Article by Ros Jason
Photography by Mark Moray
Arriving at the gates of Adelaide’s beautiful Botanic Park, excitement builds and you know that you are about to experience a fully immersive feast of world music, dance and so much more.
And this, the twenty-fifth WOMADelaide didn’t disappoint.
Homegrown talent featured the powerful award winning indigenous hip-hop group AB ORIGINAL, featuring cameo appearances from CAITI BAKER and DAN SULTAN. ARCHIE ROACH’S fans didn’t let the rain dampen their spirits. Love in the air for the much loved national treasure was palpable.
The fabulous WAIFS, NATTALI RIZE, JESSE DAVIDSON, 30/70 and WILLIAM CREIGHTON went all out to wow their audiences, as did the lovely KELLY MANHENNETT. I managed to catch her last few songs and was very impressed by this young South Australian’s tight ensemble and rich bluesy voice peppered with notes of country and roots influence.
The high-energy set of L-FRESH THE LION took off as this talented band presented their punchy hip-hop numbers, giving the crowd a good workout.
Stand alone highlight The MANGANIYAR CLASSROOM by Roysten Abel was an incredibly memorable act, ‘where twenty-eight boys aged eight to sixteen years, all inheritors of threatened musical traditions, battle with the rigid conformity demanded of the classroom, but where a joyous and exuberant musical celebration triumphs.’ These students brought such passion and skill to their performance, as did their teacher in the role of one forced to collaborate with strict authorities, but then demonstrating each gifted boy’s incredible aptitude for repeating back melodies or specific rhythms played on an assortment of percussion instruments. ‘Even a newborn Manganiyar baby cries in tune,’ implored the subtitles. I was deeply touched by this unique performance, and most importantly by the message it carried, urging the audience to support the Manganiyars’ right to teach and learn according to their traditions.
EKOS DANCE COMPANY from Indonesia gave us a taste of contemporary Javanese dance presented by untrained male performers, while the striking immersive collaboration between DANCENORTH and Javanese trance duo SENYAWA drew curious audiences.
TAGO’S Korean drummers displayed great precision and skill with their huge drums and beautiful costumes, whilst smiley Jamaican song man
BRUSHY ONE STRING had everyone down in the corn with that chicken he sings about so passionately.
Turkey’s BABA ZULA in colorful gear brought their unique psychedelic electric rock’n roll energy to rapt audiences whilst the hypnotic melodies of Welsh group 9BACH featured harp and dulcimer.
I was so excited to see TONI CHILDS, having loved her in the eighties. Many in the crowd felt similarly and were disappointed that she mostly didn’t cover her old numbers. Encouraging her audience to ‘cleanse our musical palate’, CHILDS began her set accompanied by a sharp vibrant burst of live bagpipe music, simultaneously asking the crowd to dig deep and to meditate upon the memory of receiving a great kindness. I found this so beautiful, and I did then feel refreshed and ready for TONI’S set.
Her intention to directly connect with us was vivid. CHILDS got down into the audience during her song ‘Beautiful’ and looked intently into the eyes of several fans as she sang, “You are, you are …beautiful.” It brought tears to my eyes, and I noticed several others around me similarly moved.
The mood created by each individual act varies so enormously; you can get down and sweaty, grooving away one minute, then find yourself floating on a serene cloud of glorious harmonies the next.
Many artists use their moment in the spotlight to raise awareness of pertinent causes and issues close to their heart and kin, or to send blessings of peace, healing, love. I always come away feeling enriched by this wonderful festival experience, but this year even more so. How fortunate are we who come together to create this global community in which to share and enjoy this connection.
Crowds flocked to experience the high energy and dramatic performances of sexy sassy LA MAMBA NEGRA salsa orchestra from Colombia, and
ANA TIJOUX with her tight, stylish seven piece ensemble from Chile who spoke out about the rise of Fascism in her part of the world. Featuring saxophone and trumpet, TIJOUX’S band produced a vibrant funky set that had the crowd bopping. BEBEL GILBERTO from BRAZIL charmed the audience with her languid bossa nova and barely contained super plunging neckline, whilst the fierce, literally smoking drama of the tango ORQUESTRA TIPICA FERNANDEZ FIERRO from Buenos Aires
featuring guttural growls, wild fiddle ensemble and striking light show created a totally unique, unsettling mood.
The GLOBAL VILLAGE was so inviting, many new market stalls tempting passers by with Moroccan ceramics, jewelry, Indian clothing, lamps and recycled goods, whilst the WOMADE tent focused on highlighting the creativity of local artisans and their wares.
The WILDERNESS SOCIETY and MADE IN EAST TIMOR were
represented amongst the display stalls, as was the THIN GREEN LINE, an organization that supports the many rangers who work to protect WILDLIFE across the globe. I was shocked to learn that more than one hundred rangers are shot in the line of duty every year. This organization supports their families and widows through membership, donations and CD sales.
SHEN PEN Organization supports Tibetan refugees in India and offers classes and courses in Buddhism. I was so happy to contribute to their cause by purchasing two beautiful yak wool blankets made by the refugees.
