Tag: Indigenous

Don Amero Talks About Roots and Reconciliation for ‘CAN You Hear Me’

October 3, 2023

Don Amero CAN You Hear Me cover image

September 30 marked the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada. It’s a day that recognizes the troubling legacy of Canada’s residential school system—a government-sponsored attempt to destroy the culture and identity of Indigenous people—and honors all of those impacted by it: the Survivors, the families, the communities, and the children who never returned home.

The conversation about reconciliation goes beyond just a single day of the year. That’s why we’re putting a focus on Indigenous artists from different communities as part of the CAN You Hear Me series, which champions the unique music and perspectives of Canadian artists. To kick things off, we have Winnipeg-based country and folk singer-songwriter Don Amero. 

Don is a man who wears a lot of hats. Along with being a musician, he’s a published children’s author, podcaster, mentor, and tradesman. In 2006 his life took a turn when his debut album, Change Your Life, received immediate praise from fans and garnered five Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Award nominations, prompting him to leave his job as a hardwood-flooring installer. Just last month he released a new EP, Six, that includes the singles “Ain’t Too Late” and “Go Girl.” He also gained a CCMA nomination for his collaboration with fellow Indigenous artist Kyle McKearney on the song “Let ’em Lie,” which pays tribute to the victims of the Residential School system. 

Perhaps his most important work, however, is his advocacy efforts within Indigenous communities and beyond. Don, who is of Cree and Métis heritage, often participates as a youth mentor for the Winnipeg Jets and True North Youth Foundation’s Project 11, which helps teach Manitoba youth positive coping skills and encourages them to build a greater sense of self-awareness. An avid public speaker, Don also created the Music Is Medicine workshop, which teaches the healing power of music in mental and physical health. He frequently works with the TOBA Centre, which helps restore the health and well-being of Manitoba children who have been affected by child abuse.

For the Record sat down with Don Amero to discuss his journey of learning his heritage and what reconciliation means to him.

You discovered your Cree and Métis roots a little later in life. Tell us about your reconnection journey.

My dad was from Weymouth, Nova Scotia, with European roots, and my mom is of Cree and Métis descent. Being Indigenous was not celebrated in the past as much as it is now. My mom  grew up in the ’60s and ’70s, when governments ran residential schools with the aim of assimilating Indigenous people into the colonized way of living and being. Indigenous language, culture, and traditions were to be wiped out. So my mom was raised to be ashamed of her roots, and as a result, I grew up being told that I was “Heinz 57,” which is to say, a lot of things but nothing specific. 

Many years later as I was entering adulthood, I wanted to understand my roots more. My mom handed me my grandfather’s Métis card and said that her grandmother was a full-blooded Cree woman. I felt a strong sense of connection from that conversation and began working to understand more of the story of Indigenous peoples here in Canada. That day I decided that I wanted to be a person on the front lines aiming to build bridges between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. 

By this time, many Indigenous communities, leaders, and artists, like Buffy Ste. Marie, Tom Jackson, Robbie Robertson, and Errol Ranville, among many others, opened the door for Indigenous artists like me. I stand on the shoulders of giants. 

How important is it for you to incorporate your roots into your music and life?

While I grew up with loving and kind parents, I was raised without much in the way of traditions or culture. That being said, I’ve been raising my children to understand and embrace all that they are and to understand their roots are also Indigenous. I want them to grow up being proud of that. 

I’ve also found a deep connection with the seven sacred teachings (Love, Respect, Honesty, Courage, Truth, Wisdom, and Humility), which seems to be commonly embraced as part of the spirituality among many Indigenous communities. 

What’s a key lesson that has stuck with you on your journey?

Simply that every single person has value and is deserving of love, kindness, and to feel they belong. 

What does reconciliation mean to you?

Reconciliation in this area is for non-Indigenous peoples in Canada to reconcile the past, meaning they need to look back, educate themselves on the truth of our history, and acknowledge how Indigenous people were unsupported and made to believe they were worthless.

I think until every Canadian takes the time to understand the ugly truth of how their government aimed to “kill the Indian in the child,” we will continue to be challenged with our relationships. Reconciliation between peoples is not done with money, programs, or policies. While those are important pieces to help restore and support Indigenous peoples, I believe to truly reconcile relationships here is for all Canadians to work to bridge the gaps that have been separating us. 

