Bulgamada

Revisit this project at Blackheath Choir Festival
Saturday 21 August 2021

There will be one rehearsal before the festival in Blackheath:
10am to 3pm on Saturday 24 July

Please complete the form below and click Send to register your interest.
Note. If you do not receive a confirmation email with passwords, please contact Mick on 02 4787 5725. At least one registration was not received.

The information below relates to the original concert in 2019:

Bulgamada is supported by the NSW Government through Create NSW.

Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre is our valued project partner and administrator.

We’re grateful for additional sponsorship from Bendigo Bank

and from Scenic World.

You are invited to participate in a unique choir event that will bring together your instincts for social justice and your passion for making music.

Bulgamada means ‘mountain water’ in Dharug language, the indigenous language of Sydney and the Blue Mountains. Barayamari means ‘big sing’ which is what will bring us together between 30 June and 24 August, using culture, language and song to build and strengthen indigenous and non-indigenous relationships in the Blue Mountains.

Dharug Ngurra Aboriginal Corporation, formally known as Darug Tribal Aboriginal Corporation, has offered their support and encouragement for this project. They have offered the Dharug language names for the project’s title and sub-title. They add:

‘We extend our commitment to supporting the artists and organisations involved, to develop new and long-term pathways, connecting, sharing and celebrating each other.’

Aunty Jacinta Tobin is a Dharug woman who believes music is a wonderful form of education and life. A recipient of many awards for her practice of this philosophy, and an accomplished songwriter, Jacinta will teach us a song in language and sing us some of her own stories of the local history of this region.

Photo: Peter Adams

Uncle Lexodious Dadd is a Dharug man from the Cannemegal clan of the Sydney area. An intriguing storyteller, artist, singer and practitioner of traditional tool making and bush craft, Lex will weave his stories and knowledge through our performances.

Glenn Skuthorpe. With six highly regarded albums to his name and featuring in the line ups at Byron Bay Blues Fest, Woodford, Calgary and Edmonton Folk Music Festivals, Nhunggabarra, Kooma, Muruwari man and international touring singer-songwriter Glenn Skuthorpe from Goodooga in north west NSW is a masterful storyteller and compelling performer, who gives voice to those whose stories must be heard.

In addition to songs from the above artists, we will include a beautiful song from Rachel Shields, descended from the Weilwan and Gamilaroi peoples, as well as songs from eminent songwriters Archie Roach and Kev Carmody. We’ll be asking you to learn 7 songs in all, mostly not complicated but all rich in lore, language and history.

Our concert band will be headed up by multi-award winning and versatile local musician Llew Kiek.

Highly regarded local choral director and composer Rowen Fox will take on the role of rehearsal and concert conductor.

The Heathens Choir director Christine Wheeler is the project’s instigator and artistic director.

This is a project of Blackheath Area Neighbourhood Centre (BANC).