Limestone Karst
We and our companions are dwarfed by the landscape around us as we head back to our boat. Fishing Boats
As we cruise away from Cong Dam, the sea-haze settles in around us and the horizon almost disappears. Fisher People
We watch the local fisher people go about their daily business. Fisher Woman in a Rowboat Karst Islands
In the afternoon haze, the colours change from one moment to the next. Boat on the Bay Hon Co Island
It is late afternoon when we arrive at Hon Co Island. Sundown from Hon Co Island
We are tendered to the island, shown the steps up to the cave where we will later eat, and where we have wonderful afternoon views over the water. Sunset from Hon Co Island
We are told our tender will take us back to the boat to change for dinner at six pm, giving us just over an hour for more ‘swimming or relaxing’. Dog on the Beach
Back down the steps from the cave, a dog keeps an eye on us while we watch the sun go down. Mr Giang
Hon Co Island belongs to the Indochina Junk company. A family of care-takers lives on site. On the Beach Thien Canh Son Cave
Later, we return to the island, climb the 100-odd steps up to Thien Canh Son Cave, then descend into it, guided by burning tea-lights and welcomed by clapping staff. Candles and flower petals are everywhere. Love Swans
The attention to detail is wonderful. Our chef presents us with a pair of ‘Love Swans’ carved from turnips for good luck and happiness. (iPhone6) Dragon
The pièce de résistance is an elaborate dragon, carved from marrow. Dragons feature hugely in the folk-lore of this area.
(iPhone6) According to legend, a family of dragons was sent by the gods to protect Vietnam from invaders. The dragons spat out jewels and jade which became a defensive wall of islands and islets in the bay. Once the danger had passed, the dragons settled in the waters. Hạ Long means ‘descending dragon’ and Bái Tử Long is where the dragon parted from her children when she ascended back to heaven..
 Heavenly, indeed.
With warmer weather, it would have been perfect!
Safe Sailing!
Pictures: 21February2016
Posted in Nature,Travel,VietnamTags: blog,boats,fishing boats,landscape,National Park,Photo Blog,UNESCO,Ursula Wall,Vietnam
Orange Sand
The sensual curves of Dune 40 in the Namib Desert flow over the gravel plains below: ever-changing in the light, ever-shifting in the winds. It was another 4:00am wakeup call: we were expected to break camp before 5:00am so we could drive back into Namib-Naukluft National Park and catch the sunrise colours over the sand dunes near Sossusvlei.
Sleep, as they say, is over rated.
We were aiming for Dune 40 – 40 kilometres past the Sesriem gates on the road to Sossusvlei, Namibia. Dune 45 is the more famous one, with a carpark sitting right at its base, but Dune 40 was less likely to be crowded with tourists climbing to the top before the sun came up.
The Namibian dunes are like living things: with a still, enduring character, but with a personality that changes with every flick of the wind or shift of the light. They tell a long, long story of time and flow; of millions of years spent growing and flowing – one spec of sand at a time.
The Namib Desert stretches its gravel plains 200 km (124 mi) from a high inland plateau in the east to meet the Atlantic Ocean. Winds from the ocean bring fog – the desert gets more of its moisture from fog than it does from the very sporadic rainfall – and sand. Over the eons, this sand has formed into towering sand dunes which are the among the highest in the world. Their colour is a sign of their great age: as the iron in the sand oxidises, it turns burnt orange, like rusty metal. The older the dune, the more concentrated the colour.
I was travelling in a small group with photographer Ben McRae, Pedro Ferrão Patrício from Photoburst, and Namibian guide Morne Griffiths; we were chasing the light on the waves of sand, and following them to the waves of the Atlantic Ocean.
