2012 Milpirri Festival the best yet

ANU’s first Australian Research Council Discovery Indigenous Awardee, Mr Wanta Patrick, has returned to ANU after directing the 2012 Milpirri Festival in the remote town of Lajamanu in Australia’s Tanami Desert.

Based on the theme of Pulyaranyi, the winds of change that stoke the fire, drew together the strengths and hopes of Warlpiri elders and youths in a spectacular music and dance performance with over than 200 performers celebrating what it means to live with and upon the Australian land.

The Milpirri Festival developed out of a relationship between the Lajamanu community and Tracks Dance Company that began in 1988, and now includes the Lajamanu School, PAW Media, Warnayaka Art Centre and Mr Patrick’s Australian Research Council Discovery Indigenous Project hosted by the ANU School of Music.The Northern Territory’s Administrator, the Hon Sally Thomas AM, said that ‘Tracks Dance Company and the Warlpiri people of Lajamanu are to be commended for their dedicated work to ensure a splendid performance was enjoyed by all. The uninhibited joy of the children participating in the festival was a pleasure to see, and what moves they had! We also thoroughly enjoyed the traditional dancing and the artwork serving as a backdrop to the stage.’

Mr Patrick will next speak at the 11th Symposium on Indigenous Music and Dance at Manning Clark House on 1 December 2012, and will discuss his role as Creative Director of the Milpirri Festival in his keynote address for the 35th Annual Conference of the Musicological Society of Australia at the ANU School of Music on 4 December 2012.