Tjaabi–Flood Country

Tjaabi–Flood Country is a celebration of country & culture in song, word and vision.

Tjaabi–Flood Country features the tjaabi song form, which is unique to the First Nations peoples of the Pilbara. A tjaabi is like a musical haiku, with crisp poetic language, capturing stories, dreams, thoughts and moments, which can be funny, profound or wistful.

Ngarluma Songman Patrick Churnside has grown up with the tjaabi song tradition, with his Grandfather, Bob Churnside being one of the West Pilbara’s strongest and most renowned singers.

Working with Big hART, Patrick has pursued his passion for reawakening the tjaabi song tradition in his community of Ieramugadu (Roebourne), and sharing it in other cities as a cultural exchange.

Patrick entwines this tjaabi tradition with his powerful family story in this beautifully rendered journey of cultural and personal discovery.

Tjaabi–Flood Country is an intercultural work, featuring layered musical arrangements by Aaron Hopper, images from Benjamin Ducroz and Jordan East. Written and Directed by Scott Rankin with Patrick Churnside.

Initially, Patrick will be touring his Tjaabi practice on country in a series of First Nations cultural exchanges, building cultural safety around this project, as well as conventional venues where appropriate.

For more information on public dates and locations see below.

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