A folk and gospel singer, Kankawa Nagarra has had an extraordinary musical career even though she didn’t own her own guitar until she was 40. A Walmatjarri Elder from the Kimberleys, Nagarra has found musical inspiration from the tribal songs of her childhood, through the gospel songs of the mission she grew up on and the country music and rock ’n’ roll of the pastoral lease she worked on. But it was the blues that really awakened her and gave her the medium to express all her thoughts and feelings and turn them into songs. Her message of empathy extends to all of those she sees struggling around her and to the entire planet that she feels is being ravaged for profit. Nagarra has toured internationally with Hugh Jackman and, in 2024 at the age of 80, won the 20th Australian Music Prize for her album Wirlmarni.

Workshop:

Join Kankawa Nagarra for a Q&A with her close friend and collaborator Darren Hanlon where he asks her about her incredible life story and how it has informed her musical development. From desert nomad to traveling the world playing her own blues style, Kankawa has absorbed a lot of different styles of music along the way. As a speaker of five different languages they'll also delve into how that informs her songwriting process. Kankawa holds generations of precious knowledge, and this workshop is a unique opportunity to listen to a great cultural communicator.