Four exceptional First Nations acts came together on 31 July for a night of soul-stirring music and storytelling with the world premiere of Warriors, a contemporary music event raising awareness of First Nations men’s mental health. The concert was the headliner for Clancestry, a celebration of identity and connection providing a platform for established and emerging First Nations artists to share their stories, perspectives and talents.
In 2024 men’s mental health continues to be a growing concern, particularly within First Nations communities. First Nations people experience a higher rate of suicide than their non-Indigenous counterparts, with First Nations males accounting for 75% of this. Data shows this number is on the rise.
Andrew Gurruwiwi Band performing at Warriors. Photo by Red Handed Productions / QPAC
Warriors featured performances by world-class acts Andrew Gurruwiwi Band, J-MILLA, Jungaji and Radical Son. Each artist introduced themselves and shared their journeys with mental health in a chat-to-camera style video recording which played on the giant back screen before each performed a 30-minute set.
Radical Son, photo by Cameron Bloom
Kicking things off was Radical Son, also known as David Leha, a Kamilaroi man with Tongan heritage. With a powerfully emotive voice that filled the QPAC Concert Hall, he shared soulful songs and stories from his latest album Bilambiyal (The Learning). His set also included a stirring cover of Frank Yamma’s acoustic ballad from 2011 ‘She Cried,’ a song about a woman struggling for her life. Radical Son’s set concluded on an upbeat note with ‘Rock On,’ a reggae-infused number from his 2014 album Cause ‘N Affect.
Jungaji, photo by Stephen Booth
Next to perform was Jungaji, a GuGu Yalanji songman previously known as Troy Brady. His story was particularly moving as he spoke of losing his son three years ago to suicide. He paid tribute to his son in his latest song ‘Gummy Bamarra,’ the first he’s recorded in GuGu Yalanji language, originating from the rainforest region of Far North Queensland. ‘Gummy Bamarra’ is a dedication to his grandkids and the profound impact they have had on his life.
Jungaji’s set ended on a hopeful note with ‘River Girl,’ a rock’n’roll jam infused with outback Motown vibes, blending harmonies with healing power. Also worth noting was Jungaji’s impressive 15 year old drummer Mone Hunt-Feagai, the son of Jungaji’s keyboard-player/musical director Jimmy Jam aka James Feagai.
J-MILLA, photo by Morgan Sette
Following on from Jungaji was J-MILLA, an award-winning hip hop artist of the Marranungu people, the traditional owners of Litchfield National Park in the Northern Territory. Growing up in Darwin but educated in Adelaide, he recounted his experiences with racism as he tried to go about his daily life. His song ‘Childhood Trauma’ drew on his own experiences with domestic violence growing up, and ‘Unlock the System’ had incredibly powerful lyrics.
There were plenty of crowd-pleasing songs as well, including ‘Down in the City,’ and his latest single ‘Boomerang,’ complete with two high energy dancers. J-MILLA interacted with the crowd with charm and charisma, poking fun at his outfit, and he had everyone up on their feet for his final song ‘Ego Trip.’ His message to follow your passion was truly inspiring.
Andrew Gurruwiwi, photo by Tony Kearney
The final performance was by Andrew Gurruwiwi Band, a high energy funk band from Arnhem Land led by Yolngu elder Andrew Gurruwiwi. Described as shy but extravagant, Andrew Gurruwiwi, a blind keytar player, performed songs in his native tongue, Yolngu Matha, harmonising with Dion Marimunuk Gurruwiwi on vocals and tambourine.
Drawing musical inspirations from the rhythms of Africa, Jamaica, India, Mexico, blues, rock and flamenco, Andrew Gurruwiwi Band was a crowd favourite and it wasn’t long before people were back on their feet dancing. Featuring an eight piece funk band including a trio of horns, Andrew Gurruwiwi Band would not be out of place on the WOMADelaide stage (and here’s hoping they are billed there soon).
Playing one catchy song after another, highlights included ‘Wata Mawi,’ and the thoughtful ‘Once Upon a Time,’ both taken from their new album, Sing Your Own Song. Closing out the night was the upbeat number ‘Maḻirri (The Falling Leaves),’ which had the crowd once again up on their feet. Some were even caught humming the horns section’s melody as they were exiting the Concert Hall.
Warriors was a night of great music, joyful dancing and illuminating conversations. The only downside was that it was for one night only. If you missed these performers at Warriors, it’s highly recommended you earmark them for their next shows. Artist website links can be found below.
The full Clancestry program runs until 9 August and more information can be found here:
https://www.qpac.com.au/whats-on/clancestry
Artist websites:
