Paul Howe
Head of Music, St Joseph’s College
phowe@joeys.org
Drama & Music Co-curricular
Burramatta Songlines
BurramattA Songlines embeds Indigenous perspectives within our Marist education framework.
Telling a story.
St Joseph’s College is renowned for pushing the boundaries of education through the performing arts, and Burramatta Songlines was no exception. Gracing the stage of the Drama Theatre from 27 to 29 May 2024, this multi-modal performing arts project was a celebration of Indigenous culture and storytelling, intertwined with the College’s dedication to reconciliation and cultural awareness.
The event served as an eye-opener for Indigenous boys, presenting the arts as a viable career path. With experiences such as attending Bangarra Dance performances and engaging with cultural elders, students were given the opportunity to explore and express their identity and heritage.
“We have Aboriginal boys telling a story of country, on this country, but about their country as well … we have seen a mutual learning about the care and respect and authenticity that this project is presenting to us,” says Mr O’Shea, Head of Drama.
The staging itself was innovative, with the Drama Studio converted into a traverse theatre, allowing for an immersive audience experience. Year 11 student Darnell MG, who was involved with the Sydney Theatre Company and the Australian Theatre for Young People, contributed to this powerful narrative by presenting a piece that spoke to truth-telling.
“The story of Harold Blair should be told and retold. So proud of Joeys for telling these stories. Yarn so good. Pride in truth-telling.”
Process.
The three-night event was set against the backdrop of the Burramatta (Parramatta) River, with the river revealed as a metaphorical throughline, drawing parallels with the “Water from the Rock” spirituality and teachings of St Marcellin, and the Indigenous connection of water and Country.
The creative process was steeped in research, a methodology that has proven successful in previous Joeys productions including “Regatta” and “Ultus”, as well as collaboration with Bangarra Dance and industry professionals.
A real community piece of multi-modal storytelling, encompassing music, dance, research-based theatre, poetry and guest speakers. The collaboration of Year 9 and Year 11 Drama and Music students transformed this into a unique project that resonated with the College’s Reconciliation Action Plan and the spirit of cultural safety.
Featured music included the haunting tones of “Binna Burra Dreaming”, performed by Lucas Choi (Class of 2024) on cello. Equally impressive was the original composition “Let the River Flow”, devised by Connor Williams (Class of 2024) and supported by musicians with George Andreou (Y11 2024) on vocals. Risheet Mazumdar (Y9 2024) led with his voice in a joyful New Orleans gospel-style rendition of “Wash My Soul in the River’s Flow”, by the musical powerhouse Archie Roach. Time seemingly stopped when guest soloist, soprano Josie Ryan, emerged to deliver a haunting arrangement of “Maranoa Lullaby”, accompanied by the Chamber Strings Ensemble.
Music.
In a setting reminiscent of a riverbank, the audience was taken on a fluid journey through drama, dance, music and art.
Our students creatively portrayed the life of Harold Blair, Australia’s first Indigenous opera singer. “Harold” concluded with an archival recording from the Bob Crosby Show (1966), singing “You’ll Never Walk Alone” – a definitive anthem at Joeys.
The drama performances opened with an immersive act by Year 9 Drama students telling the lifecycle of the eel across a backdrop of poetry and music. A powerful monologue by Darnell Murray Gibbs (Y11 2024) of an extract from “City of Gold” was raw, honest and thought-provoking. Year 10 Drama students performed “What’s in a Name? Why Don’t We Know?”, reviving lost stories of significant Aboriginals.
Drama.
With invaluable insights from his daughter, Nerida, students used a researched-based theatre approach to devise the 30-minute play, “Harold”.
Alongside guidance from Bangarra Dance, and cultural consultation with Joeys’ parents, Visual Arts also played an integral role in the production. A collaborative art piece invited people to “build the river”, with the audience first witnessing, then adding to the art and commenting as part of the ball of yarn.
Visual Arts teacher Jess Simon used an old map of St Joseph’s from a black and white postcard, winding up the harbour from Circular Quay. Each night, people could add “water” using threads of material, adding words associated with reconciliation as “songlines” – exchanging stories to acknowledge the past, the present and how we might move forward.
Event & artwork.
Program.
Supported through the Industry Professional Partnership program, the event was a collaboration of the Drama, Music and Art departments.
Joeys is charging forward in using the arts as a medium for exposing untold stories.
“History and stories told through performance to highlight reconciliation was incredible. What a privilege.”
Yarn panels & wrap up.
Yarn panels each night shared their responses to the performance, with College staff joined Old Boys Kobi Ashby (2023), Cayden Close (2023), Alexander Roche (2023), Zac Burgess (2020) and Jackson Phillips (2018) as well as playwright and director Wesley Enoch AM, performer Russell Cheek, artistic director Tom Kelly and Darug Elder Chris Tobin. William Barton, a board member of Sydney Symphony, Indigenous composer and performer, led the audience in an impromptu song at one night’s yarn (see video snippet below).
“May it be just the beginning of a wonderful tradition of drama, music and storytelling in new and creative ways at joeys.”
Pat O’Shea
Head of Drama, St Joseph’s Collegeposhea@joeys.org