Kutaw Zoeru Traditional Dance Group
Kutaw Zoeru is cultural dance and song group from Boigu Island in the Torres Strait, now based in Brisbane.
Kutaw Zoeru’s performances are markedly different to other Australian Indigenous groups. As descendants of the Melanesian people who settled in the Torres Strait thousands of years ago, Kutaw Zoeru perform both centuries-old warrior dances and joyful contemporary-traditional dances. The dress of the dancers and musicians is often colourful, featuring dramatic feather headdresses, grass skirts and tropical leis, and the music is highly percussive, with traditional warup drums and percussion always used, and guitars added for melody with the contemporary performances.
Kutaw Zoeru has been performing since 1988, with highlights including daily appearances at Australia’s World Expo in Brisbane and the G20 Summit Opening. Today, dancers from 5 generations of Boigu Island families—from Elders to toddlers—perform across the groups, which include the main dance group, a women’s group and a children’s group.
Kutaw Zoeru contemporary/traditional performances can be tailored to suit a client’s event theme, timeline or circumstance.
Adam James
Singer/MC/TV Host
Singer/songwriter Adam James is a talented musician, performer and TV host – someone who is equally at home on a big stage, at a small venue, or in front of a camera.
Born on Minjerribah (Stradbroke Island) and raised in country New South Wales, Adam arrived on the music scene as a finalist in the Starmaker Quest in Tamworth in 2008. Since then, Adam has gone on to perform at the Woodford Folk Festival and the Gympie Festival; play before 50,000 people at the Australia Day Live concert; and be billed alongside artists such as Buffy St Marie at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Week. During this time, Adam also hosted the national kids’ TV quiz program, ‘Letterbox’, won a Deadly Award for Best New Talent and was named Best Alt-Country Artist for 2015 by the Tamworth Songwriters’ Association.
Adam has re-emerged in 2020 with a new blues album recorded in Nashville for ABC Music. He’s now available to perform or MC at festivals, corporate events and private gigs.
Nunukul Yuggera Aboriginal Dance Company
Nunukul Yuggera is one of the busiest and best-known Aboriginal cultural groups around.
For more than 20 years, Nunukul Yuggera has travelled the world, touring Greece for the Olympic Games in 2004, appearing at the Sydney Olympic Games in 2000 and at international festivals, events and launches everywhere from the Netherlands to New Zealand. With members descended from the south-east Queensland tribes of Nunukul, Yuggera/Turbul, Yugimbir and Nugi, the group showcases Traditional Aboriginal culture that increases understanding of Indigenous culture and issues.
Nunukul Yuggera offers a range of performances which can be tailored for any event, launch or occasion.
Choose from the Welcome to Country ceremony, which includes spoken word from a Traditional Custodian of the Brisbane, Ipswich, Redlands and/or Gold Coast areas; a smoking ceremony; solo didgeridoo performances; firelighting; and cultural song and dance shows, which share the dreamtime stories and hunting and gathering stories passed down from generation to generation.
Miss Gertude
Singer/entertainer/workshop facilitator
Miss Gertrude is a south-east Queensland singer, songwriter and guitarist. Miss Gertrude defines her style as SOULK—a blend of soul and funk inspired by her musical heroes, who include Rosetta Tharpe, Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt and Michael Jackson. Her repertoire for festival, corporate and small-venue gigs include a mix of classic r’n’b, jazz, blues and pop standards, as well as her outstanding original songs.
Miss Gertrude has a mixed Torres Strait Islander/ Filipino heritage. Her song ‘1,2,3’, a reggae-tinged singalong about colonisation, has been described by Triple J’s Roots ’N’ All presenter Nkeche Anele as “powerful and smart”.
Miss Gertrude performs solo or with her band. She’s also acted professionally; sung at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre’s Clancestory festival, the Ipswich Festival and many NAIDOC Week celebrations; and has toured Queensland, facilitating workshops for singers and performers of all ages.