Pre Dawn in the Dunes
Before the sun was fully up, our truck was parked at the side of the road and we were crossing the hard, flat ground towards the still-dark dunes on the horizon with our tripods in tow. Photographers at Dune 40
By the time the sky lightens, photographers are dotted all around the grounds. Sun Rising on Dune 40
The sky remained uncharacteristically overcast and hazy, so the colours on the sands were muted and subtle. Bold Shadows
The morning light slants acutely across the dunes, filling the dips in the sand with shadow. Light over the Dunes
There were moments when the sun broke through the high cloud and set the the sand and shrubs alight. Dune 40 Up Close Trees on the Edge
It’s hard to believe anything can grow in the dunes, but the odd camel thorn trees (vachellia erioloba) seem to manage. Sweeps and Curves Trees on the Dunes Ostrich (Struthio Camelus) Namib-Naukluft National Park
The mountains rise up in the distance as we drive back out of the National Park. Old Pumps
We stopped in Solitaire, a small settlement near the entrance to the park. (iPhone6) Old Car
In the sandy centre of the settlement – decorated by cactus and old cars – the gas station, post office, and general store service the crossroads. The bakery, with it’s good German heritage, cooks up the best apple strudel I’ve had in a very long time. (iPhone6) Cape Glossy Starling (Lamprotornis Nitens)
Birds gather outside the restaurant, hoping for crumbs. Rock and Bush
Following another gravel road, the C14 northwest of Solitaire, we crossed the dry Kuiseb River bed and climbed the mountain on the other side. We stopped at the Carp Cliff Viewpoint overlooking the Kuiseb Canyon and climbed the rest of the rocky knoll on foot. It amazes me how vegetation can cling to the exposed cliff-top. Limestone Pile on Carp Cliff
The upheaval of time has left limestone slabs slanting sideways out of the ground … Marble Steps
… while harder rocks like quartz and marble sit like stepping stones on the windswept cliff. Ground Agama (Agama Aculeate)
This little lizard – I think it’s a ground agama – was almost invisible against the background litter. Baby Dunes
As we get close to the Atlantic Ocean and the coastal city of Walvis Bay, we can see “baby dunes” all around us. The dominant winds here are from the south-west, and strong enough to carry sand and even small pebbles. As a consequence, the dunes are constantly growing and shifting. (iPhone6) Walvis Bay Home
The wide streets into the city are lined with neatly landscaped, architecturally designed, homes. (iPhone6) Low-Cost Housing
They are a stark contrast to the rows of tiny, low-cost houses on the other side of Walvis Bay. (iPhone6) Flamingos on Walvis Bay
The ocean outside the peninsula of Pelican Point near Walvis Bay is renowned to surfers for its waves, but it is the flamingos that draw people to the inner bay. Flamingos on the Bay
Flocks of lesser and greater flamingos gather here to feed. To be honest, I can’t tell them apart; … Flamingo and Skyline
… I just love how they catch the light, and how their leggy stance mirrors the industrial cranes behind them. Pied Avocet (Recurvirostra Avosetta)
Flamingos aren’t the only bird who feed here: avocets are among the water birds who winter in the southern parts of Africa. Hohenzollernhaus
The coastal city of Swakopmund (“Mouth of the Swakop”) is rich with the neo-baroque architecture of its German colonial heritage. (iPhone6) Holiday Haven
Just 70 km north of Swakopmund, the holiday settlement and fisherman’s haven of Henties Bay has a much more casual feel. (iPhone6) The Skeleton Coast
Our last stop on the Atlantic was the Skeleton Coast, north of the Swakop River. Originally named for the whale and seal bones that scattered the area in the days of whaling, this stretch of water is also home to over a thousand ships which have come to grief because of hidden reefs and sand dunes, strong crosscurrents, heavy swells and dense fogs. The Zeila
We were there to photograph the most recent wreck: the Zeila, a fishing boat that was stranded on August 25th, 2008. Cormorants Roosting
This wreck has long since been stripped of any useful metal, and now serves as a resting place for cormorants.
After spending time with the winds and the waves on the Atlantic Coast, we turned back into the desert, this time to the northerly part, with its clear skies (see: A Sky Full of Stars) and dramatic rocky outcrops (see: Morning over Spitzkoppe), leaving the ocean and the sand dunes behind us.
Until next time,
Happy Travels!
Photos: 12-13August2015
Posted in Africa,Architecture,Landscapes,Namibia,TravelTags: architecture,bird,blog,desert,drive,driving,landscape,Namib desert,Namib-Naukluft,Namibia,National Park,Photo Blog,road trip,ship wreck,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
Dreamtime Goanna
In Australian Aboriginal Dreamtime stories, totem animals are central. These spiritual animals – like the goanna depicted here by a member of the Excelsior Dance Troupe – are often represented in music, art, and dance. Australia is home to the world’s oldest living culture.
Indigenous Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures are complex and diverse, dating back at least 50,000 years. As distinctive as these groups are from each other and from other indigenous populations around the world, they share a number of issues related to maintaining cultural traditions in a modern, changing world. Many of these struggles have related to land rights and self-determination in the face of the arrival of a more dominant group.
According the the Australian government: “… Indigenous communities keep their cultural heritage alive by passing their knowledge, arts, rituals and performances from one generation to another, speaking and teaching languages, protecting cultural materials, sacred and significant sites, and objects.”
In practice, keeping traditions alive and relevant, especially in urban communities, is much more difficult than the official line makes it sound. So, community leaders can learn a lot from each other in forums that allow for the exchange of ideas between aboriginal groups from around the world. This is why cross-cultural festivals, like Boomerang, are so important.
Boomerang, “a New World Indigenous Festival for all Australians”, seeks to provide a space for indigenous artists, thinkers and activists to get together to celebrate culture and share ideas. First held in 2013, the inaugural festival attracted over 5000 attendees who “engaged with the music, art, dance, painting, film, discussion and cultural exchanges of our first nation people from around the world.” It was meant to be an annual event, and we had tickets to attend in 2015, but it lost funding and was cancelled that year.
So, I was excited to hear that – thanks to the collaboration between friends Rhoda Roberts (Director: Boomerang Festival) and Peter Noble (Director: Bluesfest Byron Bay) –Boomerang was to share time and space with Bluesfest Byron Bay 2016.
