What do you get when you cross one of Australia’s leading creative minds, the Opera House and an indigenous arts and culture festival? You get an exercise class, apparently. “It’s quite fantastic for your thighs,” says Message Sticks artistic director Rhoda Roberts.
She is talking about the interactive event Dancestry. “Basically it’s a big dance circle,” Roberts explains. “It features back-to-back performances, so one moment you might catch a Torres Strait Islander dance and then you might see a dance from Southern NSW.” Dancestry is also about joining in on the fun: “There are moments when you can get up and learn the basic steps, so imagine hundreds of people moving together. It’s a modern-day corroboree.”
As well as taking on the role of artistic director for the 13th annual Message Sticks festival this year, Roberts has just been appointed as the Opera House’s first head of indigenous programming. “Most Australians have never really experienced a cultural event with Aboriginal people, and we’re hoping that Message Sticks will give them a taste of very traditional aspects of Aboriginal culture, but also the contemporary forms that we use.”
Roberts cites Mama Cass: The Tribute Concert as a favourite event on the festival programme, featuring former Australian Idol winner Casey Donovan. “Cass Elliot [of the Mamas and the Papas] had an amazing voice, and after she passed, no one really heard her songs,” explains Roberts. “Brian Wilson suggested that it was because a lot of the younger stars don’t have the vocal range to do the songs, but of course Casey Donovan has the voice. She channels Mama Cass.”
As well as music, film and dance, visual arts and politics will play a big role in this year’s festival. Under the Beach Umbrella, an exhibition that celebrates 40 years of the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, spans both. “Photos of the whole period with some really famous Australians have recently been released,” says Roberts. “They are images that Australians have never seen before.”
Media personalities including George Negus and John Pilger will also be in attendance to host Q&A evenings. Negus will join Stephen Pigram, Mitch Torres and Albert Wiggan for a panel discussion titled What’s the Fuss in the Kimberley? – tackling the industrialisation of the Pilbara, including the screening of a politically charged short film, Old Country New Country. “It should be a really interesting evening not only of discussion but there’s also music and songs, showing how the Kimberley affects a variety of Australians,” says Roberts.
With a line-up of talented emerging and established indigenous artists at Message Sticks 2012, there’s a little bit of everything for everyone. “We tried to select artists who are relevant and open to the collaborative nature of the event as well,” Roberts concludes. “It’s awesome to make the programme relevant to different sectors of the broader Australian community.”
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