Jimmy Chi
Encyclopedia
Jimmy Chi was born in 1948 in Broome
, Western Australia
, to a Chinese
/Japanese
/Anglo-Australian father and a Scots
/Bardi
Aboriginal mother. He is a composer, musician and playwright.
, written in collaboration with his band Kuckles
, Scrap Metal, the Pigrim brothers and friends. Bran Nue Dae, is a partly autobiographical work which took Jimmy many years to write. It celebrates family, forgiveness and reconciliation
and was a hit at the Festival of Perth in 1990 where it was performed by the Black Swan Theatre. It went on to tour Australia extensively and it was Australia's most successful musical play of the early 1990's.
One of the famous verses from a song in the musical sums up Chi's dry humour and sharp political approach:
The musical won the prestigious Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards
in 1990. The following year the published script and score won the Special Award in the Western Australian Premier's Book Awards
.
It brought acclaim for many Aboriginal artists including Ernie Dingo
, Josie Ningali Lawford and Leah Purcell
. The musical's success was also instrumental in the formation of the Black Swan Theatre Company
.
He also wrote the musical Corrugation Road, which was first performed by the Black Swan Theatre at the Fairfax Studio in Melbourne in 1996. It toured Australia and broke box office records. It smashed taboos surrounding mental health, abuse, sexuality and religion with humour and optimism.
Both musicals played a significant role in the development and direction of Indigenous performance.
In 1991, Chi was awarded the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
Drama Award for Bran Nue Dae, for the musical about a young Aborigine's journey to consciousness. This award was followed by a Deadly
Sounds National Indigenous Music Award for Excellence in Film or Theatre Score in 1998.
In 1997, he was presented with the Australia Council's Red Ochre Award for the lifetime achievement of an Indigenous artist. His songs have been covered by such artists as the Irish singer Mary Black
, and Aboriginal singer Archie Roach
.
Chi's music has come to represent the colour of Broome. Broome's Opera Under the Stars festival has featured Chi's Child of Glory, from Bran Nue Dae, at every festival since 1993. It has been adopted as this festival's theme song in tribute to Jimmy Chi. His hymns are regularly sung at Aboriginal funerals in Broome
.
In 2004 he was acknowledged by the WA Government
as a State Living Treasure. He now chooses to spend most of his time at home in Broome with his family and friends. In spite of life's challenges, his work continues to be imbued with an underlying sense of hope and humanity.
Broome, Western Australia
Broome is a pearling and tourist town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, north of Perth. The year round population is approximately 14,436, growing to more than 45,000 per month during the tourist season...
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
, to a Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
/Japanese
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
/Anglo-Australian father and a Scots
Scottish people
The Scottish people , or Scots, are a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland. Historically they emerged from an amalgamation of the Picts and Gaels, incorporating neighbouring Britons to the south as well as invading Germanic peoples such as the Anglo-Saxons and the Norse.In modern use,...
/Bardi
Bardi people
The Bardi people are the Indigenous Australians from the area north of Broome and parts of the Dampier Peninsular in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.Djarindjin, Lombadina and One Arm Point are three Bardi communities in the area....
Aboriginal mother. He is a composer, musician and playwright.
Biography
Chi's most acclaimed work is Bran Nue DaeBran Nue Dae
Bran Nue Dae is a 1990 musical set in Broome, Western Australia that tells stories and of issues relating to Indigenous Australians. It was written by Jimmy Chi, his band Kuckles and friends and was the first Aboriginal musical. The musical was originally directed by Andrew Ross, a prominent...
, written in collaboration with his band Kuckles
Kuckles
Kuckles is an Australian band. They formed in 1981 by students from Broome, Western Australia studying at the Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music in Adelaide. Their music moved from acoustic calypso toward an electric reggae/rock style...
, Scrap Metal, the Pigrim brothers and friends. Bran Nue Dae, is a partly autobiographical work which took Jimmy many years to write. It celebrates family, forgiveness and reconciliation
Reconciliation Australia
Reconciliation Australia is the non-government, not-for-profit foundation established in January 2001 to provide a continuing national focus for reconciliation. It was established by the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation...
and was a hit at the Festival of Perth in 1990 where it was performed by the Black Swan Theatre. It went on to tour Australia extensively and it was Australia's most successful musical play of the early 1990's.
One of the famous verses from a song in the musical sums up Chi's dry humour and sharp political approach:
There's nothing I would rather be
Than to be an Aborigine
and watch you take my precious land away.