Arakwal Opening Ceremony
Byron Bay (Cavenbah) has always been an important meeting place for the Arakwal, neighbouring clans who’s ancestors have lived in the Byron Bay area for at least 22,000 years. As part of Bluesfest 2016, Arakwal dancers, musicians and storytellers introduce the broader audience to some local stories. Arakwal Women Dancing
The Arakwal clan totem is Kabul, the carpet snake, and the women’s totem is the dolphin: both of which can be seen represented in the women’s patterned tights. East Journey Under Lights
Bridging Aboriginal culture and more modern music, East Journey, from Arnhem Land in the vast wilderness that is the northeast corner of Australia, combine tradition Aboriginal sounds with rock and reggae. Emma Donovan
Indigenous singer-songwriter Emma Donovan comes from a rich musical tradition: long before she was born, her mother, Agnes Donovan, sang for The Donovans, a band comprised of Agnes’ parents and five brothers. Emma’s uncles continued as the Donovan Brothers band, and she first sang in public with them at age seven. Her cousin, Casey Donovan, the youngest-ever winner of Australian Idol, is know to musical-theatre goers: we saw her recently as Killer Queen in the current run of “We Will Rock You”.
Emma has Naaguja, Yamatji, Danggali and Gumbaynggirr tribal heritage, often writing her songs of urban aboriginal life in the traditional language of the Gumbaynggirr. Archie Roach
Archie Roach is one of the grand masters of Australian music. He met his future wife, lifelong partner and musical soulmate Ruby Hunter, when they were both homeless teenagers. Both were part of Australia’s infamous ‘Stolen Generation’, having been taken away from their families at an early age. These, and other experiences of being marginalised and living rough, informed their song-writing.
Ruby Hunter died of a heart attack in 2010, aged 54. Archie has survived lung cancer and a stroke to keep on telling the heart-rending stories of his people. Rako Pasefika
Based in Rotuma, a volcanic island in Fiji, Rako Pasefika is a group of performers with backgrounds as diverse as the island itself. Their singing and dance styles, ukulele playing, log drumming, and traditional chanting draw from the whole region, including Cook Islands, Tahiti, Hawaii, Fiji, Tonga and Rotuma. Rako Pasefika
Rotuma is at the crossroads of the Micronesian, Melanesian and Polynesian cultures; Rako Pasefika features artists of indigenous Rotuman, Fijian and Pacific Island heritage. Rako Pasefika
“Rako” literally translates as “to learn” and the group embodies the organic process of Pacific learning through listening, experiencing, collaboration, and exchange. Rako Pasefika
This collective of artists bring stories of their islands to life through song, music and dance. The recent devastation wrought by Tropical Cyclone Winston and the disastrous effects of climate change featured in their story-telling. Rako Pasefika
As artisans of the Pacific, they also practice and teach traditional knowledge including bark cloth (Tapa/ Masi) printing, making coconut sinnet (Magi magi) and weaving. These skills are reflected in their costuming. Excelsior Dance Troupe
An ensemble fusing modern dance with Indigenous dance, “eXcelsior” members are of Aboriginal and Torres Straight Island descent. Tenzin Choegyal
Singer-songwriter Tenzin Choegyal creates original music which expresses his cultural heritage in the contemporary context. He opened his set with Safe Passage (which accompanies this post), a prayer-song based on the 8th Century classic text: The Tibetan Book of the Dead. This lament-like song prays for the consciousness to have a safe journey to the next world. “Little Bird”
In his song, “Little Bird”, Tenzin asks a bird to carry a message of hope to his birthplace, Tibet. Born to a nomadic family, Tenzin escaped the Chinese occupation with his family in the early 1970s and grew up in a Tibetan refugee community in Dharamsala, India. He came to Australia in 1997, with little more than his lute-like Dranyen and his passion for communicating through music.
(Double click for Safe Passage from the album Heart Strings by Tenzin Choegyal)
Rako Dancers
On the last day of the festival, I rejoined the Rako Pasifika to enjoy their enthusiasm, … Rako Dancer
… their grace, … Rako Dancers
… their power, … Rako Dancer
… and their beauty. Rako Dancers and Musicians Rako Dance Lesson
After they finished their performance, the musicians and dancers of Rako Pasifica invited the audience to learn one of the dances and it’s meaning. Girls in the Middle
A lot of people gave it a try, but it was the joy on the young participants’ faces that gave me hope… Girls Learning
… for it is activities like this that allow the ongoing learning and sharing of cultural traditions. I have mixed feelings about how well the two festivals integrated: it was wonderful to see many top-notch Indigenous artists on the Bluesfest main stages, and it was great to be able to drop in and out of Boomerang activities, but I can’t help wondering if the Boomerang performances were not overshadowed by the bigger names near by, and if the serious discussions that were part of the schedule were not made more difficult by the booming sounds of mainstream music. I also felt sorry for the dancers who continued in the pounding rains, while I – and many, many other festival-goers – crowded under the tent awnings to escape the elements.
Even so, I certainly took many good things away from what little I saw, and I hope the participants did also.
“Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.”
– Victor Hugo
Pictures: 24-28March2016
Posted in Australia,Dance,Indigenous,Music,PerformanceTags: aboriginal,culture,dance,dancer,environmental portrait,environmental portraits,indigenous,music,people,Photo Blog,travel,Travel Blog,Ursula Wall
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