AIAA Annual Report 2022-23
Voice of the Solomons Tour 2023
During recent years AIAA has supported the Voice of the Solomons to support our Pacific neighbours, working in conjunction with Colours of the World Tours. From 2018-2023 Natty Dolaiasi has been regularly touring overseas including a number of major tours of Australia, which has greatly enhanced and promoted awareness of Solomon Islands culture, music and arts in both countries. His international tours have also taken him to New Zealand, Taiwan, the Pacific on the Japanese Peace Boat.
Since 2018 until 2023, Natty Dolaiasi’s overseas tours have been possible with wonderful support from Solomon Airlines which enabled Natty to undertake many Solomon Islands projects heading to Australia.
As a result of these projects the Solomon Islands culture was shared with many thousands of audience members. People of all ages and backgrounds from school children and teenagers, to adults across Australia and other countries.
During March to May 2023, Natty toured many venues, events and festivals in Australia across four states, stretching from Melbourne, Victoria in the south as far as Rockhampton in Northern Queensland. Natty also visited the renowned WOMAD Festival in Adelaide, South Australia in order to network with fellow World music musicians including Pacific Islands project Small Island Big Song.
March 11-21 is Cultural Diversity Week in Victoria, so Natty was invited by highly acclaimed Australian touring organization Cultural Infusion (culturalinfusion.org.au) to undertake a wonderful series of Solomon Islands music performances at schools and venues across Melbourne and also in Sydney.
Throughout the tour, Natty was supported on the ground by collaborations with local Solomon Islands musicians, Australian musicians and music organizations. Fellow Malaitan musician, Jimmi Nare from Namrock Studio, Melbourne rehearsed and performed with Natty on many occasions and provided support throughout the whole tour, including an incredible performance at Bar Oussou in Brunswick Victoria, at the invitation of Australian singer-songwriter Anna Smyrk. Natty also performed at the renowned Northen Arts Hotel, Castlemaine. The finale concert in Victoria was on 28 April, held at the longest standing world music organization in Victoria called The Boite, founded in 1979 (www.boite.com.au).
The concert was held at the incredible venue the Abbotsford Convent in Melbourne with Natty Dolaiasi headlining with Charles Maimarosia, Jimmi Nare and Australian master percussionist Ron Reeves. The enthusiastic audience gave the Solomon Islands artists enormous support including a standing ovation at the finale of the show.
One of the highlights of Natty Dolaiasi’s New South Wales tour was the collaborative project with Master percussionist Greg Sheehan in the town of Bellingen. Greg and Natty have known each other as leaders of the Ethno Solomons for several years. The tour created the opportunity for an intensive collaboration, creation of new music and presentation of an extraordinary concert held at the popular venue 5 Church Street Bellingen.
While touring NSW, as a result of previous youth projects, Natty was again invited to present a workshops series at Byron Youth Service in April 2023. Natty shared Solomon Islands stories, drumming, singing and dance with young people as part of the Byron Youth Holiday program.
Natty Dolaiasi’s return to Australia was planned to coincide with the foremost multicultural festival of the Northern Rivers Region – Byron Harmony Festival 2023.
For the Festival, Natty presented the Melanesian Melodies singing workshop, as well as a traditional Solomon Islands welcome to the Festival plus a collaborative performance with local young artist Kai-Fi at the finale of the Byron Harmony Festival.
While on tour, Natty Dolaiasi has commenced work as a recording artist with Wantok Musik, Melbourne and he is planning to return to Australia in 2024 to continue this project. He has also been offered a position as one of the Artistic Directors of the Ethno Australia Music Camp 2024, as well as planning with festivals and such as Cresfest Victoria 2024 and Byron Harmony Festival 2024.
Byron Harmony Festival 2023
The Byron Harmony Festival held its 15th year in May 2023 after a hiatus of 3 years due to COVID lockdowns, the Byron Shire community was happy to see the festival return!
This year for the first time the Festival was held as a joint project with the Multicultural presenters group BayFM community radio with funding received from the Community Broadcasting Foundation. Radio presenters were involved in every aspect of the event including MCing, performing, live to air broadcast, coordination and promotion. Presenters included Melissa Pilot (Italian), Yolanda Santiago (Mexican), Jonny Simons (African), Fred Ramirez (Brazilian) and Mico Sundari (Japanese).
This wonderful multicultural event has now been held for 15 years and closed down during COVID. Early this year the Multicultural presenters decided to revive this beautiful community day in conjunction with AIAA and we held the event at Byron Scout Hall as a way of promoting the multicultural community and the ethnic programs of BayFM through holding an outside broadcast with 4 hours of interviews broadcasting live over the airwaves at BayFM 99.9
Throughout the Festival day the Multicultural presenters were onstage with Mico Sundari (Multicultural Nation), Melissa Pilot (That’s Amore) and Fred Raminzini (Lusofonia) performing as MCs, Fred and Mico also performing as musicians, Judy Shelley (Multicultural Nation) undertaking coordination and Front desk and Yolanda Santiago (Radio Latina) and Jonny Simons (Afrika Calling, Multicultural Nation) broadcasting interviews live to air throughout the whole festival.
