A proud Karajarri family band have taken their music all the way from Bidyadanga to Rome and beyond.
The Family Shoveller Band hail from the remote community 180km south of Broome in Western Australia's Kimberley region and have in recent years played on big and small stages across Australia.
Earlier this month, they headed to Rome to begin a European tour.
The Shovellers were all introduced to music at a young age but never imagined they'd one day be playing in front of audiences on the other side of the world.
Billy-Jo Shoveller spoke with National Indigenous Times before flying out of Perth on 12 October.
"We started playing music since we were kids in school. The Bidyadanga school band is still together too," he said.
"We have toured and played music right around through WA and the NT.
"We have about five shows in Italy, and then we are going across to London as well. We will check out a studio. There's a performance planned for Naples as well.
"This is a first time experience for the Family Shoveller Band, we have not been out of Australia before. We are from the bush… but when we are on stage, we know what we're doing."
Mr Shoveller said the band released a collaborative album with Formidable Vegetables in 2022 including traditional songs adapted as contemporary music, sowing the seeds for the 2024 tour which includes a visit to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation and a meeting with Australian delegates.
The album's main song Wyirrt Wyirrt was written in partnership with the 2022 United Nations World Food Forum, and highlights the importance of Indigenous food systems and the need to preserve the ancient cultures they have sustained for thousands of years as well as the Country to which it is inextricably linked.
"We did that a few years back and had some chat about heading overseas," he said.
"We are looking forward to the experience and meeting other Indigenous bands from all over the world, and there's going to be pretty good food there, traditional foods as well – I am sure our menu will be full for the next week or so!
"The experience will be really good for us, sharing out music. It's something new for us. We have played Cocos and Christmas Island, but going to Rome is a big jump."
