Wilin Week
April 28 - May 1
All events are free and open to the public.
Tuesday April 28
Join us in the Wilin garden for our Welcome and BBQ lunch. With live music from the Luke Millar band and the Pepi Emmerichs Ensemble.
Wednesday April 29
Courageous Conversations in the Grant Street Theatre - DAY 1
Come along, hear our guest speakers and join in the discussion.
10AM session Liza-Mare Syron (EORA) and Rachel Maza Long (Ilbijeri)
2PM session Sam Cook and Wesley Enoch (Theatre Director)
Open Ceremony at Federation Hall - Wednesday 7PM
Join us at 7PM to hear the premiere of a new work by Australian music icon
JUDITH DURHAM together with our own legend of song KUTCHA EDWARDS
With keynote addresses by Michael Leslie and Terri Janke this will be a memorable evening. Stay to hear Kutcha and his band and join us after the ceremony for supper, a chance to network and meet the artists.
RSVP to Noosh Laghai 03 9685 9327 or email laghain@unimelb.edu.au
Thursday April 30th
Courageous Conversations in the Grant Street Theatre - DAY 2
Come along, hear our guest speakers and join in the discussion
10AM session Diat Alferink and Jardine Kiwat
2PM session Rick Brayford and Kim Walker (NAISDA)
Friday May 1
1PM on the Bryan Brown stage hear the magnificent voices of Don Bemrose, Zoy Frangos and Tiriki Onus. Join us once again in the Wilin garden for lunch and help us end the week in style.
Mother Tongues: Honouring Indigenous Australian Languages
Lost Found Surviving: Sustaining Aboriginal cultural, creative & spiritual knowledge.
‘Wilin’ means ‘fire’ in the Woi Wurrung language of the Wurundjeri, one of the five tribes of the Kulin Nation, the traditional owners of the land the VCA occupies. Throughout Wilin Week a fire is lit and kept alight, symbolizing the centre’s commitment to Indigenous artists and their creative flames.
Drawing on the United Nations International Year of Languages 2008, this year’s Wilin Week Indigenous Celebration honoured all Indigenous Australian languages – lost, found and surviving.
The celebration saw special guest artist-in-residence Ray Kelly of Newcastle perform songs, workshops and storytelling in the Dungatti language of NSW and acclaimed actor Tom E Lewis performed an outstanding piece with the VCA Improvisation ensemble directed by Alex Pertout.
Other performances included singer/songwriter Kutcha Edwards, didgeridoo (Yidaki) player Ron Murray performing Arafura with the VCA Secondary School choir directed by Claire Preston and Michael Sargent, hip-hop sensation the Yung Warriors with MC Johnny Mac, traditional dancer and Kernai/ Gunai language man Wayne Thorpe, the Brown Roots Collective and special guest speaker Yolngu Matha language teacher and artist Rarriwuy Marika.
This year’s Wilin Week Mother Tongues event proved vital in engaging Indigenous youth to embrace their Indigenous language, enabling culture and spirituality to lead the way. The event was equally important for the non-indigenous community who learnt about the power of language and art in sustaining cultural practices and connecting to country.
Wilin Week is an annual Indigenous festival hosted by the Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development at the Victorian College of the Arts. Featuring music, dance, food, film, language and debate, this festival honours Indigenous students and artists on campus.
Wilin Week is an annual indigenous celebration held at the Victorian College of the Arts, and hosted by the Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts & Cultural Development. ‘Wilin’ means ‘fire’ in Woi Wurrung language of the Wurundjeri, one of the five tribes of the Kulin Nation, the traditional owners of the land the VCA occupies. Throughout Wilin Week a fire is lit and kept alight, symbolising the centre’s commitment to Indigenous artists and their creative flames.
Drawing on the UN International Year of Languages 2008, this year’s Wilin Week Indigenous Celebration at the VCA will honour all Indigenous Australian Languages – lost, found and surviving.
Our languages connect us to ancestors, and keep Indigenous creative fires burning. Our Indigenous Australian Languages are lost, found and surviving and ultimately sustain Aboriginal cultural, creative and spiritual knowledge. Come and celebrate the strength of Aboriginal creativity in language – our mother tongues with special guests Ray Kelly, a performing artist and Indigenous languages researcher, and Acclaimed actor Tom E Lewis with an array of Aboriginal musical performances.
All events are free and catering provided.
DOWNLOAD THE PROGRAM
Monday 21 April Opening Ceremony
1pm: Bryan Brown Stage: Wilin Week Opening Ceremony
Featuring acclaimed singer/songwriter Kutcha Edwards and Didgeridoo player
Ron Murray with the VCASS Choir performing a special piece: Arafura
Welcome to Country: Aunty Joy Wandin Murphy
Artist in Residence: Performance by Ray Kelly
5pm: Talking Circle/ Story Telling and a feed with Ray Kelly: Wilin Garden fire bowl
6.30pm: Cinema 2 Film Australian Premiere Screening TIME AND TIDE in partnership with Kiaga Tuvalu (Confirmed)
Tuesday 22 April Youth Day
11am: Youth Workshops featuring Aboriginal language, dance and stories
Ray Kelly and Wayne Thope
1pm: Bryan Brown Stage: Indigenous Hip-hop
Featuring the Yung Warriors and MC Johnny Mac
Wednesday 23 April Community Day
1pm: Bryan Brown Stage: Community Day Concert
Featuring MC Kutcha Edwards, language and traditional dance with Wayne Thorpe and soul sounds with our sisters.
