Tableland Drifters, part of the 2011 Road Safety Song Concert at Yuendemu. Pic: Vanessa Hutchins
Music Touring Program’s Vanessa Hutchins has been one busy woman!
Just back from touring with Iwantja Band for their ‘Palya’ CD launch, she hit the road once again to coordinate the annual Road Safety Song Contest, currently being held in communities in the Northern Territory.
The Road Safety Song Contest is a program initiative by the NT Government to raise awareness of the importance of road safety in Indigenous communities. It is supported by Artback NT and Music NT.
Indigenous bands and musicians throughout the Territory are invited to write and perform songs on the theme on road safety, and then to compete for prizes at community concerts, this year held in four NT communities including Barunga (at the annual Festival) and Yuendemu.
This year the contest – and Concert – was run in Yuendemu for the first time. Program partner PAW Media says “this is the first time that the contest has been run outside of the Barunga Festival, and recognises the importance of road safety campaigns in Central Australia”.
The Concert was also broadcast live over the PAW Radio Network, “as well as videoed for.. local PAW TV News”. They also say that a Yuendumu Road Safety CD – with songs from the competing bands - will also be released later in 2011.
Vanessa has been kind enough to send in a report to Music NT from the Yuendemu Road Safety Concert, which took place on Saturday May 8, 2011.
The Music Touring Program has engaged with Yuendumu community and the Road Safety Branch to expand on the very successful Barunga-driven Road Safety Song Concert. Through tender, Artback NT and Music NT won the job to roll the competition out in four Territory towns during 2011. The aim to be providing ever more performance opportunities for Indigenous bands!
The Music Touring Program targeted PAW Media in Yuendumu in recognition of their talented staff and programs. A strong music production house and radio media network, PAW Media represent the main Pintubi, Anmatjere and Warlpiri communities of Central Australia. Known for its success with the docu-drama Bush Mechanics, PAW staff confidently took on the commitment through radio, film and song, to deliver strong road messaging.
Stephanie Harrison and Catherine Satour. Pic: Vanessa Hutchins
In readiness for the Concert, a series of workshops were conducted by Will Kendrew (Bush Bands Bash Project Coordinator) Rachel O’Connell (radio producer at PAW Media) and musicians Esau Japanangka Marshall and Norbert Japaljarri Morris.
Neil Samartin from Road Safety Branch contributed directly to lyric advice with regard to road safety issues. In Alekerenge, staff from Winanjikari Music Centre attended the songwriting workshops as did the Minister for Lands and Planning and The Arts, Gerry McCarthy.
Workshops were held in the following communities: Alekerenge, Yuendumu, Laramba and Nyirrpi, and gave bands from a variety of language groups the chance to work on a song for the contest. The workshops were held in recreation halls, classrooms and even a shady creek bed.
In addition to these workshops Desert Diva Catherine Satour and musician Stephanie Harrison (both pictured above) hosted workshops with Yuendumu School in the week leading up to the event. This event coincided with Sista Sounds project, so for 4 days women’s music rocked the house!
PAW Media produced radio materials and advertisements regarding road safety and the Concert. On Saturday rehearsals took place and the stage set and cleaned for a rare concert in Yuendumu.
The event was set up and the stage managed by Winanjikari Music Centre and The Tableland Drifters, who did a fantastic set-up and performance. They performed The Haunted Highway, a melodramatic song about driver safety, and started the show off by drawing a crowd. Catherine and Stephanie were divine on the day happily assisting Yuendumu School perform 3 winning songs, Road Safety Is Up to You, Don’t Drink and Drive and Put on Your Seatbelt.
Guess which school won the ‘Best School Entry’ prize?!
In total there were 7 songs performed for the judges. The winner of ‘Best Overall Song’ was Desert Mulga Band with Sober Driver. Joint second prize went to Tableland Drifters and Yaturlu Yaturlu.
PAW Media radio presenter Dennis Jupurrurla Charles Pic: Vanessa Hutchins
The concert also featured stalls and a sausage sizzle, a Road Safety stall and national road safety mascot, Hector The Cat. The concert was broadcast live through the PAW Media, presented by Dennis Jupurrurla Charles (right).
A CD of the event including three additional bands who had trouble getting to the concert will be produced. It will be available through PAW Media in July.
Thanks to Yuendumu for hosting such a great family event!
And thanks to Vanessa for such a great report. Stay tuned to the Music NT website for news about further concerts across the Territory.
Visit the PAW Media website to listen to songs from the Road Safety Concert, and to find out more about the event.
Words: Vanessa Hutchins & Megan Spencer. Additional sources: PAW Media website, NT Transport Group. Thanks to Vanessa for the report and pictures!
