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Changing
Colours Movement
Greg
Tingle, Bunna Lawrie, Chad Kendrick and Marco
Yellin
Changing
Colours Movement - review by Rae Threnoworth Bunna
Lawrie
Sunday
11:45am Before:
Sitting
at one of the 'reserved' tables in the North Bondi
RSL club I feel surprisingly energised after a
3-hour drive down from Newcastle this morning.
Missioning it down the coast on this Sunday morning
on my own after working late at the pub last night,
and fluking it through toll bridges and tunnels
on my first adventure to the 'big smoke' of Sydney,
I realise that people will do so much more in
the name of a good cause. When people are passionate
enough about a topic, they attract people of a
similar attitude and outlook, it's because of
this that "The Changing Colours Movement"
are a success.
As
I sit here organizing my camera equipment and
fiddling with my pen, people are casually but
quickly moving about making the finishing touches
to the Benefit Concert being held here today.
There is a cruisy and united vibe about the place
and no body seems to be stressing or panicking
about the expected crowds arriving in the next
couple of hours, not to mention the media expected
to arrive for the press conference being held
in twenty minutes. The crew are organized and
focused – the specific intention of saving
the whales is evident and all about are people
flashing whale tales arm symbols as often as their
smiles as a sign of unity, dedication and good
humour.
Today's
activities coincide a week long International
Whaling Commission Meeting being held in Chile
as of Monday, to raise awareness and money and
help to bring about peace in our waters and to
bring a final, necessary ban on whaling of any
kind. It's been 22 years since Commercial whaling
was subjected to a moratorium by the International
Whaling Commission, although this is hotly contested
by a small number of countries. The ban on commercial
whaling was agreed by the IWC in 1982, finally
implemented four years later although there are
two IWC members who still continue to kill whales
- Japan for what it calls "scientific research",
and Norway because it does not accept the moratorium.
Whaling and other threats have led to at least
five of the 13 great whales being listed as endangered.
As
a group, we ask:
Isn't it time to consider a non-lethal form of
scientific research Japan?
The
Benefit concert has been organized under The Changing
Colours Movement, a movement brought together
by a local Sydney band Mojada. Marco, Chad, Wes,
Neil and Pat have recently taken some time off
after a 3-month adventure and recording of their
album over in the US. During this time the boys
acknowledged the dire need to shine colour and
light on to the horrific and pointless killings,
which take place in our oceans, and to encourage
the community/world to stand up to the Nations
who refuse to take responsibility for the declining
numbers of whales and dolphins in our oceans.
This is what they endeavor to do today as the
first of many events in the name of ending the
slaughter of the people of the ocean.
"As
'The Changing Colours Movement' it is our passion
and goal to promote sensitive and thoughtful discussion,
and to bring general awareness to the issue of
whaling to our generation."
Monday
10:32pm After:
Looking
back over Sunday's events, not only have I connected
with some amazingly motivated and inspired people
but I have walked away feeling I have more knowledge
and motivation on the topic because of this. It's
comforting and endearing to know that there are
people who aren't so out of reach that share this
passion to rescue these giant beauties of the
sea. They too are awake, aware and can acknowledge
the need for people to unite and speak up to make
these necessary changes so that our children can
share our love for these ocean mammals.
The
day kicked off at 11am and despite the bitterly
cold wind whipping it's way along Bondi beach,
media, celebrities and people in the local community
made the effort to show their resilience to the
world. To formalize the day's events, a press
conference was held outside of North Bondi RSL
club with celebrities the likes of Hugh Jackman,
Gyton Grantley from channel 9's Underbelly, Bessie
Bardot, Lauren Eagle (World Champ water skier
and Miss Teen Universe), Nicole Atherton (World
Jnr. Womens surf champ) Aaron Jefferies from McLeouds
Daughters, Star Wars star Leanna Walsman, and
Bardot singer Belinda Chappel showed up to help
speak out on the Anti-whaling cause.
Joined
by Australian band Mojada were special guests
Waverly Mayor Ingrid Strewe, Deputy Mayor Dominic
WYkanak, CEO of Greenpeace Steve Shalhorn, And
CEO of IFAW Erica who voiced their knowledge and
opinions to open the publics' eyes on some very
real and very important facts which pro-whaling
organizations are trying to keep quiet.
