Newport - NAIDOC and the Buddhists of Sunshine

The 'Newport Convention' bush dance band represented the NFFC at a highly
multicultural event last weekend. An Aussie bush dance was arranged (in
place of the ball held in previous years) for NAIDOC week. And it was held
at a Buddhist temple in Braybrook!

The band consisted of Neil Jolly (guitar, vocals, dance caller), Maryanne
Charles (guitar and vocals), Greg O'Leary(fiddle and mixing desk), Bruce
Williams (mandolin) and Steve Martin (double bass). We walked into the hall
past bushes which were trimmed into the shape of deer grazing on the lawn.
The organizer, Helen Rzesniowliecki (from iramoo.org) and the temple's AV
expert, Tony, quickly made us feel welcome. Thanks, the band were well
looked after.

The hall had an impressive sound system which Tony tapped us into, and he
helped us out by controlling the dance floor sound from his huge mixing
desk, and working the stage and hall lighting during the dance. What a
setup!

The hall looked great with paper lanterns festooned above the dance floor,
contributing to the multi-cultural flavour of the evening.

Neil and the band quickly got things warmed up with some songs and then Greg
explained how aboriginal musicians at Cape Barren Island had shaped a couple
of the Bush Orchestra tunes - which we then duly ripped into.

It was time for the dancing to get going, with Neil going up and down from
the stage, teaching the steps, getting the shy ones to join in, and calling
the dances.

The crowd took a couple of breaks for supper of turkish bread and dips (for
an extra dash of multiculturalism) and then muffins and slices for dessert,
all washed down with a nice cup of tea or coffee.

By the end of the evening the crowd had learned the barn dance, heel and toe
polka, circassian circle ('kangaroos and emus') and Blaydon races. The night
finished off with the Chicken Dance and the Troika (why leave the Russians
out of it?) just for a bit of fun.

It was great to see the smaller kids at the edge of the stage fascinated by
the instruments, and asking about them in the breaks. And one comment from
an adult that 'you don't hear that kind of music anymore'.

Steve Martin

ps. The Quang Minh Temple has a market each Sunday - well worth a look.