The way to a peaceful future between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples is through honest and loving relationships. However, that work falls upon non-Indigenous people here. That is the road to Reconciliation in my opinion.

Keep the conversation going by listening to Spotify’s artist-curated Indigenous playlist:

‘CAN You Hear Me’ Spotlights Northern Cree, a Legendary Canadian Powwow Act Preserving Indigenous Culture Through Music

June 21, 2023

In celebration of Canadian artistry, For the Record recently launched CAN You Hear Me, a series championing the music, unique talent, and diverse cultures found in the Great White North—from the jazz bars in Québec to the dance clubs in Ontario, all the way to the powwows in the west.

Next up in our series is Northern Cree, a powwow and round dance act based in Maskwacis, Alberta. Widely regarded as one of the best acts in powwow music, the group was formed in 1982 by the Wood brothers—Steve, Randy, Charlie, and Earl of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation. Today, most of its 15 members originate from all across the Treaty 6 territory and are members of the Cree Nation.

Forty years in, the legendary act has recorded dozens of albums—and their influence has reached far and wide. The DJ Shub track “Indomitable” featuring the band was selected by Sacha Baron Cohen as the theme song to his Showtime series, Who Is America?, while M.I.A. and Santigold sampled Northern Cree for their 2008 song “Get It Up.”

Since 2002, Northern Cree has been nominated for nine Grammy Awards and three Juno Awards. In 2017, the collective made history when it became the first powwow group to perform at the Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles. Most recently, they played at the 2023 Juno Awards ceremony alongside Aysanabee in Edmonton, Alberta. 

For the Record spoke with Steve Wood and his son Joel Wood to discuss powwow traditions, their greatest inspirations, and the importance of preserving Indigenous history and culture through music.

What are some of the traditional elements of powwow music and dance? How do these come through in your music?

The instruments are created from things that are natural and land-based. The music’s vocals and lyrics are connected spiritually to our history and ancestors. The drum is referred to as “the heartbeat of Mother Earth,” and that is what connects all human beings to one another, everything living on the planet, and the earth itself. The outfits—or regalia—reflect our history, spirituality, and cultural teachings. These are also created from objects that are land-based, such as plant and animal life.

This type of music is so different when you’re able to hear it in a live setting, because you can really feel the energy. We often hear from people who are standing around the drum or near the drum or in the area that you can feel the energy that’s being made there—it’s doing something to them. If we’re doing that, if we’re making people feel good, then we’re doing our job.

How has Spotify helped you expand your music to a broader audience or connect with other artists?

Spotify has helped us reach audiences, within the borders of Turtle Island [North America] and all over the world, that have never heard our type of music before. It helps connect our group to various First Nations communities, as well as other communities in Canada and the U.S. 

Spotify has also played a part in enabling mainstream artists to sample our music, which has led to collaborations that create a new, unique sound. 

Who are some fellow Canadian artists that have inspired you? How about Indigenous artists from areas around the world?

Our biggest influences are our grandfathers and fathers, who used to play or create this type of music in our homes when we were children. Another one of our biggest influences is Ms. Buffy Sainte-Marie. Whenever we cross paths, we affectionately refer to her as “Mom,” and she refers to us as her “boys.” 

There’s also the late great Gord Downie of The Tragically Hip, whom we had the pleasure of opening for on Canada Day in Trafalgar Square in London. He was one awesome musician, not to mention an extraordinary human being. Other spectacular musicians that have influenced Northern Cree are Robbie Robertson, as well as Pat Vegas and his First Nations band Redbone.

Can you speak to why it’s so important to preserve Indigenous cultures and traditions and pass those down to future generations?

Passing down our culture helps us in maintaining our language, which is something that we’re really striving to hold on to as First Nations peoples. Everything is rooted in language for us—our identity, culture, histories, ceremonies, and where we come from.

One of the ways that our young people, and even other people, are picking up our language is through music. Having our music out there sends a message to our young people. They can aspire to pick up a guitar or a fiddle, or play the piano. So, if we can spread our language amongst our people—or even further—that’s a good thing for our people in general.

When they see what we’re doing—performing at the Grammys, at the Junos, at powwows in various parts of the country—it sends a message that they can believe in who they are, where they come from, their culture, their identity, and most importantly, their language. They can be who they are, they don’t have to emulate anyone else, and they can still aspire to great things. 

That’s one of the biggest messages that we hope to send not only to our young people, but people in general.

