Music activist band Sorong-Samarai flew the Morning Star on an Australian stage three consecutive days over the Easter weekend.
The band in itself is a movement pushing for the freedom of neighbouring West Papua.
Sorong-Samarai movement brings rebel music combining fellow PNG and West Papuan artists, including Airileke, Sprigga Mek, Jaggarizza, Baine, Ukam and the Roem brothers, among a few others.
The band has brought this message onto other international platforms over the years. The most recent being this performance at the renowned Byron Bay Bluesfest.
It is Australia’s Premier Contemporary Blues & Roots Music Festival showcasing music from around the world annually on the Easter long weekend.
Sorong-Samarai performed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday at the first nation’s festival called the Boomerang Festival, within the Blues Festival arena.
Their entertaining set included contemporary instrumental pieces, songs by the music artists and dance pieces by the Roem brothers – Sam and Yosua.
As entertaining as it is, the emotional message was for the independence of West Papua.
The band also had the opportunity to rub shoulders with big names in the global music industry like El-Boogie aka Miss Lauren Hill from the famous Fugees band, Lionel Richie, Jamaican ska and reggae musician Jimmy Cliff, Seal and Sheryl Crow, to name a few.
The festival ended last night.
(Picture sourced: Nata Richards)