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Sammy Butcher, Out of the Shadows: A people's band
Title:
Sammy Butcher, Out of the Shadows: A people's band
NFSA ID
1021872
Year
2004
Warnings
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that the following program may contain images and/or audio of deceased persons
Sammy Butcher talks about his experience as a musician with the Warumpi Band, and how the Warumpi Band was a people’s band, their songs having meaning that would have a positive impact upon their audience. Summary by Romaine Moreton.
The integrity of Sammy Butcher as a musician and community elder was shaped by his experience with the Warumpi Band. This clip shows footage of the Warumpi Band during their heyday, and it is interesting to see Sammy Butcher on the other side of that experience and back in his community at Papunya.
Sammy Butcher, Out of the Shadows synopsis
A documentary about musician Sammy Butcher who once played with the Warumpi Band and now invests his energy in young musicians in his community, Papunya, 250 kilometres west of Alice Springs.
Sammy Butcher, Out of the Shadows is part of the Nganampa Anwernekenhe series produced by Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA) Productions. Nganampa Anwernekenhe means 'ours’ in the Pitjantjatjara and Arrernte lanuages, and the series aims to contribute to the preservation of Indigenous languages and cultures.
Sammy Butcher, Out of the Shadows curator's notes
A documentary that shows what life after the Warumpi Band is like for Sammy Butcher. Like so many other Indigenous artists, Sammy Butcher’s role within his community becomes one of responsibility as well as his individual professional aspirations. The moment in the documentary that has great resonance is when The Orphan Band sing the song ‘Ngayulu Nyangu’ which means I have seen it all. This expresses the heart of Sammy Butcher’s work, which is to create a better way for future generations through music.
Notes by Romaine Moreton
Production company
CAAMA Productions
Producer
Rachel Clements
Executive Producer
Citt Williams
Directors
Lisa Watts, Allan Collins
Writer
Lisa Watts
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia acknowledges Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live and gives respect to their Elders both past and present.