many Papua New Guineans have been in the band – four out of five currently,” said Airi, who grew up in Darwin and has been with the band since he was 21 but whose mother’s ‘ples’ is Gabagaba (Central). As well as Airi (percussion), there is the band’s longest serving drummer Ben Hakalitz (Bougainville), Stu Kellaway, the band’s music director who was born in Sepik, and the late legendary keys player Buruka Tau (Tubusereia, Central). The Meganesia show, which brings together some of the best indigenous Australian and PNG musicians and dancers, had its debut in Cairns on April 12, before moving to Sydney for the Vivid festival in Sydney on May 24. Rehearsals will start in Port Moresby with six local sing- sing groups in early June. “Meganesia is about celebrating and remembering our ties with First Nation Australians – some of the oldest songlines to human beings extend from my wife’s country (Airi’s wife is jazz singer Deline Briscoe, a Gugu Yalanji/ Daintree Aboriginal woman) all the way up to PNG and West Papua, and they’re older than the 10,000 years ago when that land separated. Some of the songs that are sung speak of the time when it was one landmass, so the culture blends together.” Airi said the cultural and geological connections between Australia and PNG were far more ancient and important than any shared colonial history. “Even though we’re here to “Some of the (Australian First Nations) songlines speak of the time when it was one landmass, so the culture blends together”
The poster for PNG-Australian music and dance show Meganesia. Supplied by Gaba Musik
Port Moresby’s Sir John Guise Stadium on June 28 that will kick off the Prime Minister’s Music Festival continuing through to July 5. The theatrical dance and music show – Meganesia – is being produced by PNG- Australian master drummer/
composer/producer Airileke Ingram, a long-time member of Aboriginal band Yothu Yindi which will be the headline act, and who has brought together a cast of over 100 performers. “One of the really interesting stories about Yothu Yindi is how
PNG-Australian master drummer Airileke – pictured on tour in the US with his daughter Meajoy, 19, last year – is bringing the Meganesia dance and music show to Port Moresby on June 28. Photo: Gaba Musik
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