AustLit

'Did you know that the Magpies created the first dawn?*

'A long time ago….

'The sky was a blanket on the land. The earth was in darkness and the people were afraid. It was a very sad state of affairs and would have stayed that way except for the courage of Parrwang the Magpie.

'Tjatja and Koki are young, adventurous and tired of living in the dark. When they manage to climb to the highest branches of an ancient gum tree they discover an exciting new world and a steadfast friend in Parrwang - who decides to help the young humans lift the blanket of darkness from the ground.

'A plan is devised - but can Parrwang convince Mr Waa and the Great Council of Birds to agree?

'*Based on an original story from Wadawurrung Country told to the children of the Wathaurong by community Elder, the late Uncle David Tournier.'

Source: Production blurb.

'This collection of songs features the experiences and languages of Aboriginal Children from around Australia. From Shepparton to Gunnedah, Grafton to Geelong from Portland to Broken Hill, Benalla to Bermagui and Dandenong, to Karijini National Park. Written and composed by Deborah Cheetham and Jessica Hitchcock through the Short Black Opera for Kids program this valuable resource will reveal the beauty and complexity of Aboriginal languages through the powerful medium of song.' (Publication summary)

'There is no memorial to the Eumeralla War. No Australian Prime Minister has ever visited the battleground. The history of battles fought over a period of 23 years have drawn a deafening silence in the 170 years since the last shots rang out. While the Gunditjmara people have language and ceremony to honour their fallen heroes those on the other side of the conflict have no language to describe their ancestors fate. Unlike other conflicts in which Australians have fought and died no peace was ever declared in the Eumeralla War. In providing the opportunity for a largely non-Indigenous choir to learn a major choral work entirely in the ancient language of the Gunditjmara people, Eumeralla will create a powerful way to engage and enlighten those unfamiliar with the history of the resistance wars. Unlike other Australian war heroes, those who died in the resistance wars are not acknowledged in contemporary Australian society. This work will recognise the lives lost on both sides of the fighting and allow peace to be declared. In the long term, the work will become a resource for language preservation, historical data and education. It will become a vehicle for other musical organisations to present a work that engages with Australia’s Indigenous history, exposing the wider Australian community to our shared history by expressing Indigenous culture in a meaningful and powerful way. The traditional languages of the continent are the key to understanding our connection to this land in 21st century Australia.' (Production summary)

'It's not a question you hear very often: 'When did you grow up?' But it is one I have asked myself many times. Yes, you read it right the first time and, no, I didn't mean 'when', I meant when.' (Introduction)

'A breathtaking feast for the soul. This ground-breaking collaboration between Gary Lang NT Dance Company, WAB and Opera Artist Deborah Cheetham AO, brings together two Indigenous nations, the Larrakia and Yorta-Yorta, ballet and opera as Gary Lang re-tells his mother’s Yolngu Milky Way creation story, featuring dancers from both companies and traditional cultural artists from Yirrkala.' (Production summary)

'The song tells of the power of reading with lyrics such as "words can solve the puzzle of this complicated place.' (Source: NITV website)