Songs for Freedom is an uplifting concert of original songs created by Ngarluma and Yindjibarndi artists in the Pilbara town of Roebourne WA. Alongside the concert is a campaign to highlight the high incarceration rates of Aboriginal children in Australian prisons. The concert will be performed in Roebourne and Perth in 2024.
Since 2010, supported by Elders, the project has delivered workshops in the community, the school and the prison, creating digital content, music, theatre and performance to change the negative stories told about Roebourne. Songs for Freedom has its foundations in workshops involving the family of John Pat, who died in custody in 1983 and triggered the Royal Commission into deaths in custody.
• Aboriginal children are 24 times more likely than non-Aboriginal children to end up in jail.
• Of the six hundred 10-13 year olds in jail in 2018-19, 65% were Aboriginal.
• Aboriginal children spend on average 71 days in prison compared to 50 days for non-Aboriginal children.
• Evidence doesn’t support the idea that Aboriginal children commit more crimes, rather it highlights systemic issues such as over-policing.
Songs for Freedom is a moving and optimistic, family friendly, free concert, raising awareness of this urgent issue. Alongside the concert, Big hART is working with State and Federal Attorney Generals to change the systemic issues which lead to the damaging incarceration of young people like John Pat.
Songs for Freedom will work hand-in-hand with the community of Roebourne, to deliver a positive message to the country as a legacy to John Pat’s family by the 41st anniversary of his passing on September 28th 2024.
“ROEBOURNE ARTISTS BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AT SONGS FOR FREEDOM CONCERT”
THE WEST AUSTRALIAN
TOURING DATES
Roebourne – Ngurin Cultural Centre – Saturday 21 September, 2024
Perth – Dyoondalup Point Walter – Saturday 12 October, 2024
Keep up to date by joining the Facebook events – HERE
PLEDGE YOUR SUPPORT – HERE
Big hART has partnered with the Justice Reform Initiative to call for urgent change to halve the number of young Aboriginal people in jail.
LISTEN TO THE ALBUM – HERE
BUY THE ALBUM – HERE
Turning Art Practice into Academic Evidence
DISCUSSION PAPERS – INYAART BINKA & CREATIVE PATHWAYS FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE: THE POWER OF MUSIC IN YOUTH JUSTICE SETTINGS WERE RELEASED ON THE 40TH ANNIVERSARY OF JOHN PAT’S PASSING
On the 40th Anniversary of John Pat’s passing in custody in 1983, which triggered the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody we are so proud to present these papers to the people of Roebourne and the wider community as evidence of the important work being done in Roebourne.
Big hART has worked with the Pat family in Ieramugadu (Roebourne) for ten years. To fulfil a promise Big hART made to Mrs Pat (John’s mother), we have released two discussion papers that describe a better way forward.
The two papers sit side-by-side and highlight the thought leadership stemming from this collaboration in Roebourne:
INYAART! BINKA!* A position paper on effective diversion and prevention approaches – protecting Aboriginal young people from Australia’s youth justice system
*‘Inyaart’ and ‘Binka’ mean gift, trade or exchange. Inyaart is Yindjibarndi and Binka is Ngarluma. John was Yindjibarndi, and lived on Ngarluma country.
CREATIVE PATHWAYS FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE: The power of music in youth justice settings
Creative Credits
With thanks to the Pat family
Ngarluma and Yindjibarndi Elders – Allery Sandy and Jeanie Churnside
The Freedom Collective:
Lucky Oceans
David Hyams
Fred Ryan
John Bennett
Jay Jarome
Kankawa Nagarra
Kate Pass
Kendall Smith
Kimberley Wilson
Naomi Pigram
Patrick Churnside
Rose Pat
Tehya Makani
Tyson Mowarin
Talya Valenti
Wendy Darby
With Special guest appearances by:
Kutcha Edwards
Brian Ritchie
Dewayne Everett Smith
Vikki Thorn
Stephen Pigram
Shellie Morris
Creative Team
Scott Rankin – Creative Director
Lucky Oceans – Musical Director
David Hyams – Associate Musical Director
Jordan East – Video Design
Stephen Hawker – Lighting Design
What's On
Songs for Freedom (Roebourne, WA)
Songs for Freedom returns to the place where it all began. Created on Yindjibarndi country, Songs for Freedom, tells stories of the vast, striking beauty of this place and its people. Guided by Ngarluma and Yinjibarndi Elders, songwriters from the Pilbara sing for freedom. Join musicians and friends to pay tribute to the family of John Pat in the 41st anniversary year of his passing in custody.
Sat, 21st September, 2024
Songs for Freedom Perth, WA
Songs for Freedom is an inspiring concert bringing you the soul, blues and unique country music of the Ieramugadu community (Roebourne, WA). Created on Yindjibarndi country, Songs for Freedom, tells stories of the vast, striking beauty of this place and its people.
Guided by Ngarluma and Yinjibarndi Elders, songwriters from the Pilbara sing for freedom. A stunning inter-cultural band including Kutcha Edwards, Kankawa Nagarra, Fred Ryan and John Bennet, join musicians and friends to pay tribute to the family of John Pat in the 41st anniversary year of his passing in custody. With musical direction from Lucky Oceans, and narrated by Ngarluma man Patrick Churnside, this is a concert experience that will fill your night with hope, peace and freedom.
Saturday, 12th October 2024