Speaking to her about The Black Armband’s upcoming at The Recital Centre on September 1, she details Dirtsong as an engaging piece of work adapted from the book Carpenteria by Aboriginal novelist Alexis Wright. “We first performed it back in 2009 actually, for the Melbourne International Arts Festival at the State Theatre, and we’ve been working towards wanting to get it to a tourable state. Now instead of having 34 people on stage we have 17. It’s evolved and there are new elements to the show and slightly modified themes but it’s still a very powerful show.
“We’ve taken 5 excerpts from [Carpentaria] and each episode has its own language and its own theme. The first theme is Dirtsong which is basically the theme of the whole show and it’s about the connection between country and people or community and language and how relevant that is to very individual regions of Australia. The second is Big Law, which is about how important the law of the land is to aboriginal people. Not necessarily the law of man or man-made law but how if you practise the law of the land you will reap the benefits of that country. The third is about coming up close now and is listening to the country and learning the law of the country, the change of the seasons.
“The fourth is Giidang which is a Gumbayngirran word meaning ‘heartbeat’ and it’s listening to the rhythm of the land and moving with that, not against it, not trying to control it but being in harmony with it. The last episode is called Rainstorm and of course rainstorm brings the weather and the cycle of life. Going hunting, knowing when to go hunting, knowing when to reap the benefits of the country instead of exploiting it I suppose. Within those episodes it’s a conversation piece between the musician and the artist, it’s conversation between the different languages, and it’s also about the retrieval of languages.”
Language is a subject very close to Lou’s heart. Although she’s a musician first and foremost, she is also currently studying for a PhD in the retrieval of languages. This fascination and dedication to preserving mother tongues has permeated her work and recently saw her take the Black Arm Band to London where they performed at the cultural Olympiad, where she collaborated with welsh folk outfit 9Bach.
“For us to work with Welsh people was very relative because of that language retrieval, reclamation and maintenance of the mother tongue. It’s such an important part of our culture so it was very nice to sing for that particular production. And so it was quite a powerful show to present for the diverse audience of cultural Olympiad.
“I’m passionate about music and passionate about language and the connection between human beings and the human condition. I’ve done a lot of travel with my music over 25 years and I’ve found, whether it’s been English speaking countries or non English speaking countries, that music is the language of everyone and you can cut through barriers with music. It’s an amazing part of our culture as well. For me as an Aboriginal woman to be able to have a career in music, it’s not just about the finances or a career, it’s an actual spiritual thing as well.”
Perhaps one of the reasons that The Black Arm Band has struck a chord with so many people is that they do more than just put on an entertaining show with some pretty singing and flashing lights. Their shows are as profoundly educational as they are musically entertaining.
“Yeah absolutely!” Lou enthuses, her voice brimming with passion for what she loves. “And that’s really part of The Black Arm Band’s vision, to make the shows not just about entertainment like, ‘That’s a good rock show,’ but when you come to see Black Arm Band you’re provoked in your thoughts, your emotions, and your understanding of who you are as a human being.”
BY ADAM ROBERTSHAW
