History will be written, spoken, sung and celebrated at Arts Centre Melbourne’s Hamer Hall on Thursday 8 December as Gaba Musik, ALWAYS LIVE and Arts Centre Melbourne present BLAKTIVISM.
BLAKTIVISM, as premiered in 2021, is responsive to the Black Lives Matter Movement that erupted in the United States in 2020 and sparked global attention and action, offering the indigenous Australian perspective on colonialism, racism and representation through a unique lens and presentation style. The conversation and conception of BLAKTIVISM are deep-rooted in our history, surfacing before the global movement.
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“I started thinking about this in 2018 when I was living back in Cairns,” explains BLAKTIVISM artistic director and renowned musician Deline Briscoe.
“The concept was there and I was thinking about things that started opening up in the industry and generations of artists coming through. There was a whole new generation of music, artists and workers and that filtering across industries. Then I saw research come up and thought ‘Hold on, you’re not the first Blak doctor, you’re not the first person of colour to do that.’ That just comes out of ignorance, maybe not necessarily from the artist or person but maybe from their manager or representation or someone else making that claim.
“So I thought, ‘Right, I really want to acknowledge the ones that have been doing it for a long time and are still here and they have a song and story and to create a space, not just on stage, but off the stage to acknowledge these people. That’s the core of BLAKTIVISM. It’s still a cultural practice in this new political landscape that we have. To transfer the knowledge and acknowledgement of our elders is a cultural practice so it’s just continuing that and somewhere there was a disconnect from that. I wanted to create a space where everyone can be celebrated; the young ones, the mid-career people and the ones that have been doing it for a long time so we can learn from each other. That’s why I thought this was an important show to put on.”
Delivered by First Nations curators, artists, activists and performers, BLAKTIVISM provides a space for gathering of Mob to share stories, educate and celebrate our unique history and identity through music.
Under Briscoe’s artistic direction, living legends and emerging artists Yothu Yindi, Lou Bennett, Emma Donovan, Fred Leone, Kee’ahn, Sprigga Mek, Tasman Keith, Sorong Samarai, and Bart Willoughby will unite on stage to deliver a one-off concert of First Nations activism, as led by Musical Director Airileke and the BLAKTIVISM house band.
Yothu Yindi are pivotal in representing First Nations music since their 1986 merger. The ARIA Hall Of Fame music group are responsible for placing indigenous Australian music on the map whilst bringing attention to issues facing indigenous communities through anthems Tribal Voice, Djapana and Treaty. They are seated well within the BLAKTIVISM framework but activism was not the primary intention of the group.
“Activism can be based on our cultural resilience,” explains Yothu Yindi vocalist Jodie Cockatoo Creed. “I believe that was never the ambition, it was simply to make people aware of our cultural beliefs and spirituality to the forefront, to acknowledge and to recognise our people/mob in our country. By doing music is the perfect expression.”
“It’s about education,” explains Briscoe. “No one knows about our history because it’s not in the books. It’s also about bringing Blak artists together on stage – three generations of one family together. That’s one thing that is very special and beautiful about BLAKTIVISM, and shows like this, is that we all come together and celebrate our brothers, cousins, uncles, aunts.
“It’s about educating our young ones first, our mob, and then allowing people to see that from the audience’s perspective so they can see that and understand. When we are talking about sovereignty and activism in the current political climate, there are a lot of different views out there and in BLAKTIVISM we cover all of them so it’s not just one agenda.”
The one-night concert holds space for artists to feel empowered and encouraged to tell their individual Blak history through song and collaboration across a variety of genres, disciplines and discourse.
“BLAKTIVISM is about Blak beauty, it’s about silences, it’s the Blak voices. It’s about feeling beautiful, using our voices and singing our story and feeling empowered and empowering each other to reach that place. The show is so dynamic because that’s who we are as people and that’s how we get our message across to reach a whole diverse range of people. We have really beautiful moments that are quite subtle and intimate, to the big hip hop hits, and anthems by Uncle Bart Willoughby, all honoured on the same stage,” says Briscoe.
“That’s a whole other part of what I wanted to do with BLAKTIVISM. Not every artist gets to play with a First Nations-led 10-piece band with myself and Emma Donovan on backing vocals. It’s a rare opportunity but it’s important to our story because we want everyone to feel like family. That’s the way it should be in our community both on and off stage.”
The event further welcomes community through acknowledging the land on which they are presenting, with Mundanai, five Kulin Nation Songwomen, Mandy Nicholson (Wurundjeri), Renee Sweetman (Boonwurrung), Corrina Eccles (Wadawurrung), Isobel Paipadjerook (Taungarung) and Aunty Dr. Lou Bennett (Dja Dja Wurrung) opening the special event by leading a healing ceremony.
“It’s very special this time around because each show is slightly different. We want to support artists and enrich them and their voices but the most beautiful part of that concept that has developed for this show at Hamer Hall is that we are bringing five songlines from the Kulin nation from each tribe group to open each show with their healing song.”
Additionally, the event will also see newly added cultural activist Gurridyula join the event whilst visual displays are contributed by Jody Haines. It all culminates in a powerful performance by prolific First Nations band, Yothu Yindi.
“ALWAYS LIVE are responsible for bringing Yothu Yindi to the event and we really thank them for their ongoing support of our project. We are very lucky that Yothu Yindi are joining us again for these shows,” Briscoe says.
Yothu Yindi artists will be performing songs from their impressive six-album multi-award boasting catalogue. Their position in BLAKTIVISM continues their three-decade representation and treaty mission.
“[BLAKTIVISM] is a multicultural representation of how Australia has evolved as a nation. To extend the importance of why and how we are a multicultural nation and how we have to accept all cultures regardless, because when you look we, indigenous, have so many similarities, and acknowledgement should be another, and embracing everyone of same equality for value of life for all people and all culture as one by implementing traditional and contemporary which reflects of two different worlds,” says Creed.
“It’s so relevant to today’s society. I think it’s a kind reminder of who we are and where we came from and we all need to listen to our tribal voices and maybe one day we will have a Treaty.”
Elevating the powerful one BLAKTIVISM show and headline performance, Creed teases that the band will further bring unity to the stage with strong female representation: “A great Yothu Yindi show, like always, I’d like to think, may have some special beautiful sisters join us – never know some women power. Yothu Yindi are grateful and thankful to still be able to bring love and song back to all of the community. Big love everyone.”
BLAKTIVISM will be happening 8 December 2022. Tickets to experience BLAKTIVISM are available via Art Centre Melbourne.
This article was made in partnership with Arts Centre Melbourne