 

Check out Northern Cree’s latest album, Ôskimacîtahowin: A New Beginning, to experience the power of powwow.

Make Way for A.GIRL, the Australian Rapper Emerging From Western Sydney’s Underground Hip-Hop Scene

June 21, 2022

A.GIRL at Spotify AU's BUTTER event in Sydney

One of the universal qualities of hip-hop is how artists use the genre to express where they come from and the needs, fears, frustrations, and successes they experience along the way. This has set the stage for Australia’s A.GIRL—real name Hinenuiterangi Tairua—a 22-year-old rapper who is putting western Sydney on the map. 

Over the last two years, she has gained national recognition thanks to her raw style and distinct sing-rap mix that yields attention-grabbing moments of musical brilliance. 

On the strength of tracks like “We Them Boyz” (featuring Jaecy)—her first to be featured on Spotify’s flagship A1 hip-hop playlist—A.GIRL has enjoyed a rapid rise. She’s won both the Next Big Thing award at the FBi SMAC Awards and triple j’s Unearthed competition, which netted her a slot at the dance music festival Listen Out. She’s even been tipped as a rising star by U.K. publication Wonderland Mag and was named one to watch by Ticketmaster. Building on this momentum, she’s since joined Aussie grime icon Chillinit on his sold-out national tour, has shows coming up with the billion-stream rapper Masked Wolf, and will headline Sydney’s Spilt Milk festival in September. 

Most recently, Spotify’s A1 playlist brought A.GIRL together with Chillinit and another homegrown hip-hop artist, Day1, to launch a limited-edition menu with BUTTER, a hybrid fried chicken, hip-hop, champagne, and sneaker venue. (Fans can indulge in the custom menu’s offerings through the end of June at BUTTER’s four Sydney locations.) A.GIRL’s creation for this menu is the “A.GIRL Nashville Sandwich,” a spicy fried chicken sandwich with buttermilk ranch, a fried runny egg, and lettuce. 

“I had a long think about it, and I was like, what is missing from burgers that I always add when I go home?” she told For the Record. “Like, how do I personalize? The runny egg. I don’t know if it’s a Maori thing, a Pacific Islander thing, but we always put runny eggs on everything. So I was just like, chicken sandwich with a runny egg—that’s a wrap!” 

Journalist Connie Walker Leverages True Crime Format To Spread Awareness of Violence Against Indigenous Women in ‘Stolen’

March 8, 2021

Journalist Connie Walker’s first podcast detailing violence against Indigenous women, Missing & Murdered: Who Killed Alberta Williams? was originally meant to be a two-minute news story. But while attending a conference about reporting on Indigenous issues in her home of Saskatchewan, Canada, the Okanese First Nation (Cree) journalist was compelled to go deeper. So she took a 20-year-old murder case and turned it into an eight-part investigation into the traumatic history of residential schools for First Nation Canadians. Then, she followed up with another award-winning season, Finding Cleo. 

Now, five years later, Connie has released her newest investigative podcast, Stolen: The Search for Jermain. The show focuses on the case of Jermain Charlo, a 23-year-old Indigenous mother who suddenly disappeared in Missoula, Montana, in June 2018. Connie ventures into the ongoing investigation in the popular true crime style. Stolen also carefully examines what it means to be an Indigenous person in America, as the show explains how Jermain’s case represents the larger epidemic of violence that faces Indigenous women and girls.

For the Record sat down with Connie ahead of the release of episode 2 to learn more about the importance and process of telling Jermain’s story.

What about Jermain’s story called to you? Of the many women you research and report on, why did you choose her for your next podcast?

Celebrate the Rich Voices of Latinx Heritage Month With Spotify’s ‘Lo Nuestro es Arte’ Campaign

September 21, 2020

Latinx culture transcends borders and defies expectations. Just look at how musical genres like salsa and reggaeton have traversed the globe, or at the stories and conversations that Latinx individuals have spread in recent years through podcasts. So this Latinx Heritage Month, Spotify is launching Lo Nuestro es Arte, featuring creators in the music, podcast, and visual art space who will help reinforce and affirm Latinx culture—and the work of Latinx creators—as invaluable art.

We’ll spread this mantra of Lo Nuestro es Arte with the help of a plethora of creators, including Dascha Polanco, Myke Towers, Kali Uchis, Sebastian Yatra, and many more. Dive into our anthem video featuring artists and podcasters like Anthony Ramos, Prince Royce, Kali Uchis, Jenn Morel, and Walter Thompson Hernandez, who each proudly proclaim their culture and vocation as art.

