Additional Information
Sonia Leber and David Chesworth's soundscape is conceived as a sonic corridor of human voices. The project is built up around recordings made by the artists of people from the 53 Commonwealth nations who are now living in Australia.Each individual voice contributes a distinctive singing style with specific melodic and rhythmic ornamentation shaped over centuries of cultural tradition. The artwork can be seen as an imagined crowd through which actual crowds of pedestrians pass for a time between destinations. Simeon Nelson's visual element is a calligraphic motif travelling the length of the soundscape. Its arcs and tendrils frame the mingling voices, unrolling in syncopation with the dynamic variations within the soundscape. The changing inflection and gesture of line is derived from the ornamental systems of many cultures around the world. Sources in the Central Zone The artwork pivots around the voices of the local Wurundjeri people, the traditional owners the land around the city of Melbourne. Wurundjeri / Welcome to country - Joy Wandin Murphy voices: Joy Wandin Murphy, Kim Wandin, Lewis Wandin-Bursill, Dion Bender
clapsticks: Ron Murray, Dion Bender Sources Along the Bridge As you walk along the bridge, the shifting soundscape constantly changes over time as new voices arrive, migrate, entangle and disentangle. You can hear other Australians singing traditional song from: Africa
- Botswana / Song for grinding corn, Mmapelo Malatji
- Cameroon / Celebration call for arrival of baby, Nathalie Mbala
- The Gambia / Story of establishment of the Manding Empire, Jali Buba Kuyateh
- Ghana / Fisherman's song, Kuukua
- Kenya / Rousing song to encourage dancing, Prisca Cradick
- Lesotho / Wedding song comparing bride to a shining star, Rosalea Simpson
- Malawi / Welcome song, David Marama
- Mauritius / Lament for a child lost at sea, Tessa Naidu
- Mozambique / Repeating chant to ancestors, Carlos X Panguana
- Namibia / Song to celebrate independence, Esther Mbonge Cross
- Nigeria / Children's play song, Nze Nkem Anele
- Seychelles / Anticipating the thrill of the Moutya dance, Cecile Lablache
- Sierra Leone / Working song describing aches and pains, Francess Kalon
- South Africa / Celebrating the joy of coming together, Valanga Khoza
- Swaziland / Welcoming the mother back from work, Zweli Tlhabane
- Tanzania / Song announcing a chicken has been stolen, Habib Chanzi
- Uganda / A bird distracts the women collecting water, Theresa Sengaaga Ssali
- Zambia / Song berating women who use skin lightening cream, Larry Maluma
Asia
- Bangladesh / Song about sacrifices that mothers make, Abdullah Al-Mamoon
- Brunei / Song of the sprawling water village, Dayang Hashimah Hamid
- India / Karnatic singing, Narmatha Ravichandhira / Naga chant, Visier Sanyü
- Malaysia / Song about a kite in the shape of a moon, Rohani Hashim
- Maldives / Protecting the crystal clear waters and palm trees, Ahmed Nashid
- Pakistan / Song to the new generation, Tahir Hashmi
- Singapore / Pantun verse about gift giving, Khairi Razaai
- Sri Lanka / Song in praise of Lord Krishna, Narmatha Ravichandhira
Caribbean & Americas
- Bahamas / The rhythms of the Goombay fire dance, Nakia Bolt
- Barbados / Children's rhyme about a slave, George Gill
- Belize / Song about a brown-skinned girl, Nadine Vernon, Mariel O'Ferrall
- Canada / Ballad of the fishing outports, Deborah Merrifield
- Grenada / Song of the fish vendor, Suzanne Berkeley
- Guyana / Gold seekers' river song, Lloyd Watson-Jones
- Jamaica / Preparing the Cerasee herb cure-all, Jigzie Campbell
- St Vincent & The Grenadines / Song for funeral wake, Rueben Campbell
- Trinidad & Tobago / Longing to go home, Courtney Leiba
Europe
- Cyprus / Lament of the solitary shepherd, Achillies Yiangoulli
- England / The hand loom weaver and the factory maid, Danny Spooner
- Malta / Ghanna-style singing, George Aquilina, Don Zammit
- Northern Ireland / Slow air about a field of barley, Mossie Scanlon
- Scotland / Song collected from travelling tinkers, John McAuslan
- Wales / Little saucepan on the stove, Moelwyn Hugh Jones
Oceania
- Cook Islands/ Treasuring the eternal beauty of the islands, Guard John
- Fiji / Song to hail the commencement of dancing, Silvia Nalewakalou Onken
- Kiribati / Enjoying the calm, sleepy lagoon, Tetaua Macumber
- Nauru / Rhyme to go buy candles during power outage, Cyrene McPhilbin
- New Zealand / Greeting call to the people of the four winds, Margaret Maru
- Niue / Tale of storm capsizing a canoe, Miquel Sietu
- Papua New Guinea / Mourning song celebrating life, Olive Tau Davis
- Samoa / Song extolling the virtues of the village boys, Grace Vanilau
- Solomon Islands / Fishing song proclaiming abundance, Phillip Tagini
- Tonga / Song of warriors rowing the king's canoe, Inoke Veamatahau
- Tuvalu / Call for people to come together, Keleta Avene
- Vanuatu / Dancing song used in sporting matches, John Maho Bule
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