MR V is where you go for CDs and album signings and the merchandise tent has the usual WOMADelaide tee shirts and souvenirs.
Approaching the WARSAW VILLAGE BAND’S performance, I momentarily felt as though I had slipped into some kind of nightmare scenario with terrifying clashing and screeching sounds and violent crashing percussion. Then as I got closer the mood changed in striking contrast to beautiful gypsy folk harmonies.
Austrian band PAROV STELAR had the audience in the palm of their hands with their stylish 1920 ‘s European dance hall feel and sensational stage performance. Their quirky catchy set was just so much fun, the crowd dancing wildly throughout.
THE SOIL from South Africa performed two captivating sets of their melodious a’capella harmonies, as well as presenting one of a variety of engaging WORKSHOPS during which people of all ages had fun learning harmonies and a couple of tricky dance moves. They also demonstrated one of their favorite recipes at ‘TASTE THE WORLD’ where artists join audience members for a cooking session, presenting a typical dish from their home country including tasting opportunities and recipes.
HANOI MASTERS from VIETNAM perform using traditional instruments, but touchingly, have also repurposed weapons of war to bring messages of peace and beauty by reclaiming used artillery shells as musical instruments. EMIR KUSTURICA and the NO SMOKING ORCHESTRA presented a frenetic set drawing on influences from Balkan rumba to eclectic gypsy, including pieces from the soundtracks of Palm D’Or award winning films produced by talented controversial filmmaker KUSTURICA.
A warmly received inclusion in the lineup this year was PIYUT ENSEMBLE from Israel on their first overseas tour. The all male group performed ancient Sephardi hymns mostly in Hebrew, holding the crowd spellbound throughout. Several of these charming guys work as Cantors within synagogue congregations across Israel, and the spirit and joy they experience whilst on stage deeply connected with their audience. Several performers accompanied their singing with drumming, guitar and percussion, and dance came into play as the hypnotic mood became energized through repetition of melody.
The PHILIP GLASS ENSEMBLE performing the live soundtrack of the apocalyptic movie KOYAANISQUATSI was a festival highlight, playing to a mesmerized packed audience. The musical accompaniment was exceptionally beautiful and greatly enhanced the experience of watching the powerful and at times confronting images of the 1982 environmental cinematic masterpiece.
As you make your way from one session to the next, you are gently cradled within the WOMADelaide bubble. In the KIDZONE, children dance or play with hula-hoops and circus equipment and there are various scheduled activities including arts and crafts. Different sounds drift towards you from the various gigs underway at that moment and there are always roving acts too including SANS COMPANIE FIXE who presented the BULB HEADS, two striking light globe silhouettes wandering the park at night. Generations of families loll about together on picnic blankets on the grass under trees, laughter floats on the air as you pass the BEER GARDEN and you may get the chance to make new friends over a bite to eat at one of the many share tables, (as I did meeting folks from the UK, France, Ireland and lots of fellow Melbournians), or relaxing on cushions at the ever popular CHAI TENT. Adelaide’s POH set up residence, with bookings required at her signature restaurant, ‘JAM FACE.’
The food on offer is always a highlight.
Afghani, Thai, Israeli, vegetarian, Indian, BBQ, crepes, Vietnamese, and new this year delicious pasta with meatballs, the list goes on, and yes so do the queues at the Byron Bay organic donut stand.
The HEALING VILLAGE is tucked away in a secluded corner of the park where you can make an appointment to have treatments including massage or naturopathy, and really nurture yourself and recharge during the festival.
The SPEAKERS CORNER featured several artists including singer
INNA MODJA from Mali, an activist for change in her country particularly with regard to women’s issues including raising awareness of female genital mutilation, ‘This has continued to be done to women in the name of culture; this has nothing to do with culture. This is violent abuse of women. The mental physical and emotional problems that are caused by FGM are devastating.’
Also ‘IN CONVERSATION’ was ARCHIE ROACH, TONI CHILDS and
BEBEL GILBERTO, all sessions concluding with Q and A with audience members.
One of THE PLANET TALKS sessions dealt with climate change from a religious perspective, whilst during another Richard Fidler interviewed the fascinating SIR TIM SMIT who famously established UK eco-tourism destination THE EDEN PROJECT.
Down at the Frome street entrance to Botanic Park, the thousands of bats in the trees are a constant point of interest, squawking at times during the day and creating an amazing scene as they set off at dusk and swoop about overhead. Late every night this area morphed into ELECTRO LOUNGE featuring DJs SCRATCH BASTID and RICH MEDINA who kept the party going into the wee hours, whilst nearby the striking CARABOSSE Fire Sculpture installation represented refugees and their journey to freedom.
The SPECIALS closed the festival this year with a trip down memory lane, performing all their old hits including ‘Message to you Rudy’, keeping the crowd bopping ‘til the lights went down on yet another sensational WOMADelaide weekend.
Photography below by Mark Moray of Wicked Rock Photography.
