'A special language': This Iranian musician is in Australia to connect Indigenous traditions
Iranian bagpipe musician Mohsen Sharifian performs with the aim of 'keeping Bushehri and Iranian folk music alive'.
Indigenous didgeridoo artist William Barton says the two countries face similar challenges in preserving culture. Mohsen Sharifian, a musician and composer from the port of Bushehr in Iran, will be performing in Australia alongside Indigenous artists William Barton and his mum, Aunty Delmae Barton, in a tour called Harbour to Harbour. Sharifian's folkloric ensemble, Lian Band, and the First Nations artists will come together to blend the ney-anban (Persian bagpipe) and didgeridoo, traditional Iranian and Indigenous instruments.
While their music may sound different, there is a common purpose among the artists from Iran and Australia. "This is a special language that can bring us together, make us talk and connect our cultures to each other. When cultures and music connect, other things get closer," Sharifian told SBS Persian.
"This is happening so we can talk more with each other, discuss our concerns, and pour our hearts out. "All of our passion is for the music of our motherland. A type of music with a rich historical background that is also the storyteller of many parts of our society and the Australian Indigenous community."
Sharifian's home is the city of Bushehr, in the south of Iran, located beside the Persian Gulf. As one of the country's most important commercial ports, the city's population has been shaped by people from diverse cultures and countries over the past hundred years. According to Sharifian, this had a significant impact on Bushehr's music. "Music grows from culture, and wherever it is based on their culture and geography, they have their own type of music," he explained. "Bushehr had different connections with people from different countries, and its music now has a poly-national shape ... All of these have given Bushehr's music a special and unique shape."
Sharifian started his musical activity with Lian Band in 1993, with the aim of "keeping Bushehri and Iranian folk music alive". However, Iranian musicians must go the extra mile to save their music. While music and concerts are generally permitted in the Islamic Republic of Iran, music production and distribution face strict regulations, as women are not allowed to sing and musicians need permits from the Ministry of Guidance and Culture.
"There are many issues in front of Iranian music, and no one can deny it, (including) strictness in giving permits to concerts," Sharifian said. "There are some people in Iran who have their own concerns, and don't vibe with music and have their own stance. We respect them, but this will not make us forget our duty. "Since ethnic music needs more support, a lack of that frustrates many musicians as they need more attention."
Thousands of kilometres away, here in the other harbour in Australia, while music might not face similar restrictions, Batron said that he and Sharifian both face "the strong parallel paths of keeping their culture alive". "It's the same thing where we have to sustain and nurture our culture through the performing arts," Barton told SBS Persian. "That's our ceremony, and so that's what we are, that's what's in our DNA."
Ceremonies are an important part of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures. There are ceremonies for every significant event, including coming of age, marriage, birth and death. Music is one part of these ceremonies, Barton explained. "Music is integral. It's very integral. It's integral to the day that you're born into this world as an Indigenous person ... It helps keep storytelling alive," he said. "Whatever it takes to help sustain that connection to Country, we do that through music."
Barton, a descendant of the Kalkadunga tribe, was born in Mount Isa, Queensland. The renowned composer grew up in a musical and diverse family and learned to play the didgeridoo when he was seven years old. The didgeridoo, also known as yidaki, is an instrument made by Aboriginal people at least 1,000 years ago. "Over time, [the didgeridoo or yidaki], intermarriages between different tribes, and it spreads ... and it has its own language to each landscape, and that's important to understand," Barton said. He will be playing this instrument alongside the Sharifian's ney-anban, a wind instrument which is commonly found around Bushehr.
According to Barton, the two instruments are played with a similar technique. "That's pretty amazing, because he (Sharifian) uses the circular breathing [technique] as well," he said. "My crossover technique on the didgeridoo or yidaki, as it's known, as well, is the circular breathing ... In and out through the nose, but we store the oxygen in our diaphragm, kind of like the bagpipe." But besides the meeting of two instruments, the artists share a mutual purpose in bringing their cultures together side by side, something beyond the sounds. Sharifian said: "We are distanced a lot from each other, and this distance is increasing day by day." "Let's get together and get away from all the sorrow and chaos that is in this world, and listen to music from far away. "Let's not lose each other in this world."