Bunna
Lawrie, famous as lead singer in the band 'Coloured
Stone' many years before and the first Aboriginal
person to be awarded an Aria was also present
through out the length of the day. Bunna who is
the songman for his Mirning tribe performed a
traditional Whale calling ceremony. The whale
has a special place for Bunna and his people as
the Southern Right whale is their totem animal,
(an entity that watches over their tribe). The
ceremony consisted of Bunna saying a prayer for
the whales in his native tongue, followed by singing
and dancing and calling the whales in. The spirits
of everyone were lifted in delight as Chad from
Mojada yelled "Whale!" and a couple
of hundred meters out of Bondi Beach, water spouts
could be seen coming from a couple of whales traveling
up our coastline.
It
was evident the connection we have with these
whales, from our singing "Wiberu, Wiberu
We Love you.. Wiberu We love you.." (Wiberu
is Mirning's name for the Humpback whale) and
sending out our peaceful united vibes of protection
being rewarded by there presence. I can't imagine
a world without them, one where we would have
to explain to our children what these magnificent
creatures were and why they are no longer part
of our Earth. No sense can be made from it…
being the only reason for their extinction would
be man's greed for money and power. This greed
is unsustainable and inevitably will lead to not
only the wiping out of the whales, but an end
to the income that these ignorant few are making
from them. There is so much more to be learnt
and if necessary, money to be made, from the living
and breathing whale industry.
After
the traditional and political aspects of the day
on the foreshore of Bondi had wrapped up, the
real party started. Kicking off the musical celebrations
was Gin Wigmore, a young Kiwi girl with the most
unique and energetic style I've seen in a long
time.
Her
style has been described as something of a mash
up of Neil Young, Blondie and Macy Gray, You can
check out her stuff at http://www.myspace.com/ginwigmore
Following
Gin with everyone all the more happier and relaxed
thanks to Sol beer's contribution to the event
was the acoustic sounds of Melanie Horsnell.
Soon
enough, everyone was in the partying mood and
the music started to pump everyone up a bit more
thanks to an Aussie hiphop band Budspells (http://www.budspells.com),
the soulful sounds of Decklan Kelly. In between
sets Dj's Jimmy 2 xox, and TARAS dj's kept everyone
dancing.
(http://www.myspace.com/themojada)
Volunteers on the day even stopped what they were
doing to come and celebrate with the boys who
had created this awesome event and mass awareness
through media and word of mouth to help the charities
"Surfers for Cetaceans" and the "Whaleman
Foundation". Judging by the crowd's reaction
of dancing, jumping and singing along, Mojada
are a band to be reckoned with. Afterwards, Mojada
called special guest Bunna up on to the stage
for 5 songs including a great cover of "Aint
No Sunshine" by bill withers, which he sang
in his native Koori tongue. The energy in the
room was intense with a clear message of unity.
We're the new generation and although we like
to party, we aren't going to allow these slaughters
to continue.
Ending
the night with a bang are local award winning
Sydney band who were recently reviewed by Drum
Media as "the tightest band in Sydney".
Set to the stage with their explosive energy,
everyone let loose before heading home to bed
(or various after parties) ready for the Monday
morning which was soon approaching.
King
Farook's online profile can be seen http://www.myspace.com/kingfarook
It
had been the most successful day and "The
Changing Colours Movement" couldn't have
asked for a smoother execution of the first of
many events to come in the name of peace and protection
of our waters, bringing people together with focused
intentions and harmonious vibes. After putting
this first event together in only four weeks with
such success, I can only imagine the size and
impact the next one will have thanks to Mojada,
Sol beer, the musicians, celebrities and everyone
who contributed on the day. It goes to show that
big things do happen when people come together
as one. Our voice grows louder and can reach this
message further and further.
Please
also visit www.myspace.com/thechangingcoloursmovement
to show your support and join the thousands of
people now speaking up.
Article
and Photography by Rae Threnoworth
Flickr
online gallery - updated daily
Blue
Element Photography Portfolio
Myspace
Page
For
more information on the whaling issue, you can
visit Surfers
for Cetaceans and Whaleman.org
Website
Changing
Colours Movement
Profiles
Environmentalists
and the environment
Surfers
for Cetaceans
Music
Bunna
Lawrie
Bondi
Beach
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