Music Directors
With growing awareness of the gap in opportunity between indigenous and non-indigenous Australians, members of Zig Zag Community Arts Inc in 2006 began a project which has become Madjitil Moorna – Magical Bush Sounds.
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This all-ages community choir sings indigenous music, led by award-winning indigenous musicians Della Rae Morrison, Jessie Lloyd and, in 2009 for the first time, George Walley. Singing both traditional songs in language and soulful contemporary songs, the group has been winning over audiences since their first performance in 2006. |
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‘Their spirited performance was outstanding and a credit to the musical directors' said His Excellency, Dr Ken Michael AC, October 2007. There is a great deal of interest in the choir because of its potential as a catalyst for positive health outcomes and reconciliation. People of all ages and racial backgrounds sing weekly to maintain and improve personal health and wellbeing. As one of the indigenous singers described, |
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‘Singing with Madjitil Moorna has made my spirit soar and my heart sing and my body tingle when the vibrations of our music and singing is in perfect harmony – I am alive in every cell.’ While many of the singers feel this choir gives them a chance to do something wonderful for themselves they believe that by singing they can contribute to positive change for indigenous people and for our society as a whole. Another indigenous member wrote, ‘… the choir has the ability to move so many people and spread the message of reconciliation far more effectively than any other method.’ |
Some History
Madjitil Moorna is a community choir that sings Aboriginal and TSI music, led by award-winning Noongar musicians George Walley and Della Rae Morrison and guided by other Aboriginal members. Our songs are a mix of traditional and contemporary. We began as a community arts project of Kalamunda’s Zig Zag Community Arts Inc in 2006 and because of requests to perform at festivals, schools, civic, corporate and private events, have continued as a regularly rehearsing choir since then. We have recently performed at our 5th Zig Zag Festival.
All voices, all ages, all backgrounds are invited to sing with us any time between February and October each year. Our base is in Forrestfield with occasional visits to other venues.
The journey for all involved in the choir has been life-changing with attitudes challenged and amazing experiences had. We’ve performed over 120 times and were thrilled to have the opportunity to sing Kerry Fletcher’s Sorry Song at the large Perth Esplanade gathering to witness the Apology, 13 Feb 2008.
We started a 13 week project in 2006 in the belief that through singing, people of many different backgrounds could come together and explore Aboriginal culture, past and present in a safe environment. We believed that this would benefit the singers but also the whole community. It has been a roller coaster ride since then with hundreds of people singing with the choir and thousands enjoying performances and workshops.
Some of the most dramatic experiences for the choir have been our trips to Halls Creek WA. Community leader and teacher Doreen Green saw Madjitil Moorna perform in Perth and invited us to come and spend time with kids and families in her town. Doreen was fighting for restrictions on the sale of alcohol at the time as her community was suffering the effects of alcohol and drug abuse on the next generation. She could see that through songs and activities MM would offer very positive role modelling and lots of light relief as well as skills development for children and young people especially.
After 18 months of preparations and fund raising, 29 of us brought a wide variety of skills and interests which we shared with kids in and out of school hours, leading to a community concert at the end of a wonderfully full week. A full report of the first trip can be found here.
A film-maker travelled with us and together we produced the documentary Harmony in Halls Creek - a very uplifting account of what happened. See http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KGfqkZLnubo for highlights. This documentary has been a wonderful asset as we continue to raise spirits and hopes amongst Halls Creek families. They love the DVD and are looking forward to seeing the second one of our trip this May. Our focus this year was on supporting the wide love of music across the community towards a big showcase of bands and kids’ performances. The timetable included song writing and jamming with local musos, bike-fixing with kids and doll and jewellery making with adults plus plenty of time just chatting and building trust through the music and activities.
In August this year the town held its inaugural Nguyuru Waaringarrem Music Festival and invited Madjitil Moorna to return and support the community. We helped to ‘polish’ acts, offered craft activities and performed with the kids. A newly formed school choir performed songs from our repertoire, including the Halls Creek Rodeo song, written with the kids in 2009. T he Festival was a wonderful family-friendly event which achieved what would have seemed impossible just a year ago. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=leWFDQ-Y0SM&feature=related
In the metro area we have performed at many schools and in several of them, Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal staff have invited us to speak to the children about reconciliation and the reasons for us doing what we do. Teachers report that the Aboriginal kids feel very supported by the acknowledgement and celebration of their culture as they watch people from various racial and cultural backgrounds singing, led by strong Aboriginal performers. This leads to educational benefits.
The choir meets weekly in Forrestfield between February and the Zig Zag Festival at the end of October each year. Performances crop up all through the year (see the Gig Highlight lists). Goodwill holds it all together as we break new ground socially and culturally and every singer does what he/she can to help. New people are always welcome. Our music directors are paid professional fees but the administration is done voluntarily. This ensures a culture of commitment and flexibility.
The choir’s vision statement, expressed by our most senior Aboriginal member, Aunty Karl Mourach, keeps us on track as we take on new projects.
Joanna Randell
0409 116 460
Coordinator
Our Vision
written by
Karl
Mourach
Karl Mourach
In conjunction with Aboriginal musical directors:
- To sing in and promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait language
songs and compositions by indigenous artists from around Australia.
- To acknowledge and embrace the stolen generations and their
journey of healing.
- To generate healing with the community through the vibrations of
our harmonious songs.
- To increase our Aboriginal and Torres Strait membership at every
opportunity.
- To create a warm, sensitive, safe environment to encourage
members to express the joy and beauty of music.
- To promote and embrace reconciliation through the multicultural
blend of our members.
- To share the joy of singing to and with Aboriginal communities
and country towns.
- To encourage Aboriginal communities and people from remote
regions to form similar singing groups to enhance the healing
process.
- To have no singing pre-requisites for membership, apart from the
will to receive and spread the joy in songs and camaraderie.
- To use practice methods and materials that allow for members to
learn to sing or develop their confidence to sing in a nurturing and
supportive way.