In October 2023, I was fortunate to be able to travel to the lands of the Yuwibara people, Mackay, Queensland for the Brown Sugar Festival. The event marked “the 160th anniversary since the first South Sea Islander people were brought to Queensland to work in the sugar and cotton industries.”
I had the honour of attending and sharing our short film BLACKBIRD again, 8 years since shooting the film there. It was a wonderful day of connecting with community, eating delicious food and sharing stories, song and dance. Festival photos can be viewed here.
In September, I was invited to the Centre for Contemporary Photography in Naarm for a conversation with artist Buzz Gardiner (read below) whose photography was included in the Walking Through the Darkness Exhibition. We both explore themes of blackbirding and Melanesian histories and identities within our work. It was really good to connect and share our creative experiences with an audience.
In reflection, I’m always humbled by how BLACKBIRD, this 13-minute short film, just keeps going. Being able to continue to share it within the community and with broader audiences has truly been a beautiful experience.