TRUE CONNECTION THROUGH STORYTELLING
IF you have breath in your lungs, you have something to say. Our lives are a story unfolding and its hours are constantly speaking if we can just learn to listen.
Meet Lann Levinge, an events co-ordinator, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from the Kombumerri people of the Gold Coast.
“I’m a musician. I’ve been in bands for such a long time but I’m more involved in Indigenous cultural work now, particularly with young people. We really try to engage our youth so we’re not as traditional but more contemporary.
“Levinge Events, my company, sure keeps me busy. There’s loads of production management and artist liaison work on top of my music. I love working with different layers of film and sound. It’s so rewarding. I’m passionate about anything creative.
“I love to tell the story of Kombumerri culture, connecting people to our heritage. Each region has its own creation story and we are being asked to share this knowledge. There’s more awareness now but there’s still a long way to go. Big corporations and schools are slowly starting to realise the ‘why’ behind their acknowledgments and other protocols. There is some authenticity and a greater willingness to ask questions now.
“My dream? I would like to see our language honoured. It would be amazing to have
our Indigenous kids learning our language again.
And, of course, my dream will always be to see an explosion of culture, not just at NAIDOC or Reconciliation but ongoing because it’s part of us and how we do things.
“I’m driven to help achieve it. We need the government on board, not just to throw out funding but
to truly believe in what we are doing. The days of tokenistic change are done. “I do hope that my greatest impact will be for my children, having the knowledge of place and belonging without having to search too hard. Our ‘rites of passage’ are so important.” Follow @facesofthegoldcoast for more local stories.