Byron Shire community was excited to see the return of Byron Harmony Festival – back to share the colour and beauty of the many cultures that live here in Byron Shire. The Team was excited to present the jubilant sounds of Brazil with the amazing drummers of Batala led by local Brazilian diva Priscilla Rios, Indian music impresario Shivam Rath shared some exquisite classical crystal slide guitar while inspiring, award-winning, young Solomon Islands musician Kai-Fi presented his latest electronic fusion sounds.
The audience joined in the African drumming workshop with Gabriel, Bollywood dance workshop, Hula workshop and exotic foods while dancers from many cultures shared their latest offerings such as beautiful Mana Aloha, Veil of Dreams stunning belly-dancing, Aloha Hula NSW, the gorgeous unforgettable Azahara Sanhur Flamenco and more!
Celebrating and honouring our many cultures, has helped to make our country one of the most successful multicultural nations in the world. BayFM radio also shares the voices of many cultures via their multicultural radio programs such as Radio Latina, Lusofonia, Wirritjin, Multicultural Nation, Afrika Calling, Japanese Bento Box and That’s Amore.
The international headliner of the event was Natty Dolaiasi from the Solomon Islands who has been touring Australia since 2018. He presented a very traditional Solomon Islands Welcome and also collaborated with young Solomons musician Kai-Fi to present new music for the Finale performances. Earlier in the day, a very rare opportunity to learn Natty Dolaiasi’s ancient Solomons tribal songs was held at a singing workshop by Natty sharing traditional songs alongside renowned local choir maestro Peter Lehner.
This year, the Byron Harmony Festival presented approx 150 performers and food/market vendors from many different cultures such as African, Solomon Islands, Indigenous, Japanese, Indonesian, Middle Eastern, Hawaiian, Indian performers, volunteers and workshop leaders and attracted at least 1000 local community members.
Sponsors included the Community Broadcasting Foundation who for the second time provided $2500 for a media tent/outside recording project involving BayFm Ethnic presenters in undertaking interviews and broadcasting live over BayFM for 4 hours 2-6pm on Sunday afternoon.
Another very significant project of the Byron Harmony Festival has been the participation of the Solomon Islands Elder and Traditional Custodian Natty Dolaiasi who visited Australia to perform at Byron Harmony Day and other significant events. Our international visitor was supported by Solomon Airlines
Many thanks to Judy Shelley and others for work on festival coordination and updating the Byron Harmony Facebook page.
Multicultural Nation Radio Show @ BayFm Community Radio
This year continued with the successful radio show Multicultural Nation Radio Show @ BayFm 99.9 which goes to air every Tuesday @ 1-2pm. The show was presented by Judy Shelley and Natty Dolaiasi on week 2 and Jonny Simons Afrika Calling on Week 3 with support from Nancy Jo Falcone for week 2 as producer and Week 5 as presenter, looking at the experiences of new migrants. Also on the show are Japanese presenter Hiromi Matsubara who present the Japanese Bento Box Show every 4th week along with Japanese presenter Mico Sundari every 1st Tuesday. The program presents many interesting cutting edge guests and interviewees– for more info: see Multicultural Nation page at https://www.bayfm.org and Multicultural Nation Facebook Page Multicultural Nation – BayFM
Byron Multicultural Group
The BM group was initiated and auspiced by AIAA in 2018 and 2019. Since then, the BM has moved through the incorporation process and continued to operate as an independent group and has been presenting regular multicultural events and activities since then – see Byron Multicultural Facebook page
Australia Indonesia Arts Alliance Website
Many thanks are due to webmaster Carole Chapman and Judy Shelley for keeping the AIAA website continually updated with the latest projects and news from AIAA and project partners.
Australia Indonesia Hub Facebook Page
Australia Indonesia Hub Facebook page was continually updated by Judy Shelley on behalf of the AIAA Board to share and promote Indonesian culture and environmental issues in Australia and beyond.
Many Thanks to the AIAA National Board
Many thanks to the wonderful AIAA National Board of John Lewis, Judy Shelley, Richard Staples and Dewa Nurjana for their years of dedicated support for AIAA and Indonesian cultural exchange.
Thank you to our Sponsors 2022-23
The National Board of AIAA expresses sincere appreciation for the generous support of Bay FM Community Radio, Community Broadcasting Foundation, Byron Youth Service, Solomon Airlines and all project participants in the Byron Harmony Festival and Voice of the Solomons Tour especially Wantok Records, Solomon Islands Victoria Assoc, Rockhampton Multicultural Group, 3ZZZ Radio and The Boite.