About murundak
The genesis for murundak grew from a belief that contemporary Indigenous music captures an elusive, essential heart of Australia. The project had its world premiere as part of Melbourne International Arts Festival in 2006.
The growing consciousness for this project began nearly 20 years ago when I toured remote Aboriginal communities as a member of Circus Oz, flying around the top end in an old DC3, experiencing first hand the culture of remote community. It was then that a seed was planted in my mind. murundak and The Black Arm Band is the flower from that seed.
Early on, we wanted to bring together an Indigenous orchestra to develop the rich diversity of local Aboriginal musicians; and in doing so perhaps be a forerunner to an ongoing ensemble…to be to music what Bangarra Dance Theatre is to dance. This remains a compelling ambition for The Black Arm Band.
Later, the proposition to celebrate the soundtrack to Indigenous life became irresistible. When we (Dave Arden, Shane Howard and I) started to look at repertoire, a living, breathing, social memoir in the form of a musical performance with archival film, came alive.
We soon realised that along with an undiminished spirit, a kind of secret but important social history of Australia is captured in the many songs of Indigenous artists and their collaborators from the last 30 or so years. More than a retrospective, however, at a time of contested history, of contested culture, murundak is very much about here and now.
murundak is a long story without an end. A tale of guitars and dusty roads, of struggle and identity, sweat and blood and more guitars, it’s a yarn we can’t possibly tell in its entirety in 90 minutes.
Creating this performance has been a journey – sometimes sad, sometimes confronting, ultimately uplifting. How we all deal with the continuing effects of colonialism on the lives of the first Australians remains a central and enduring moral issue for both Indigenous and non–Indigenous Australians and continues to inspire this project.
We hope that tonight you join with The Black Arm Band to hear and celebrate a rare musical essence – the signature of Aboriginal contemporary music performed by many creative pioneers alongside emerging Aboriginal artists and their collaborators.
Steven Richardson
Artistic Director, Arts House
> Read the review murundak's 2006 premiere performance
> Read Reko Rennie's History of murundak, Sian Prior's compendium of aboriginal music