The UK premier of an international artistic spectacle which celebrates the historical
links between Scottish, Aboriginal and Maori cultures -
The musical performance of Boomerang is being staged in Stornoway on Thursday ahead of a major concert in Glasgow for the Commonwealth Games.
Boomerang is described as a cultural version of a baton relay, thrown from Scotland and returning to its origins via Australia and New Zealand.
It explores cultural links through language, music and dance, including ancient bagpipe
tunes and Gaelic waulking songs, a newly-
HebCelt festival director Caroline Maclennan said: “We are delighted Boomerang is part of this year’s festival as it is an exciting addition to our programme during the Year of Homecoming. It is a wonderful opportunity to promote our cultural ties with Australia and New Zealand.
Boomerang was conceived in Glasgow last year and was premiered at the WOMAD (World of Music, Arts and Dance) festival in New Zealand in March before visiting the Homeground Festival at the Sydney Opera House in April.
Artists taking part include Scottish folk band Breabach, who won the MG ALBA Scots Trad Awards Folk Band of the Year 2012 and Live Act of the Year 2013 awards, and were best group nominees in this year’s Radio 2 Folk Awards.
They will be joined, from New Zealand, by Maori musician and composer Horomona Horo and Moana and TheTribe, one of the leading exponents of Maori music. Representing Australia will be indigenous singer/songwriter Shellie Morris and Casey Donovan, a singer and actress, who won the second season of the singing competition show Australian Idol, as well as Djakapurra Munyarryun, a traditional dance performer and teacher who took part in the opening and closing ceremonies of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, and dancer and producer Tim Bishop.
The project is being produced by Active Events in Scotland, Tihi in New Zealand and the Sydney Opera House, Australia.
Gaelic and didgeridoo fusion explores cultural links 16/7/14
