Boomerang Project

Boomerang is a significant international cross-cultural collaboration as part of the Cultural Programme for the XX Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

 Boomerang represents the cultural version of a baton relay, thrown from Scotland and returning to its origin, all the stronger for its journey. 

 This exciting project will feature Breabach (Scotland) and include Moana and the Tribe with Horomona Horo (New Zealand: Aotearoa) and Shellie Morris, Casey Donovan and traditional Aboriginal dancers and musicians from Australia.

Celebrating the Indigenous Commonwealth Boomerang will explore links between Gaelic, Aboriginal and Maori cultures, through language, music and dance.

Recent history unites these three nations with a close and deep bond, survival. Oppression of native language, music and dance has affected each one, largely due to the ruthless, and at times ignorant, progress of the modern world throughout the 18th 20th centuries with these precious cultures viewed by many as a hindrance and threat. The outcome saw native languages being banned from schools, and in some cases music and dance outlawed by officials.  Many of the stories and traditions performed in this brand new show can only be delivered by a handful of the tradition bearers we have left, yet the passion and purpose of this collaboration is not to mourn for the hardship of yesterday but to come together to celebrate and champion the survival and development of each countries musical heritage, highlighting its continuing relevance in the modern world.

 The clearances of 18th century Scotland formed another close connection between the groups with Horomona Horo, a Maori tradition bearer, and Shellie Morris of the Yanyuwa people from the Northern Territory of Australia having Scottish ancestry with the Macgregor and Muir Clans respectively.

Boomerang represents a healthy and developing future for our indigenous languages and culture through the medium of song and dance infusing both traditional and contemporary art forms. 

 Ancient bagpipe pieces weaving with a newly written Haka pride chant, didgeridoo resonating through the stomp of a Gaelic waulking song and several new emotive pieces written specially for the project only begin to illustrate the depth and heart involved in this exhilarating modern showcase of traditional and contemporary world music and dance.

 Following its premiere at WOMAD New Zealand, Boomerang will travel on to the Homeground Festival at the Sydney Opera House, and the Heb Celt Festival, in Scotlands Outer Hebridean Islands, before, finally, returning to Glasgow for the 2014 Commonwealth Games culminating with Boomerang headlining a major Festival 2014 concert, in Glasgow Green, on the 24th July.

         Supported by Glasgow Life, Creative Scotland, Creative New Zealand, and the Australia Council