Share this with family and friends
Independent news and stories connecting you to life in Australia and Persian-speaking Australians. Understand the quirky parts of Aussie life.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ABC News
6 minutes ago
- ABC News
Abetz in, Barnett out as treasurer in Tasmanian Liberals cabinet shuffle
Former federal MPs Bridget Archer and Gavin Pearce are new faces in Premier Jeremy Rockliff's latest cabinet, Roger Jaensch has been dumped, and Deputy Premier Guy Barnett moved on as treasurer. Ms Archer has been appointed to the demanding health portfolio, replacing Jacquie Petrusma, who has stepped down to focus on her recovery from a serious hamstring injury she suffered in June. Mr Pearce will be the minister for primary industries and water, and veterans affairs, replacing former children and youth minister Roger Jaensch. Mr Barnett has been moved from the treasury portfolio following an immense backlash over this year's state budget, which projected that net debt would grow to almost $11 billion in the 2028-29 financial year. Eric Abetz will take on the portfolio. Mr Rockliff will have no ministerial responsibilities in his new-look cabinet after he was re-commissioned by Governor Barbara Baker on Wednesday, saying he wanted to concentrate on his duties as premier. "It's important that with the new make-up of parliament that I'm able to dedicate the time to working across all areas of parliament and the crossbench, so I can have greater opportunity and investment of time in collaboration and listening and learning from all members of parliament," he said. Mr Rockliff said Ms Archer, who has also been appointed to the new ageing portfolio and as minister for Aboriginal affairs, would be a great addition to his cabinet. Mr Rockliff said Mr Barnett had not been dumped as treasurer, but was instead taking on "increased responsibility" by also adding the justice and small business portfolios. "There was a range of areas of responsibility, and I want to ensure that each member of parliament has the right workload balance to be able to support them in making key decisions," he said. Education Minister Jo Palmer will also become the children and youth minister, and be responsible for the closure of the Ashley Youth Detention Centre. Mr Abetz will remain responsible for the government's proposed AFL stadium, in a renamed role as minister for Macquarie Point urban renewal. Mr Rockliff said he was confident his new cabinet would remain in place for the next four years, despite his government being expected to face a no-confidence motion as soon as parliament resumes on August 19. Labor Leader Dean Winter, who met with all five Independent MPs on Thursday as he continued his bid to form a minority government, has confirmed his party or a crossbench MP will move a no-confidence motion. The premier said Mr Winter had "had learnt nothing" from last month's state election, where Labor suffered a 3.1 per cent statewide swing against it. "What Tasmanians want is a stable parliament, a government that works across the parliament in the best interests of Tasmanians and a government that can get on with the job of delivering key areas of our agenda, but also key areas of passions for other MPs as well," he said. Ms Archer, who topped the poll in her seat of Bass after being defeated at this year's federal election, said she looked forward to taking on the challenge of the health portfolio. She said the government had made great strides in reducing the elective surgery waiting list under Ms Petrusma's leadership, and hoped to "continue the momentum". "I very much look forward to being able to work collaboratively with the parliament and across stakeholders in our community in what is, I think, one of our most important areas of responsibility in northern Tasmania and right across Tasmania," she said. Mr Rockliff said he had great admiration for Ms Petrusma, and "her diligence over the course of the last 15 or 16 months as she has dedicated her time to the health system".
