Our cultural and spiritual connection goes much deeper than just on the weekend of the festival. It is preceded by The Gathering and Awakening Ceremonies, where we are guided by our Aboriginal Committee and cultural consultants. These events prepare the way and safety for our 5 Lands Walk. The Ephemera Choir rehearses every Wednesday evening for 3 months leading up to the festival, we share music, soup, a glass of wine and community. We prepare for the biggest event of the year for our community - the 5 Lands Walk. We build our dream and songs for the Opening Ceremony performance which happens at sunset on the eve of the 5 Lands Walk on the June Winter Solstice. We walk together and are guided by the indigenous and multi-cultural communities of our region. With the outbreak of the pandemic in 2020 everything changed, and the 5 Lands Walk was cancelled, however I kept composing new material and when lockdown lifted we gathered on the beach and made this film clip Walk with Me. I am grateful to my creative collaborators without whom the soundtrack would not exist - I am honoured to create music with Gavi Duncan - the yidaki and piano are a very special combination. A True meeting of cultures, going beyond words and boundaries. I am blessed to live here on the Ancestral Lands of the Darkinjung people and I pay respects to the Elders of the community and extend my recognition to their descendants.
