Project 2010

Madjitil Moorna with the Halls Creek Mob 2010

Vision

Madjitil Moorna- Singers of Aboriginal Songs has a vision for Halls Creek as a Music Hub for the Kimberley, where people of all ages enjoy making music in their everyday lives; a place where children expect to write, sing and perform their own songs. After last year’s outstanding week in Halls Creek, the choir returned in May 2010 to build on the community’s strong connection with music. A week of music workshops and other activities involved scores of kids and families and culminated in a big Respect Yourself, Respect Your Culture Community Concert at the end of the week. Local bands and new acts were showcased. This was another step towards performance in the inaugural Halls Creek Music Festival in late August this year.

The project was supported by Healthway, LotteryWest and Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.

Workshops in Halls Creek

Madjitil Moorna singers and supporters shared skills and stories with local people once more. During school time:

‘Sing and Sew’ sessions
Song-writing and stories
Beading and
Metalwork

and shared with parents and other community members.

Between May 3 and 7 this year, after-school workshops offered were:

Singing
Song-writing
Guitar technique
African drumming
Dance
Band coaching
Felting
Beading
Metalwork
Poi twirling
Film making
Doll making and
‘Fix your Bike’.

Community Contact

This year, the choir was invited by:

the Shire of Halls Creek – Youth Services,
the two schools and
the Kimberley Language Centre, Halls Creek.

A Community Morning hosted by the Language Centre began the week in the best way, for the choir. This was followed by a short choir performance at the High School, where it all began in 2009.

During the week, Madjitil Moorna members spent time in the Red Hill community, ten minutes out of town, sharing songs, crafts and metalwork. Madjitil Moorna singers were glad to revisit people in community, including at the Frail Aged Hostel, the Early Childhood Learning Centre and the TAFE Art class. The choir learnt one or two local songs and they passed on some of their own repertoire. Half a day was spent with the Warmun community. Enjoying the stunning East Kimberley country was an added bonus.

Personnel

Musical direction was from award-winning Noongar performers Della Rae Morrison and George Walley. Teacher Marie Jacquier lead craft workshops while Noongar educators Karl Mourach and Cindy Nelson returned in 2010 in a liaison role.

Eighteen other singers brought many talents and interests to share. Film-maker
Mat de Koning travelled with the group again, to record the week of workshops and performance and to mentor a group of older students who are interested in filming. "HARMONY IN HALLS CREEK", Mat’s documentary of the choir’s first visit to Halls Creek has been very well received by the Halls Creek community. This engrossing and uplifting film was nominated Best Documentary in the WA Screen Awards 2010.

Conclusion

The choir believes that this multi-faceted project helped build confidence and morale in all of us, as people of all ages engaged in simple, positive activities towards their own concert. As happened last year, Madjitil Moorna crew learnt as much as the Halls Creek participants. There certainly is a lot of talent and the choir is proud to be encouraging it as the community prepares for its own Halls Creek Music festival in August this year!