About the Desert Feet Tour

We believe that our greatest resource is our cultural inheritance; Reconciliation starts with acknowledging the past, right or wrong, good or bad without blame or guilt. We wish to create positive media that portrays remote communities and Indigenous Australians as a cultural asset and exposes the beauty of the desert and its people in an honest light.

We believe there is a need for more Indigenous and non Indigenous co-operative programs like the Desert Feet Tour. The organisers have received very strong support in this belief, which is eveidenced by an overwhelming response from the communities and from other Indigenous musicians wanting to join the tour.

The Desert Feet Tour has been run by Damien Thornber of VOW Educational Services each year since 2008, providing no-cost alcohol-free community concerts and music education workshops to remote communities in the Kimberly and Pilbara.

In addition VOW provides band equipment to schools in the communities visited.

Our primary target groups are Indigenous children and young people living in remote communities that through a range of geographical and socio-economic factors, are disadvantaged in comparison to the broader Western Australian community.

In recent years the tour has been run twice each year, and the number of communities visited has increased. The duration of stays in the communities has also been increased to up to four days in each as a result of reflecting on practice.

At the heart of the Desert Feet Tour is Damien Thornber and the Orphans, and regular guest artists. Members of the Orphans and the other regular artists also conduct the workshops. Additional musicians join in at concerts and other events as opportunities present.

Objectives

  • Present alcohol-free, no-cost family-focused live music concerts in remote communities
  • Present alcohol-free, no-cost family-focused live music concerts at open community spaces in regional/rural towns
  • Create opportunities for local artists to perform alongside National acts
  • Provide diverse musical performances by the Desert Feet Tour artists
  • Expose children and young people to Indigenous role models
  • Document the Desert Feet Tour through music recordings and video production
  • Provide free music education workshops to primary school-aged children and young people in remote communities
  • Record songs created in workshops and provide copies of CDs produced, to the schools/communities
  • Supply schools in remote communities with musical equipment for ongoing use
  • Return at least annually to the remote communities in order to build on previous achievements

Desired Outcomes

We seek to develop measurable outcomes with the assistance of the schools and communities, from the contribution of the equipment and the workshops we provide.

For example, DFT will provide workshops over a 2-4 day period on each community. Participating schools and communities are selected based on their willingness to participate in an incentives-based program that includes the setting of academic/scholastic and/or attendance targets in return for access to the equipment provided. The necessary musical equipment is donated to each participating Community/School under our funding budget.

The workshops concentrate on children who have shown an interest in developing music skills, focusing on developing material that can be built on with the basics laid down during the workshops.


Specific outcomes will include:

  • Improve school attendance and achievement using music as an incentive
  • Residents of the communities visited enjoy safe, alcohol-free events
  • The desire and skills to play music are nurtured among children and young people
  • Young people are inspired to develop their talents through Indigenous role models
  • Desert Feet Tour promoted on the National Indigenous Radio Service through Mark Bin Bakar - Indigenous personality "Mary G"
  • Future employment and education opportunities for young Indigenous people in the music industry are promoted
  • Children learn about and get to play musical instruments
  • Children learn music fundamentals and song writing skills
  • The capacity to continue to practice music and song-writing skills is enhanced
  • Employment and performance opportunities for Indigenous musicians and facilitators are created
  • Develop and disseminate learning tools for use in metropolitan and regional schools

Music in a community development context

Creating music together can help to develop connections between community members, and thus strengthen a community. Also, community members can be empowered, both individually and collectively, through musical performance. Music projects can provide an alternative for at-risk youth, and young people are often interested in music already. Developing projects around popular music culture, such as hip hop, can often gain the interest and enthusiasm of otherwise disengaged youth (Fouche et al, 2007).

Research has been conducted into the role of the arts in regenerating communities. The results have been positive and suggest that community art projects, including music projects, can produce both social and economic benefits for communities. Community-based arts projects can help to promote the individual culture inherent within communities and regions, and thus conserve cultural diversity (Kay, 2000).

Where possible projects should aim to be conceived and planned in close consultation with the community - outsiders act mainly as facilitators. This encourages the representation of the local culture and the inclusion of issues relevant to the community (Kay 2000; Pitts and Watts 2001).

Partnerships between musicians and community development organisations are integral to effective community development projects. Ideally, either the musician or the community development organisation will be local to the community, or else have an ongoing relationship with the community. This enables local knowledge, musical knowledge and experience in community development to be combined to achieve the greatest benefit from the project (Fouche et. al. 2007; Kay 2000).


References

Fouche, S., Oosthuizen, H. and Torrance, K. 2007. 'Collaborative work: Negotiations between music therapists and community musicians in the development of a South African community music therapy project'. Voices. 7.3.

