| Nukkan Ya Ruby was a special tribute to the late Ruby Hunter - led by Archie Roach, Ruby’s husband and musical collaborator. It was the finale to this year's Moomba Festival and was a collaboration of a number of talented acts, some of which I captured below. All the acts gave their time to the cause and any money raised from merchandise goes to the Ruby Foundation.
Ruby Hunter, a proud Ngarrindjeri woman from South Australia, was a pioneering Indigenous singer-songwriter and the first Indigenous woman in the country to sign a major recording deal in the early 1990’s. She went on to release three albums.
Ruby passed suddenly in February 2010, aged 55, in the arms of her parter, soul mate and musical collaborator, Archie Roach. Archie and Ruby had been by each other’s side for nearly four decades.
Both have made an indelible mark throughout the world with such anthemic songs as Ruby’s ‘Down City Streets’ and Archie’s ‘Took The Children Away’. To honour Ruby’s commitments to her culture and her people and to continue her legacy Archie has established Ruby’s Foundation in her memory.
Ruby was a powerful voice for the Stolen Generation, domestic violence, Aboriginal culture and lore and women, and is often cited by other musicians as a source of inspiration. Ruby’s Foundation is dedicated to creating opportunities for Indigenous people through the promotion, celebration, and support of Indigenous arts and culture.
The Foundation will give life to Ruby’s vision and aims which include:
*Support for the next generation of Indigenous artists through scholarship and training programs to music education and artistic opportunities
*Foster artistic pathways for Indigenous women
*Produce events, cultural product, publications and education resources that raise public awareness of the issues facing Indigenous community
*Work towards the long-term goal of a permanent training facility for Indigenous Performing Arts |