7NEWS
36 minutes ago
- 7NEWS
Cult Aussie underwear label drops new maternity bra - and mums are racing to get one before it sells out
This isn't your average maternity bra. For new and expectant mums, the search for a nursing bra that's both supportive and stylish can feel like an impossible task. But the latest drop from Australian cult underwear brand First Thing might just be the answer. Launched by Sydney-based mum and founder Georgia Gazal, the Maternity Bra is a re-imagining of what post-baby comfort can look and feel like. Made from the same buttery-soft fabric as the label's best-selling underwire bras, the new release offers the kind of support and ease-of-wear mums crave, with a little more thought put into the design. Georgia, who is a mum of two, says the idea was born out of frustration. 'I wanted something that made me feel a bit more like myself while breastfeeding and in the chaos of early motherhood,' she explains to Best Picks. 'So I created it.' That simple insight led to a piece that's anything but basic. The Maternity Bra features easy-access feeding clips, hidden support slings, and extra hooks to accommodate changing body shapes. The adjustable straps and ultra-stretchy fabric are designed to move with you – whether you're nursing a newborn or chasing after a toddler. The bra is available in sizes S to XXL, and comes in three neutral shades: Blush, Taupe and Black. At $69, it's not only affordable but thoughtfully made with mothers and the planet in mind. Sustainably soft and ethically made Like the rest of First Thing's range, the Maternity Bra is made using fabric that's soft enough to sleep in and durable enough for daily wear. It's manufactured in Indonesia and China with ethical standards in place, including annual audits to ensure fair labour and quality control. The brand is also continuing its push for sustainability. Packaging is 100 per cent compostable, made from reusable corn starch bags, and their wider range includes eco-friendly materials like recycled nylon and fabric derived from sustainably sourced beechwood trees. For a generation of mums who want their underwear drawer to feel less clinical and more them, First Thing is filling the gap. And if their past sell-outs are anything to go by, you'll want to be quick.
ABC News
36 minutes ago
- ABC News
Come behind the scenes with Lisa Millar as Back Roads takes on the mighty Snowy River
When Lisa Millar and the Back Roads crew set out to film along the mighty Snowy River, they knew there could be some logistical hurdles involved. "As soon as I got into the water I was immediately reminded that this was not gentle," Millar said. "This is a landscape that can turn on you at any time and that is what was proven to us several times throughout the trip." The week-long trip took Millar and the crew of four from one end of the Snowy to the other. Beginning in the mountains of NSW, the group finished their journey in the coastal town of Marlo, Victoria, where the river meets the ocean. It also involved not one, but two trips into the river by Millar. "It was an experience that first time - the kayaking - and then when I was in the double [raft], the question was how do you keep equipment dry?" The solution required a little out-of-the box thinking. "A trick that [sound operators] do is they put the microphone in a condom, because it's waterproof," Millar said. "I took a photo of it because it was quite funny!" But the crew's challenges didn't end when the kayaking trip did. "There were a lot of times when there were added challenges for the camera crew particularly when you are going into places where you can't take your own vehicle," she said. "Like when we went down with the buggy." Millar said there was one day where the plan was to venture down a track called Betts Creek into a particularly remote area to do a piece to camera by the river. While the track starts out in lush tree fern and mountain ash forest, it soon becomes steep and rocky. But it's the red clay sections that, with even the smallest rainfall, bring people unstuck — as the team found out. Despite all the checks and precautions, the Snowy proved it's not to be messed with. "I was like, 'I'm just gonna finish this piece to camera' and they're like, 'We need to get out of here now'. "As it started to drizzle, the red dirt started to turn into that claggy glue, so there was a real urgency for us to get up and out of there. And that's when we blew a tyre. "Camera operator Stu Heppell and one of the guides began the slow walk uphill to get a phone signal while the rest of us stayed with the buggy, grateful we'd packed snacks and a sense of humour." Heppell and the tour guide eventually made it far enough up the hill to call for help and another buggy came to the rescue. "It was another reminder that the Snowy has the reputation it deserves — that it can be incredible, but it can also be incredibly unpredictable," Millar said. "Even with all of the processes we put in place … you're still reminded of your own vulnerability and your own smallness when you are in that kind of landscape." Even with the unexpected hurdles, Millar was taken aback by the experience of not just the environment, but the people that live and work along the river. She said she was inspired by the "endless passion" they had, even when they were pushed to their limits. She's hoping that, like her, people walk away with a renewed love and awe for the region. "My take away from it all is that I have travelled around the world, for fun as well as work, and yet I just didn't have the appreciation of what was on our own doorstep." Stream the new season of Back Roads free on ABC iview or watch Thursdays at 8pm on ABC TV.
