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Jessie Lloyd and Archie Roach

Songs: Mission Songs Project – Victoria

The Mission Songs Project is an initiative to revive and present a rare collection of early Australian Indigenous contemporary songs composed and performed between 1900 and 1999.

The project faithfully explores the musical journey of Indigenous music, as the connection between traditional and contemporary reveals the continuation of cultural practice and oral traditions into the 21st century.

These songs, largely hidden from the outside world, offer a unique window of life on the Christian missions, native settlements and the fringes of townships where Aboriginal and Islander people were displaced.

Jessie Lloyd is an award-winning composer, performer, creative entrepreneur and cultural practitioner of Indigenous stories and song. Since earning her formal qualifications at Abmusic in Perth, Jessie has dedicated her career to the continuation of cultural practice through the presentation of both traditional and contemporary Indigenous music. She has extensive experience in Indigenous music business, building organisations such as Songlines Aboriginal Music in Melbourne and South West Aboriginal Entertainment in Perth. Jessie co-produced The chocolate martini TV series screened on Volumz NITV. 

Archie Roach AM supported the project as senior advisor. Archie Roach is a truly gifted and inspiring singer-songwriter, guitarist and prominent supporter of social justice, whose story has been well documented.