a radio feature produced by Michael Shirrefs
There’s an old tradition in parts of rural Australia of the ‘Twig’ or ‘Twiggy’—suddenly deciding, on a whim, to stop by the side of the road, light a camp-fire with some friends and sit around for a chat, or to play music. Now the idea’s being revived, with an artist-in-residence staging Twigs on farms along the Victorian/NSW border. And it’s giving farming communities, who’ve been through a lot in recent years, a strong sense of their own cultural identity.
An artist-in-residence, Trevor Flinn, has been staying for a week at a time with the farming families—with a Twig being held at the end of the week for a small group of invited guests. And the impact on these small communities has been surprising.
But if you’re still unsure about what a Twig really is, Michael Shirrefs has travelled to see Peter Redfearn, who hosted the first Twig at his property—a farm called Farnley, just south of Moulamein in NSW.
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Thanks to Jane Ogden for her recording skills, providing lovely sound textures from within the private Twig events,
and to John Britten for his sonic backdrops
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© 2012, Michael Shirrefs & ABC RN