2008 Press Release

PR328

Launch of cultural excellence for Cultural Festival

For Immediate Release 11/09/2008

As part of the Winds of Zenadth Cultural Festival, the Gab Titui Cultural Centre will launch works from musicians, dancers, weavers and a local painter on Wednesday night.

TSRA Chairman, Mr Toshie Kris, said that the event will showcase the talent and cultural excellence of the Torres Strait people.

“During the evening, Mr Patrick Levi, a singer song-writer from St Paul’s on Moa Island, will sing live and launch his first CD, ‘It’s All About Love’. It contains ten original songs supported by a number of musicians, including students from the Tagai College on the song ‘Youth of the Strait’,” he said.

The CD was produced by Pegasus Consultants using a grant from the Indigenous Regional Arts Fund (IRADF), sponsored by the TSRA and Arts Queensland.

 Mr Kris also announced that another recipient of an IRADF grant, Mr James Passi, would be exhibiting his talent at the event.

“James will launch exciting artworks created especially for the cultural festival which contain very fine detail and represent hours of dedicated attention and care,” he said.

The evening will also include the launch of music and dance CDs and DVDs from Iama, Badu, and Mabuiag Islands. The recordings are the result of a Music and Dance Audit of Torres Strait, another project supported by the TSRA and Arts Queensland, and produced by Pegasus Consultants.

“These recordings will help preserve the traditional song and dance of the islands and sales of the CDs and DVDs will provide them with some revenue,” said Mr Kris.

“The weaving exhibition to be launched on the night will display weaving from all over the Torres Strait and show both traditional and contemporary examples of this ancient craft. I encourage families to come and view the exhibition as it will give children the opportunity to make objects using weaving instructions on display,” he said.

“The Cultural Centre will also host weavers from Hopevale in Queensland who have been travelling throughout Far North Queensland with their project ‘Weaving the Web’, which aims to share and exchange weaving skills with people from different cultures and areas.”

ENDS
TSRA Media Contact: Kerry Shegog Ph: 07 4069 0700
www.tsra.gov.au