Poisoned Waterhole [Disquiet 0295-Disregard Echoes] by Michel Banabila

Disquiet Junto Project 0295: Disregard Echoes
Make music inspired by a haiku, reflecting on Australian history.

This week’s project is a collaboration with Naviar Records and Western Riverina Arts, spearheaded by longtime Junto participant Jason Richardson. The results will contribute to an exhibition in the town of Narrandera during October that incorporates haiku describing local scenes.

Step 1: Consider the following haiku:

Poisoned Waterhole:
Violent disregard echoes.
Keenly felt today.

Step 2: Write a piece of music inspired by that haiku, which was written by Peita Vincent.

Background: This project is the brainchild of Jason Richardson. He has encouraged members of the community to write haiku describing local scenes. Those haiku have been turned into music as part of Naviar Records’ weekly Naviar Haiku series. The resulting recordings will join the haiku, photography and a textile exhibition Slow Book Haiku by Kelly Leonard Weaving and Greg Pritchard. There are also plans for Naviar Records to develop a CD featuring a selection of recordings. While the image of a poisoned waterhole speaks to many environmental concerns, the location earned its name during the “Frontier Wars” of the early 19th Century when the indigenous Wiradjuri people resisted European settlement. In the 1830s, several groups of Aboriginal families used to camp by the waterhole. Annoyed and eager to get rid of them, the local homestead owner poured drums of poison into the waterhole, killing many of them. This discussion comes as contemporary Australia reconciles colonial history.

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Little to tell about this one because I did something pretty traditional I guess... just a rhythm and some soft instruments.. I recorded some sounds with a cymbal, a wah wah, a rain stick, a 'thunder maker' (tube spring drum) and used a lot of tape echo and spring reverb (photo: http://bit.ly/2vgGWpK)