Motalava Come to Me

Abstract

Research background: This research builds on three years of arts based community development activity in Vanuatu with local musicians and cultural leaders. The research was funded by the Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre and an Academic Studies Program grant from Griffith Health. The project was titled Songs of Self Determination and involves musicians from Australia and Vanuatu. A key aim was to collect musicians' and song writers' accounts of how musical performance and distribution promotes self-determination, health, and human rights for First Nations' Peoples in Australia and Vanuatu.

Research contribution: This research crosses Indigenous studies, performing and creative arts, and social work fields of study. The study and related outputs provides a contemporary understanding of how diverse First Nations' musicians and song writers practice self-advocacy and assertion that in turn shapes powerful social and environmental determinants of health for their communities. Research activities included in depth interviews with First Nations' songwriters and musicians in Australia and Vanuatu and group songwriting on topics that were important to community members. Songwriting prompts included questions such as "what do you want to tell the world about your community/island?" and "who do you want to hear these messages?".

Research significance: First Nations' Peoples' health is a national priority. Existing literature demands strengths based and culturally safe forms of health promotion and research with First Nations' Peoples internationally. This research offered all of those things through privileging and investigating the role of musical self-determination and self-advocacy in shaping known social and environmental determinants of health. The songs and forthcoming journal articles from the project document both First Nations' voice and the impact of their musical activity.