Here’s what else you can look out for:

Mini film series on bicultural experience

Check out a series of social mini films featuring the voices of some of today’s most influential Latinx music artists and podcasters as they narrate their experiences as bicultural Latinos in the U.S. They’ll tell stories of race, gender, and creating spaces where they can finally see, heal, and celebrate themselves. 

Visual art inspired by music and podcasts

We’ve commissioned work inspired by different genres and podcasts from five visual artists from across the Latinx diaspora: Orly Anan, Cristina Martinez, Luisa Salas, Pedro Nekoi, and D’Ana Nunez. Their pieces will be featured throughout the campaign behind artists like Romeo Santos, Helado Negro, Ivy Queen, and Natanael Cano. You can catch the art on billboards in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles, as well as a virtual art gallery accessible through Snapchat.

Our Latinx Heritage Month hub

Head to the Latinx Heritage Month hub for carefully curated playlist collections that amplify Latin culture and reinforce the bicultural identity of Latinx individuals through the sounds of Latin music legends and up-and-coming talent. The Sounds of LatinX playlist showcases the fluidity of genres and styles that define Latin music today, while The Future of Latin anoints the hottest artists on the rise in tropical, regional Mexican and everything in between. We Love our Icons celebrates the contributions of Celia Cruz, Jennifer Lopez, Selena Quintanilla, Daddy Yankee, and other beloved voices. Finally, through the Beyond the Music playlist collection, we’ll amplify the voices of the immigrant, Afro-Latinx, indigenous, and LGBTQ+ communities.

Lo Nuestro es Arte aims to celebrate the past, present, and future of the Latinx community, raise awareness of its biculturalism, and recognize its ongoing strength in the face of adversity.

Stream the art from Latinx communities across the world in our LatinX Forever playlist.

In ‘Search Engine Sex’ Podcast, Rowdie Walden Wants to Answer Your Questions

June 17, 2020

In 2018, Rowdie Walden signed up for Spotify’s Sound Up Australia workshop hoping to bring his idea—answering the internet’s most-searched-for questions about sex and relationships—to the platform. The weeklong mentoring session for Indigenous Australians resulted in Search Engine Sex, Australia’s first Spotify Original podcast, which does exactly that.

From the signs of a healthy relationship to preventing STIs, each week Rowdie wants to take the questions that are often considered taboo and bring them into an honest conversation with the help of a rotating cast of experts and, of course, search engine analytics.

For the Record caught up with Rowdie just ahead of the podcast launch.

What can listeners expect from your podcast?

I can tell you what not to expect. If you’re looking for an academic, education-focused sex, health, and well-being podcast, this is not it. Search Engine Sex addresses the questions that have been in the back of your mind. You can expect to have a laugh and hear some thought-provoking conversations with incredible people. We’ve got everyone from sexologists to ex-bachelor contestants, so hopefully you’ll be surprised by the people you’ll hear from.

I also think you can expect some good tactical tips on a range of things. When it comes to talking about sex, it’s key to find an accessible channel for people. If you are from a religious or cultural background that doesn’t allow you to talk about sex, we want you to both feel comfortable listening to this podcast and also find it beneficial. It’s not smutty, but it’s not boring. If I had to put it in a category, I’d say it’s “infotainment.”

Search Engine Sex comes to us in part by way of Spotify’s Sound Up Australia, which invited Indigenous Australians to join an intensive podcasting workshop. Why was this experience meaningful to you?

There aren’t a lot of mainstream Indigenous-focused media outlets in Australia, and I think Spotify’s Sound Up has helped fill that gap. It was kind of surreal to be in a room full of other Indigenous people who had completely different ideas and different takes on what a call for Indigenous podcasters represented. They all came with very important stories to tell. 

It is so unprecedented for the oldest storytelling culture in the world to have a massive platform, and now Spotify has helped create that. It’s such a refreshing moment in the history of Australia media, where the door is open for you, as an Indigenous Australian, to tell your story. I think this also speaks to the diversity of the Spotify user—it’s a platform that reaches everyone, with something for everyone, no matter your sex, culture, religion, or anything else you identify with.

Why is it important to bring Indigenous voices into audio experiences?

