TRANSCRIPT
A folk song speaks of tragedy and inspires hope.
The three singers, all displaced Ukrainians who fled their homeland in the last two-years following Russia’s full-scale invasion.
They’re enjoying the atmosphere on opening night of WOMAD and Kobza Café - a haven for Ukrainian culture nestled under the fig trees in Adelaide’s leafy botanic park.
Nataliia describes the atmosphere.
"We make a lot of preparations for this event. All these decorations, and Ukrainian music, and all this nice Ukrainian painting. We share our culture we share our love and raise money for Ukraine to end this horrible and brutal war."
The painting she talks about is the decoration of the café’s chairs and tables.
Bright colours, traditional Ukrainian designs and symbols of hope.
SBS visited this art therapy class at the Association of Ukrainians where displaced Ukrainians are decorating the furniture.
An art therapy collaboration between Kobza cafe and the local Association of Ukrainians .
Natalia is painting her chair with a Ukrainian Kaleenah berry bush.
The Kaleenah berry, a traditional symbol of blood-shed in the fight for independence, has personal significance to Nataliia.
"The history of Ukraine is full of fighting and many Ukrainians die defending our independence, like in this recent terrible war, so many soldiers die. Even my son was killed one year ago so this is very important for us. From one side it is sad, but from other side it is very warmth to our hearts."
There are 400 displaced Ukrainians in Adelaide.
Many of them here on three-year humanitarian visas.
With just one year left, and no pathway to permanent residency yet announced, they are experiencing high levels of anxiety.
They say painting the chairs in bright colours and national symbols lifts their spirits and connects them to their homeland.
Back at the festival, Nataliia and friends are seated on the painted chairs enjoying Ukrainian food.
"We came here to this international, maybe festival, but to watch and listen Ukrainian band, and we enjoy it so much. It connects us with Ukraine, with situation. We have fun and we have tears at the same time."
Kobza Cafe is staffed by the Adelaide Ukrainian community and many of the new arrivals are here too.
Some young ones are making the coffees – the café providing an opportunity for them to learn employable skills.
A coffee roaster near the Ukrainian Association has supplied beans and trained volunteers.
Here’s Doss - part owner of Coffee in Common.
"Yeah, so we're hoping, well, they will be making coffee off this beautiful machine this weekend and the hope is that once they finish here they can then go out in the hospitality world in Australia and grab a job."
That’s the sound of Dakha Brakha a Ukrainian band headlining the festival.
The musicians performed more than 90 international concerts last year and share the café’s mission to bring Ukrainian culture to the world.
Here’s band member Marco Halanevitch.
"Our music and our mission is very important for us and for our country we hope we make a very important thing because we have the chance we have an opportunity to speak with people and speak with our music because music is our language."
Marco says the band uses music as a medium to show gratitude and express pain.
"Firstly, we are just musicians but of course we are not just musicians we are Ukrainian and we have a lot of pain about our country because Ukraine became a victim of Russian aggression. ... We try to say thank you so much, a lot of people support Ukraine and from time to time we try to remind [people] about this problem because it’s a very very big problem for the whole world."
Their music bringing solace bringing solace to those displaced from home as Nataliia.
“It connected us with Ukraine, with the situation what is happening there we had fun and we had tears at the same time.”
Dakha Brakha performs at WOMAD on Sunday night and in Melbourne on Monday.
