Dear <<First Name>>,
 

We all need to find our voice. Some of us have lost it along the way; others are unsure whether they ever had one in the first place! Whether in the car, in the shower, in a group or on stage - singing feels good. A wise person once said, “speaking comes from the mind, singing comes from the soul.” And there are few choirs with as much soul as the Find Your Voice All Abilities Choir!
 
True to the groups’ ethos and tagline, the choir really is a celebration of human spirit.  The Find Your Voice All Abilities Choir, the brainchild of Warrnambool singer/songwriter/guitarist, Tom Richardson was formed in collaboration and support of the Port Fairy Folk Festival and All Abilities Advocacy. Warrnambool Central Rotary has also been a huge supporter of the choir.
 
The choir comprises of individuals identifying with a disability, from all corners of south-west Victoria - Warrnambool, Hamilton, Portland and Terang. When harnessing the joy and vibration of using one’s voice, less emphasis is placed on the accuracy of the notes sung and more on the infectious energy created through collective song & movement. While there are some members who identify as non-verbal, they are often the first to lay down a percussion groove or instigate an impromptu dance party!
 
After first discussing the idea with PFFF in mid-2017, Tom partnered with old friend and All Abilities Advocacy facilitator (and superwoman!) Kylie Thulborn. What started as a small groundswell quickly turned into a tsunami! Following initial introductory meetings with All Abilities Advocacy Self Advocates and various disability agencies, by January 2018, the number of registered members and support crew had grown to over 100 members.
 
“The unfortunate norm or cliché is for most people to see a disability before they see the person” Tom explains. “The most beautiful thing with working with the All Abilities choir is the lack of inhibition or filtering. The moment I start a guitar groove or a recognisable song, the room erupts with 100 very prominent, joyful and shining personalities. The energy is so infectious and I’m sure the public performances will be incredibly memorable for both participants and audience!”
 
The Find Your Voice All Abilities Choir culminates with performances at the 2018 Port Fairy Folk Festival and a debut onstage appearance at the annual Rotary Concert for Peace, held at a sold-out Lighthouse Theatre in Warrnambool. Tom and Kylie both hope to find ways for the project to continue and are currently looking into ways to develop the sustainability of the choir.
 
The facilitators of the choir would like to thank the support of GenU (formerly Karingal), South-West TAFE, WellWays, Western District Employment Agency, Cooinda, Kyeema, Mulleraterong, Southern Way, Stay Residential Services, Rural Access and the Self Advocacy Resource Unit.
 
It’s time to remember that we all have a voice, and to give ourselves permission to sing from our soul!

 

The 42nd Port Fairy Folk Festival Opening Ceremony will welcome all to this internationally acclaimed event with a very special local Aboriginal story. Through dance, song and imagery, local Indigenous artists and members of our local community will bring one of these stories to life.
 
Many of the local Aboriginal stories come from the constellations of the night sky.
The 2018 ceremony is called Kuurokeheaar, the Kirrae Whurrong word for the Pleiades constellation - also known as The Seven Sisters. The Kuurokeheaar story tells of Waa the Crow, Ngeeanggar the Eagle and her sisters – Kuurrokeheaar  (The Pleiades).
 
Stories about the Pleiades constellation are found in Indigenous cultures all over the world – the story is universal.
 
There are Seven Sisters stories in Japan, India, China, South America, North America, Ireland, Greece and numerous indigenous Australian communities. Just like the Port Fairy Folk Festival, the Opening Ceremony will bring together cultures from all over the world.
 
Earlier this year, local indigenous artists worked with school and community groups to re-create story and now we all gather in ceremony to welcome all and open the festival with stories, dance and song from this country.
 
Kuurokeheaar will feature the Koontapool Kaarweeyn Dancers, local musicians Brett Clarke, Lee Morgan, and other local indigenous artists, community group and school representatives. Local indigenous artist Fiona Clarke has created the images used in this ceremony.
 
For tens of thousands of years, the Pyipgil Gunditj clan has gathered for ceremony on this country. For the past 41 years the Port Fairy Folk Festival has been celebrated each year in the lands of the Pyipgil Gunditj clans, in Peek Whurrong country. 
 
The Port Fairy Folk Festival Committee pays their respects to elders past, present and emerging and acknowledge that the land that we gather on each year for the Festival is the traditional lands of the Peek Whurrong people.