6pm: Cinema 2 Film Night: Screening Crocodile Dreaming with Tom E Lewis
Thursday 24 April Closing Ceremony
1pm: Bryan Brown Stage: Wilin Week Closing Ceremony
Featuring the Brown Roots Collective International Indigenous performance and Tom E Lewis and VCA Music with a special Closing Ceremony performance.
KEEP THE FIRE BURNING!
Monday 23 to Friday 27 April 2007
All events are free!
Wilin Week is an annual festival hosted by the Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development at the Victorian College of the Arts. Featuring music, dance, food, film and debate, this year’s Wilin Week will burn particularly brightly as the Wilin Centre and the VCA celebrate 10 years of commitment to Indigenous participation at the College and highlight Indigenous Australian activism; drawing on the strengths of Justice, Equality, Freedom, Family, Language and Culture.
The Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts and Cultural Development is unique in Australian education, providing a holistic approach to supporting, encouraging and nurturing Indigenous students and practising artists. The Wilin Centre is located on the VCA campus at Southbank and offers student support, mentoring, tutoring, hosts artists-in-residences, cultural activities and celebrations.
Wilin Week features a stellar line-up of Indigenous guests including Tom E Lewis (West Arnhem), acclaimed singer/songwriter and actor (The Chant of Jimmy Blacksmith, 1977), the Watbalimba Dancers, Singer Fay Ball, Activist, Film-maker and Singer/Songwriter Richard Frankland, Activist & Sports (Track & Field, Taekwondo) personality Belinda Jakiel, Didgeridoo player Ron Murray, Activist Gary Foley, Singer Kutcha Edwards and more. Other featured events include the launch of ILLUMINATE: Shining the light on VCA's Indigenous Alumni, a publication highlighting the talented pool of VCA Indigenous Alumni and celebrating the VCA’s ongoing commitment to Indigenous artists, an Indigenous lunch by Celebrity Chef (and VCA graduate) Mark Olive, a film screening, an opening ceremony with a Welcome to Country and a Wilin Indigenous art exhibition – profiling Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students on campus.
Tom E Lewis, along with Trevor Nickolls (South Australia), an internationally renowned visual artist and VCA graduate will be this year’s Wilin Week guest Artists in Residence.
Wilin Week 2007 will acknowledge and commemorate; the 40th anniversary of the 1967 Referendum (when Indigenous Australians got the vote), the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC (National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Day of Observance Committee) Week and the 10th anniversary of the Stolen Generations Bring Them Home report.
Program Enquiries:
Kate Munro
Phone: 03 9685 9324
Email: klmunro [at] unimelb.edu.au
For Media Information or images please contact:
Lisa Montague
Phone: 03 9685 9371
Email: montague [at] unimelb.edu.au
or
Jon Myer
Phone: 03 9685 9385
Email: jmyer [at] unimelb.edu.au
Solid Rock, the ground-breaking 1982 classic ‘land rights’ track of acclaimed band Goanna featured as this year’s theme song for the VCA Wilin Centre for Indigenous Arts & Cultural Development’s annual Indigenous Celebration – honouring Indigenous students at the VCA.
A performance of the classic by former Goanna lead singer Shane Howard and Gunditjmara musician Andy Alberts proved a highlight.
Taking note of the United Nations Year of Deserts & Desertification, Wilin Week’s theme: ‘Solid Rock: Indigenous Youth connection to Land & Culture,’ is one that resonates on a global scale, with its core values and ancient wisdoms intrinsic to Indigenous peoples of the world, passed down through generations.
From Monday 1 May through to Thursday 4 May the Wilin Centre kept the fire burning with a ‘solid’ line-up of Indigenous musicians, singers and dancers; Dan Sultan, Jarrah, Briscoe Sisters, Kutcha Edwards, Kinja, Bree Langridge and dance acts Western Creations, sponsored by Cultural Infusion and Fay Ball took centre stage. Acclaimed choreographer Raymond Blanco and Watbalimba dancer Wayne Thorpe joined forces to host Get Fired Up! Dance Master Class sponsored by the City of Melbourne. A cohort of Indigenous youth dancers from Ballarat engaged in the master class resulting in several professional performances.
Other featured events throughout the week were a VIP Gala dinner with native food produced by Celebrity Chef and VCA Alumni, Mark Olive, a world premiere of Outback Café at a film night also hosted by Mark Olive, a Community Day and a Closing Ceremony celebrating connection to land.
‘Wilin’ means ‘fire’ in Woi Wurrung language of the Wurundjeri, one of the five tribes of the Kulin Nation, the traditional owners of the land the VCA occupies. Throughout the celebration a fire was lit and kept alight, symbolising the centre’s commitment to Indigenous artists and their creative flames.
Photographers: Wayne Quilliam and Amanda Lovekin, copyright 2006