Through the Festival, Wesley Enoch hopes to tell some of the conversations between Indigenous people and wider Australia, from the first words spoken between Eora woman Patyegarang and Lieutenant Dawes through to the language of the 1967 referendum.
“Understanding country through language is a first step and witnessing untold stories is another,” he said. “Much of Indigenous storytelling is about remembrance and sharing…”
In his Festival address Enoch acknowledges the role of the traditional owners of Sydney and their contemporary counterparts: “The 29 clans of the Eora are custodians of this land, which we acknowledge through the commitment of the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council and the many elders both past and present who work tirelessly to make Sydney a safe, respectful place to live.”
“Sydney is a place with over 60,000 years of history. This beautiful city that sits amongst the rivers, harbour and ocean, shares an Aboriginal lineage that goes back before time and now stretches to the skies.”
The Festival, which began on the 7th of January and runs until the 29th includes a mix of public and ticketed events across the arts; from music to theatre, dance and visual arts.
Bayala: Let’s Speak Sydney Language
One of the centerpieces of the Festival is a series of language revival efforts championed by Eora and Darug community elders and language experts. It includes the public reading of , as recorded in the journal of Lieutenant Dawes, on the site where they were first spoken at Tar-ra (Dawes Point Park).
A series of language classes will run at both the and , with a rare exhibition of historic Sydney language items also on display at the . The language revitalization will culminate in ‘’, a public language lesson and choral performance held at Barangaroo on the 26th of January.
Public Forums
The Festival will be partnering with UTS to deliver the UTS focusing on , and to explore issues of Indigenous culture.
“Sydney Festival happens at a time when you're thinking about the year ahead as if it was a blank sheet,” Festival Director Wesley Enoch said.
“This is a time to embrace big ideas and important thinking, to consider how you want to spend your time in this city, how you engage with the world and how you connect with world cultures.”
“Working with UTS and our other partners to deliver these forums gives people a chance to touch base with some of the brightest cultural thinkers around topics of national and international importance.”
Theatre
The Festival marks the premiere of Aboriginal playwright Nathan Maynard’s work ‘featuring an all-Indigenous cast. The play follows the Duncan family living on Dog Island in the Bass Strait during the mutton bird harvesting season.
A modern-comedy about a family road-trip which features a father and daughter reconnecting with each other and the past, will play at the Belvoir St Theatre. The ‘’ will also be held at the end of January and offer a chance for audiences to catch new and distinctive voices in Australian theatre.
Dance
'' offers a rich and unapologetic glimpse into the life of Aboriginal choreographer, dancer and writer Jacob Boehme who, when diagnosed with HIV, reaches out to his ancestors for answers. Delivered in a powerful physical monologue, Jacob explores the legacy and memory embedded in our bloodlines and the human need for community and connection.
Drop in to the public rehearsals of '', a three-year mentorship program which supports intercultural dancers from NSW and WA.
Art
Conceptual artist Vernon Ah Kee's work '' marks the 50th anniversary of the 1967 referendum with a thought-provoking portrait of black and white political issues, attitudes and ideologies. From masterful drawings of his forebears to text-based installations, paintings and three-dimensional works, Ah Kee weaves together the history and language of colonisation to expose degrees of underlying racism in contemporary Australian society.
Music
Source: Sydney Festival
The Sydney Festival runs from the 7th to the 29th of January, at venues across Sydney.