For nothing gives me greater joy
than to watch you fill each girl and boy
with superficial existential shit.
The musical won the prestigious Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards
Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards
The Sidney Myer Performing Arts Awards honour Sidney Myer a Jewish Australian businessman and philanthropist who established what is now the Myer Foundation. These awards seek to enhance the status of the performing arts in Australia and recognise outstanding achievement in drama, comedy, dance,...
in 1990. The following year the published script and score won the Special Award in the Western Australian Premier's Book Awards
Western Australian Premier's Book Awards
The Western Australian Premier's Book Awards is an award for books, scripts, digital narrative and a People's Choice. Awards are provided by the Government of Western Australia, and the awards process is managed by the State Library of Western Australia...
.
It brought acclaim for many Aboriginal artists including Ernie Dingo
Ernie Dingo
Ernie Dingo AM is an Indigenous Australian actor and television presenter originating from the Yamatji people of the Murchison region of Western Australia.-Background:...
, Josie Ningali Lawford and Leah Purcell
Leah Purcell
Leah Purcell is an Australian actor, director and writer.-Biography:She is a film, television and theatre actor, singer, director and playwright. She is the youngest of seven children of Aboriginal and white Australian descent. Her father was a butcher and a boxing trainer...
. The musical's success was also instrumental in the formation of the Black Swan Theatre Company
Black Swan Theatre Company
Black Swan State Theatre Company formally known as The Black Swan Theatre Company is the state theatre company of Western Australia, running an annual subscription season in Perth.-History:...
.
He also wrote the musical Corrugation Road, which was first performed by the Black Swan Theatre at the Fairfax Studio in Melbourne in 1996. It toured Australia and broke box office records. It smashed taboos surrounding mental health, abuse, sexuality and religion with humour and optimism.
Both musicals played a significant role in the development and direction of Indigenous performance.
In 1991, Chi was awarded the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
The Australian Human Rights Commission is a national human rights institution, a statutory body funded by, but operating independently of, the Australian Government. It has the responsibility for investigating alleged infringements under Australia’s anti-discrimination legislation...
Drama Award for Bran Nue Dae, for the musical about a young Aborigine's journey to consciousness. This award was followed by a Deadly
The Deadlys
The Deadlys are an annual celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community. Vibe Australia hosts the awards, which for have been held at the Sydney Opera House since 2001. The first Deadly awards were held in 1995...
Sounds National Indigenous Music Award for Excellence in Film or Theatre Score in 1998.
In 1997, he was presented with the Australia Council's Red Ochre Award for the lifetime achievement of an Indigenous artist. His songs have been covered by such artists as the Irish singer Mary Black
Mary Black
Mary Black is an Irish singer. She is well known as an interpreter of both folk and contemporary material which has made her a major recording artist in her native Ireland, and in many other parts of the world....
, and Aboriginal singer Archie Roach
Archie Roach
Archie Roach is an Australian musician. A singer, songwriter and guitarist, he survived a turbulent upbringing to develop into a powerful voice for Indigenous Australians, a storyteller in the tradition of his ancestors, and a nationally popular and respected artist.- Biography :In his own words,...
.
Chi's music has come to represent the colour of Broome. Broome's Opera Under the Stars festival has featured Chi's Child of Glory, from Bran Nue Dae, at every festival since 1993. It has been adopted as this festival's theme song in tribute to Jimmy Chi. His hymns are regularly sung at Aboriginal funerals in Broome
Broome, Western Australia
Broome is a pearling and tourist town in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, north of Perth. The year round population is approximately 14,436, growing to more than 45,000 per month during the tourist season...
.
In 2004 he was acknowledged by the WA Government
Government of Western Australia
The formation of the Government of Western Australia is prescribed in its Constitution, which dates from 1890, although it has been amended many times since then...
as a State Living Treasure. He now chooses to spend most of his time at home in Broome with his family and friends. In spite of life's challenges, his work continues to be imbued with an underlying sense of hope and humanity.
Works
- Broome songwriters with Michael Manolis and Ron Harper (Hodja Educational Resources, 1985) ISBN 0949575372
- Bran Nue Dae (Currency Press, 1991) ISBN 0868192937
- Corrugation Road (sound recording - Angoorrabin Records, p1996)
External references
- Aboriginality in Recent Australian Drama http://www.currency.com.au/preview/b_and_w.htm, Katharine Brisbane.
- WA State Living Treasures http://www.artswa.wa.gov.au/documents/STATETREASURESBook.pdf