More music, art and activities at 2 Worlds Festival
Subscribe
X

Subscribe to Forte Magazine

More music, art and activities at 2 Worlds Festival

The 2 Worlds Festival, hosted by The Marrma Rom Two Worlds Foundation, is a festival with the aim of bringing cultures together in a fun, entertaining and interactive festival atmosphere, showcasing a variety of indigenous and western performers, art installations, traditional and not-so traditional activities, and indigenous and modern multicultural food offerings, with an abundance of entertainment for kids and families.
With less than a month to go, the festival has upped the ante with their second announcement of musicians, art installations and activities taking place on October 20th at the Fyansford Paper Mills.
Adding to the already impressive lineup of Adalita, Baker Boy, Darren Percival, Shane Howard, Tim Rogers, Yirrmal and 23 other local and national acts, The 2 Worlds Festival is proud to announce the addition of both Chris Tamwoy and Finnigan August.
Chris Tamwoy is a self-taught guitarist with a unique playing style and sound. Spending his childhood years on Badu Island in the Torres Strait (which lies between Australia and Papua New Guinea), Chris was immersed in music and dance from a young age. While music is his passion – Chris is a strong believer that “your culture is your identity” and he is becoming a humble ambassador for his culture, and an advocate for his audiences to pay respects to the country they live on, as well as the ancestors past, present and future. His distinctive guitar-tap style and vibrant personality see him in high-demand with gigs across Australia, the USA and ongoing media appearances and documentary features. In 2016 national TV audiences also watched Chris make his way through to the grand finals of ‘Australia’s Got Talent’. Dubbed a ‘guitar virtuoso’, you won’t want to miss Chris’ unique playing style, busy schedule and love for life on the 2 World Festival stage.
Proving talent is not measured by age, Finnigan August is a humble lad beyond his years. Picking up a guitar three years ago, the now 12 year old from Torquay is a natural with music and joins the 2 Worlds lineup alongside Chris Tamwoy. With an accumulation of skills influenced by the Spanish, his surrounding environment of Australian surf folk roots and all those he looks up to, a Summer weekend barely goes by where he isn’t gigging somewhere along the Surf Coast. If being a trained flamenco and classical guitarist isn’t already enough, along with his melting pot of styles of advanced finger-style picking and guitar tapping he will then occupy your attention with the drumming of his stomp box or the wonderment of his harmonica or banjo.
In honour of one of Finnigan’s mentors and music teachers, the great Chris Wilson, Finnigan’s performance at the 2 Worlds Festival will be in support of Chris and his family in the wake of the musicians recent cancer diagnosis. Finnigan will throw out the hat and ‘Busk for Chris’ with all the proceeds going towards the Wilson family.
With so many local and national musicians given the opportunity to showcase their talent and passion, the festival is truly a creative outlet whereby everyone can celebrate everything both cultures have to offer, in a highly inclusive and interactive event. Alongside the music, The 2 Worlds Festival has also added to their art and cultural program which focuses on the rich indigenous culture of language, ceremony and customs.
Bridging the gap of understanding between two cultures by bringing them together and celebrating each other, the 2 World’s Festival will kick off with the Wadawurrung Opening Ceremony, or the ‘Bai’err’, which will acknowledge the traditional owners of Wadawurrung country and they will then lead other clan nations in a traditional ceremony that will share stories through dance.
Further combining culture and music, the festival will host the APRA Songlines session which will see Indigenous artist Alice Skye and aforementioned Chris Tamwoy come together in The Great Hall to give people the opportunity to sit back, relax and listen to their journey and enjoy their beautiful music. Elsewhere at the festival, you’ll find Darren Percival deliver something special with The Masculine Spirit Choir in an endeavour to change the way people think about singing and being in a choir.
For the kids, they’ll have the time of their lives with Mini Maestros music sessions, Boost Yoga and Dazzling Dan’s Magic Show which promises to be fun for the whole family with a show full of magic and subtle humour which adults appreciate too.
Art Installations will include a Bunjil sculpture and local art displays, whilst Wayne Quilliam will project drone footage and moving images taken across Australia over songlines and sites significant to indigenous people. These mesmerising images will be projected onto roof and wall spaces of the old Paper Mills, to create a surreal urbanscape. That’s all just only scratching the surface of this years arts program, with more to be announced over the coming weeks.
With the aim of creating a culturally significant event that raises valuable funds to expand the Marrma Rom Foundation, while sharing the rich indigenous culture of language, ceremony, music and customs, the 2 Worlds Festival is one event that should not be missed.
The 2 Worlds Festival takes place at the Fyansford Paper Mills, Geelong – October 20.
Tickets are on sale now through the website www.2worldsfestival.org.au