‘Help Country’: How a tiny endangered possum inspired this new children’s show

‘Help Country’: How a tiny endangered possum inspired this new children’s show

Among them are the pygmy possum and the Guthega skink, another endangered alpine species. They also encounter an old snow gum and the soft, delicate grasses of the Kosciuszko alpine area.

Brown, a former Bangarra senior artist and co-CEO of Indigenous mentoring organisation AIME, says the show, co-written by Brown and Chenoa Deemal, is partly about protecting and respecting Country and its creatures, and partly about the siblings dealing with life without their absent brother, who is in juvenile detention.

“They’re learning about how to be stronger for themselves,” Brown says. “Because when they’re strong, they can also help family and help Country. And, when Country is strong, we’re all strong.”

Tjilala Brown-Roberts creating the world of the bogong moth.Credit: Edwina Pickles

The siblings also use Auslan when talking about their brother because he is deaf. Early in the show’s creation, deaf consultant James Kerwin asked if the work was about the bogong moth because there was a deaf child in the story.

“I said no, and he explained that deaf people are often paralleled to moths because both need the light,” Brown says. “You can’t sign or lip-read in the dark. He said if you’re in the street, you’d gather under the street lights with the moths to sign.”

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Giving the bogong moth a speaking voice in the work inspired another connection. At first, Brown and her collaborators tried using filters on a vocal recording, but it sounded artificial. Then they thought of a child’s voice.

Now, Brown’s son, Xavier, is the bogong moth’s voice, guiding the characters and audience through its dreams, flight and world.

“It’s truly come full circle,” Brown says. “Xavier got to go on Country, he was part of the show’s exploration and he’s been involved from the get-go.

“It’s lovely because he’s really put his heart into it.”

The Bogong’s Song is at Bangarra Dance Theatre, Hickson Road
Walsh Bay, until October 19,
bangarra.com.au