Published on Tuesday, 10 January 2023 at 11:36:34 AM
This is the decade of indigenous languages and in that spirit, the Wardandi Cultural Custodian Mitchella Hutchins and Matriarch Elder Vivian Webb Brockman with Elder Richard Nelson, guest artists Optamus and Flewnt and artist/producer Di Gee, invite the community to help make a new song that is a mix of melody and Hip Hop in both Wardandi Language and English. The healing song will tell the Nannup story and make Wardandi language available to all of us.
The Shire of Nannup, through their journey towards reconciliation, are working with local First Nations people in creating the Wardandi-language song writing project. The project will tell the Wardandi stories through a modern sound and will be hosted in Nannup. Nannup is known as the “Stopping Place” in the local Noongar language.
This project will launch on the Tuesday 17 January at the Go for 2 & 5 Family Fun Day with hip hop artists Optamus Downsyde and Flewnt working with the youth during the annual event. The Wardandi elders are invited to come to Nannup in the afternoon of the 17 January to commence their part of the Wardandi-language song project.
Local cultural custodians Mitchella Hutchins, and Vivian Brockman together with Richard Nelson will bring the stories of the indigenous language into the awareness of the South West community. This unique project will see indigenous and non-indigenous communities come together through the cultural song writing project.
On their recent return from the global stage, custodians Mitchella and Vivian who performed at the opening of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s celebrations of indigenous languages. The Wardandi-language song writing project will offer the community the opportunity to learn about the local indigenous culture through song.
Mitchella and her mother Vivian hope this project will build connections and increase the interest and participation in cross-cultural activities within our community.
“We hope to raise awareness of the local language and culture through song, to create a unique sound together with the community, as a voice of the people who are the modern Wardandi Nation.” They said Nannup and the Blackwood River is significant for the Wardandi people as it is the place where the Pibblemen and Wardandi people came together.
The project aims to develop a deeper understanding by narrating stories of the past through music and the arts, whilst the community learn about the local indigenous culture. To develop a deeper understanding by narrating stories of the past through music and the arts.
Nannup is host to the iconic Nannup Music Festival, and on Sunday 5 March the community will have the opportunity freely participate in the final workshop. It is hoped this project will build a library of language through song as a way to bring awareness of First Nations culture in our area.
Photo Credit; Nannup Music Festival; Isolated Photography
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