WARNING: The following article contains images of a deceased person.
The Bondi Festival, running from July 5th to July 21st this year is poised to commence with a tribute to one of the continent's most beloved First Nations artists, Ruby Hunter.
"Proud, Proud Woman: A Ruby Hunter Tribute," named after the first song Hunter performed, will take the spotlight on opening night.
The event promises to be a heartfelt celebration of Hunter's enduring legacy as a trailblazer for young First Nations artists.
It will be especially momentous as Hunter's first ever performace was held in the very same spot, at the Bondi Pavilion in 1988.
Matilda Brown, the producer and performer of the show, shared her excitement about the tribute.
“I’m really excited. I think that it’s gonna be quite a moment in time because we’ve got some pretty amazing artists on board," she told NITV.
"It’s great that we’ve got Aunty Ruby’s family so involved as well."
Brown, who has a background in both acting and singing, described the journey of bringing this tribute to life.
“The whole process started with reaching out to Aunty Ruby Hunter's family and getting their permission to do the tribute concert because it’s never been done before,” she explained.
The idea for the tribute came to fruition through a collaboration with Earl Weir, a Wurundjeri Boon Wurrung man and a member of Waverley Council’s First Nations advisory committee.
“Earl actually runs his own radio show and started looking into the history of Aunty Ruby," Brown recalled.
"We were having a talk about it, and I said, ‘Oh, you know, I’m producing for Bondi Festival. Why don’t we create this tribute concert?'"
Hunter’s family will be an integral part of the event, with her sons and granddaughters flying in from Melbourne to participate.
“We’ve actually got one of her granddaughters and her son Amos doing a song. They’re really excited and keen to be a part of it,” Brown noted.
The lineup for the tribute concert features an array of local musicians like Wangari, who will accompany many of the songs on the didgeridoo.
The concert will encompass 13 songs, with a mix of Hunter's originals from her two albums and a few pieces by the performing artists.
“We’re really delving into a lot of songs from both albums that Aunty Ruby released. It’s gonna be a pretty beautiful evening,” Brown added.
The title of the event, "Proud, Proud Woman," was a natural choice.
“That was the first song that she performed ... It felt like a really strong connection,” Brown said.
The tribute concert aims to honor Hunter's legacy and her advocacy for First Nations performers.
“She really advocated for all First Nations performers and was so enthusiastic about trying to support up-and-coming artists,” Brown emphasized. This spirit will be reflected in the involvement of local, smaller artists in the show.
As the Bondi Festival kicks off with this poignant tribute, attendees can expect an evening filled with heartfelt performances and a celebration of Ruby Hunter’s remarkable contributions to music and the First Nations community.
