Various Projects
OL Sing Blong Plantesen Project
Ol Sing Blong Plantesen, plantation songs, brings to light the fascinating and creative tradition of Salvesen, a song and dance form that emerged from the sorrowful and alienating years of South Sea Islanders' indentured labor in the cane fields of Queensland from the 1860s to the turn of the century.
This release highlights the exuberant a cappella singing of Pacific Islanders and offers a glimpse into the surprising reach of African American spirituals in the late nineteenth century.
Salvesen is the only known creative form to survive from the labor trade years and is still performed today in the central islands of Vanuatu. It combines African American spirituals and gospel hymns with a Vanuatu customary circular dance. Accompanied by a limited edition, extensively researched and richly illustrated book documenting the history of the music, Ol Sing Blong Plantesen is a testimony to the South Sea Islanders' capacity for turning sorrow into a lasting expression of joy.
The Harmoni Musik Project
In a collaboration between Wantok Musik and World Vision, PNG legend George Telek worked alongside many young people to share the message of sexual health safety and well-being. The project involved a youth workshop held in Ramu Valley to address HIV and AIDS awareness, as well as gender-based violence. This collaboration also resulted in a video of Telek and David Bridie explaining the issue in Tok Pisin, to spread the awareness throughout community.
SONGS AGAINST GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE
Wantok Musik artists Emily Wurramurra and George Telek both respectively released works about gender-based violence and it's impact in communities.