Waveney Yasso

Wuigada is a dedicated space where First Nations musicians can share and celebrate music made by other First Nations musicians with PBS audiences.    

Wuigada was named and developed by the highly acclaimed indigenous singer songwriter, Kutcha Edwards. Wuigada in Mutti Mutti means 'to sing'.   

In this edition of Wuigada we hear from Meanjin, Brisbane based artist, and formerly one half of Black Salt, Waveney Yasso. Since moving on from Black Salt, Waveney has been forging ahead with multiple other exciting musical pursuits. 

"There are a lot of interesting projects based in Meanjin, Brisbane that I have been excited to be involved with. Firstly, I help to run an event with Astrid Jorgensen called Pub Choir, which hopefully with the ease of restrictions will return to Brisbane again. I am also super stoked to be working alongside Alinta McGrady another beautiful Murri sister based in Meaanjin reviving a children's show we wrote and toured together! The original was called ‘Have You Ever Heard a Wombat Sing?’ And it encompasses the values and importance of Mother Earth and all of her creatures. I of course here and there do gigs around the place, but projects like this run by mob and alongside allies is really where the heart is!"

Waveney has a particular connection to 'Wanju' the first song on her Wuigada list. 

"Straight off the bat, the song that comes to mind that’s really sat with me for years is 'Wanju' by The Briscoe Sisters. When I first heard this song I was on Briscoe country doing community based music workshops with our mob, and I had it on repeat! Deline Briscoe encompasses for me everything that it is to be strong in cultural knowledge, and how that translates through modern style music. The language element of her music helped me to meditate on Kuku Yalanji country, and truely appreciate my surroundings when I was working all around the cape. It’s magical how language, story, song, and harmony can do that!"

It is with great pleasure that we now share Waveney Yasso's top picks for Wuigada.

 

The Briscoe Sisters - 'Wanju'

 

Black Salt - 'Good Energy'

 

Kaiit - 'Natural Woman'

 

Miiesha - 'Broken Tongues' 

 

The Merindas - 'We Sing Until Sunrise'

 

Black Salt - 'Turning World'

 

Emily Wurramara - 'Cruisin’'

 

Shellie Morris & the Borroloola Songwomen - 'Saltwater People Song'

 

Thelma Plum - 'Better In Black'

 

Emma Donovan - 'Changes'

 

Listen to the Wuigada playlist via YouTube now.

More Wuigada stories: Sue Ray, Troy Jungaji Brady, Dave Arden, Shellie Morris, Deline Briscoe, LJ Hill, Selwyn Burns, Roger Knox and Kutcha Edwards.

Artwork by Dixon Patten.