SYDNEY // New grants are being offered to indigenous musicians by the Australian government to help them break into the tough world of show business.
It is rare for Aboriginal artists to reach the top of the charts. They complain that their music is not taken seriously or appreciated by mainstream audiences, which often expect their work to be of the traditional variety with didgeridoos, an iconic wind instrument, and lyrics sung in tribal languages.
"No matter what genre you are, you are always seen as indigenous musicians. We could play rock music, but it would still be aboriginal music," said Nardi Simpson, 34, a guitarist and folk singer with The Stiff Gins, during a session at the Gadigal studios in the Sydney suburb of Redfern.
"Maybe the general public aren't aware of the great creativity that is happening musically or artistically in our community.
"Our musical styles are as diverse as all our mobs are. There's a lot of country music, there's a lot of hip-hop with the young fellas now, but also we've got amazing opera singers," Simpson added during a break from recording her group's third album, a serene and emotive collection of songs that explore the importance of family and heritage in Aboriginal culture.
A grant of 12,000 Australian dollars (Dh32,000) from the Australia Council for the Arts is helping to pay for Simpson's latest project, but $10,000 more is needed to complete it. A lack of money has been a constant hindrance during her decade-long career during which she has juggled a full-time job with family responsibilities and her musical commitments.
"Being a musician is a struggle and these grants are vital," said a fellow band member and vocalist, Kaleena Briggs, 30. "When you go out there performing you are barely getting paid. You're not really doing it for the money."
Studio facilities and the cost of engineers and producers do not come cheap. "It is ridiculous how expensive it is. It's horrible," Briggs said. "We don't get paid a lot of money and it all goes into making an album."
To ease the financial burdens on emerging indigenous artists, the government in Canberra is planning to offer grants of up to $25,000 under its new Breakthrough initiative.
It is part of long-standing efforts by the authorities to help Australia's original inhabitants, who remain the country's most impoverished and alienated group.
The arts minister, Peter Garrett, who made a name for himself outside of politics as the frontman for the Australian rock band Midnight Oil, told reporters that investment in Aboriginal artists was essential. "One of the most powerful drivers of culture, of creativity and of employment is contemporary music. Indigenous kids are producing fantastic music and they have got some wonderful, wonderful predecessors to take as inspiration: Yothu Yindi, Christine Anu, Gurrumul Yunupingu. We're really keen to see that talent get the opportunity to build a platform for itself and to build careers."
The Breakthrough grants will be distributed by an expert panel and industry executives believe they will boost the careers of Aboriginal musicians through the release of professionally produced CDs and downloads.
"It shows the government is taking this type of music and culture seriously," enthused Michael Hutchings, who runs an indigenous record label and studio called Gadigal Music. "What we can do at Gadigal is help the artist through the process, put a business plan together so they can focus on the development of their art."
Storytelling lies at the heart of indigenous music, which details deep and eternal spiritual connections to land that define an ancient people, whose history has traditionally been passed on by word of mouth.
"What we're looking for is music that tells a story from an indigenous perspective, whether it's an indigenous kid who has moved from the country to the city, which is a big thing in hip-hop," Mr Hutchings explained.
"It is a continuation of song lines, which have been running through indigenous culture for thousands of years. It's just a new format, using modern techniques and appropriating western technology and there is nothing wrong with doing that. That's how all art moves and changes."
Simpson added: "We always carry very proudly the history of where we're from, our people and our family."
Despite its diversity, Aboriginal music is rarely heard on most popular radio stations. Some singers blame underlying racism, while others point to indifference.
Brad Cooke, the general manager at the Gadigal Information Service, an indigenous community organisation, said the government grants as well as schemes that teach youngsters to sing, dance, write songs and perform will bring about change.
"All of a sudden on commercial radio in Australia it is cool to be black, but still not cool to be black from Australia on Australian radio," Mr Cooke said. "We're doing our bit to sort that out. It will come eventually.
"Our artists have always had the strengths to tell their own story and that is really what our music is about. There is genuine substance to it."
pmercer@thenational.ae
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Specs
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How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
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The Disaster Artist
Director: James Franco
Starring: James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogan
Four stars
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
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Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
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Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
Fanney Khan
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Director: Atul Manjrekar
Cast: Anil Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai, Rajkummar Rao, Pihu Sand
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
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What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
