Brisbane's Solstice Festival

By Nick Everett

BRISBANE -- The city's third Winter Solstice Festival took place over the June 6-9 long weekend. The festival is described by its organisers, the Queensland Folk Federation, as demonstrating a “commitment to the reality of Australia as a multicultural or many cultured nation”.

The festival included a rich variety of performers from the Pacific region, such as Ume Lalo-nama from Papua New Guinea, the Brisbane Polynesian Dancers Vocal Group, Te Ihi O Te Ra Maori Cultural Group and Indian and Fijian performers.

An important highlight was the Murri concerts and the “Talking Circle”, featuring Aboriginal writers, performers and activists including Jackie Huggins, Maureen Watson and Les Malezer.

This year's festival featured Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander performers Russell Dawson, Getano Bann, Maureen Watson, Rochelle Watson and Grant Paulson, and spectacular Murri dancers Imballa, Jagara Jarjum and Torres Strait Islands dancers Malu Kiwai.

The festival heard some of Queensland's best vocalists, including Ruth Apelt, Ant McKenna, Toni Wood, One Step Forward and Tangled Web. Festival goers were treated to the final concert of Tangled Web; two of their members are about to depart to the UK.

All participants were encouraged to wear a “reconciliation” badge. Meanwhile, a lively Green Left stall outside sold “justice not reconciliation” badges and informed people of a protest action outside Hanson's Gold Coast One Nation launch, on July 1 (see page 22 for details).

This article was posted on the Green Left Weekly Home Page.
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