Kay, A. 2000. 'Art and community development: the role the arts have in regenerating communities. Community Development Journal. 35.4.

Pitts, G. and Watt, D. 2001. 'The imaginary conference'. Artwork. 50.

Tour partners (sponsors and supporters)

  • Martu Trust
  • Newcrest Mining
  • East Pilbara Shire
  • Industrial Composite Contractors
  • BHP-Billiton
  • Macmahon
  • RPM project management

Emama Nguda Aboriginal Corporation: Phyllis Jackson worked with the Aboriginal Alcohol and Drug Service in Perth for many years. Transferring to Derby has given her a very wide sphere of influence, her understanding of Indigenous issues and advice is of great value to our organisation. Phyllis is also the manager and contact for performer, Jason Bartlett.

Broome Picture Company: Peter Strain has been filming the DFT story for the past four years, and aims develop a documentary of sufficiently high production values to enable it to be aired on the ABC or SBS. He believes he can promote the tour and it community development outcome nationally, raising awareness with positive media about remote communities.

Nindilingarri Cultural Health Services/Patrick Davies is a solo Indigenous Singer/Songwriter. Patrick has a studio designed to record Indigenous Law and Dreamtime stories. He has also offered his services on the tour as a solo musician and Indigenous performer singer/songwriter. With his relationships with the communities and his knowledge of the area we hope to work alongside him in the future to develop and increase this treasure of ancient culture.

Abmusic: Candice Lorrae, trained in the Certificate IV in Music (National Music Industry Training Package), will be joining the music workshops tour for the fourth time. Abmusic's role is to create a positive environment that promotes teamwork, self-esteem and independent learning utilising all fields of music. Abmusic was formed in 1986 to support and nurture Aboriginal musicians. It is a Registered Training Organisation delivering Certificates I through IV in a program especially tailored for Australian Indigenous people. Abmusic provides skills training and knowledge necessary to prepare students for entry into the music industry.

Kurrunpa Kunyjunyu: Former program manager, James Back, is a Research Fellow at the University of Western Australia. James lived in Punmu Aboriginal community for seven years and has been conducting project work in this community in preventative Type II diabetes strategies. His knowledge of the land is invaluable and we are proud to have his advice available


Tour partners (musicians)


The Desert Feet Tour has a partnership with a range of professional musicians:

  • Jason Bartlett; Australian Idol contestant in 2009.
  • Candice Lorrae Dempsey; Abmusic Teacher and Indigenous performer "Ulla Shay"
  • Brian Lloyd; Indigenous Hip Hop Artist "Bryte MC".
  • Patrick Davies is a solo Indigenous Singer/Songwriter.
  • Mark Bin Bakar; Indigenous Personality "Mary G".
  • Wayne Barker; Internationally acclaimed Indigenous film-maker and singer song writer.

Tour partners (Indigenous organisations, police, local government)


Information and support in relation to schools, organisations, communities and services we work has all been provided by various people, and we are very grateful for their help and encouragement.

  • Logistical planning to take account of the distances between communities and traveling times involved, has been supported by Jigalong police officers.
  • The Shire of East Pilbara community engagement coordinator provides support to host the festivals/concerts in Newman, Nullagine and Marble Bar.
  • The Martu Trust support choice of and communication with remote communities, in concert with the RPM project management group, Kununurra.

Tour destinations

During April and May 2011, the following remote Indigenous communities and regional towns were visited: Newman; Nullagine; Marble Bar; Jigalong; Parnngurr (Cotton Creek); Punmu; Kunawaritji (Well 33); and Kiwirrkurra.

During October 2011, the tour will be taken to: Broome; Fitzroy Crossing; Wangkatjungka; Djugerari; Yakanarra; Bayulu; Nookanbah; and Derby.


Concerts in communities

Community concerts are held on the first night of arrival. The touring bands will entertain the community in an alcohol-free community environment. Each community is engaged as an audience first, as we find that seeing the performers first stimulates the kids to be more involved in the workshops.

Workshops in communities

We want to engage the children in a hands-on musical experience. The music workshops are facilitated by the touring musicians. We hope to inspire them to develop their musical talents and give them an opportunity to perform what they have learnt in front of an audience. This develops self-esteem and encourages the pursuit of music as a creative outlet, further educational option and/or career opportunity. Children are left with a recording of the music they develop in the workshops.

Festivals/concerts in rural towns

Events in rural towns will include the touring musicians listed below along with a selection of headline acts for each town. We have been supported by The Yabu Band, Steve Pigram, Damien Leith, Matt Gresham and other big name acts during our regional concerts. The idea is to provide an open air, free community concert for the supporting town.