There’s the cliché idea of representation that comes to mind: If you can’t see yourself, you can’t be it. You could probably list on one hand the amount of mainstream Indigenous stories that have made it into pop culture. This experience is all about breaking down the barrier of where a stereotypical Indigenous voice belongs versus actually where Indigenous voices can be.

Why do you think Spotify is the right partner for Search Engine Sex?

For a podcaster, Spotify is aspirational. To have the chance to work with and be endorsed by such a powerhouse company is incredible. The audience that they have through music is exactly the demographic I see for this podcast, so it was kind of a no-brainer. They’re giving people like me the keys for success. I honestly don’t think this exists anywhere else. I am still very touched that such a mammoth company has taken interest in this little idea about internet analytics and sex.

Speaking of which, and to close—why do you think it’s important to have open conversations about relationships and sexual health?

I think it’s important to have conversations around sex that talk to the breadth of what sex is, so that it then becomes part of pop culture and something we openly talk about. Sex is great and bad. It’s embarrassing and humiliating and sticky and messy and also really lovely. So, that breadth of how we talk about sex is more important than just talking about sex as a topic. Sex and relationships take many forms, and we want to explore this. That’s what we’re aiming to do.

Take a listen to Search Engine Sex here.

Spotify’s Sound Up Australia—Amplifying First Nations Voices for a Second Year

February 27, 2020

Update as of May 10, 2021: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Sound Up AU program as described below did not occur in 2020. In 2021, we invited Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander podcasters to sign up for The Sound Up 2021 program, which will be facilitated by our new partners Travis De Vries and Brooke Scobie from Awesome Black. Learn more about the 2021 program here.

For Indigenous communities, stories have long been passed down by word of mouth. Podcasting, a much more recent invention, can take the words of storytellers even further. Through Spotify’s Sound Up Australia podcast accelerator program, we’re helping to empower First Nations individuals in Australia to tell their stories using podcasting—and amplifying them across the world. 

Returning for the second year, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists, writers, creators, and podcasters are encouraged to apply to our Sound Up accelerator program, a five-day residential podcasting workshop to be held in Sydney from May 11 to 15. Applicants don’t need to have any previous podcasting experience to apply, just something to say, a passion for the medium, and an eagerness to bring a podcast idea to life. 

“First Australians have been passing down their knowledge, culture and history from generation-to-generation through storytelling for tens of thousands of years,” says Natalie Tulloch, Spotify Sound Up Lead. “Spotify wants to harness the power of storytelling and bring it to the next generation through podcasting.”

From the pool of applicants, 10 people will be selected to attend the residential workshop, which will be facilitated by Marlee Silva, podcaster and co-founder of Tiddas 4 Tiddas, and Rekha Murthy, podcast expert. Participants will learn about the art of podcasting, receive mentoring and practical experience, and meet with podcasting and radio greats who also identify as First Nations people. At the end of the week, three finalists will be awarded a cash grant and all participants will be given equipment and software to produce their podcasts.

Sound Up Australia in 2018 awarded four grants for podcast production. One recipient, Rowdie Walden, used it to create Search Engine Sex, the ultimate sex and relationship podcast, and Spotify Australia’s first Spotify Original investment. 

“Sound Up is an incredible opportunity because it’s so rare in the media industry that you get to sit with the platform, the commissioning editors, and the managing director and develop your idea from the ground up,” says Rowdie. “It gives space to minority groups who otherwise wouldn’t get a foot in the door. Podcasting is such a fast-growing industry that it’s important we keep the push for diversity and inclusion in this space as well.” 

Aspiring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander podcasters can apply for this year’s Sound Up program here from May 11 – 15 by March 15. Travel and accommodation will be covered for those living outside of Sydney. 

Indigenous Australian Rapper Briggs Shares Message of Triumph through Music

August 8, 2019

Photo credit: Cole Bennetts

Koori rapper Briggs of the Yorta Yorta people knows the importance of sharing your voice—even when others initially say they don’t want to hear it. Growing up in the rural town of Shepparton, 120 miles north of Melbourne, Australia, Briggs learned that through music he could tell stories that were uniquely his—including on complex topics of race, identity, and privilege. It’s something that remains an essential aspect of his music, and also that of his side project, A.B. Original, with fellow Indigenous Australian artist Trials.

We spoke with Briggs in honor of the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples. He explained how his music—shaped by the rap and rock heroes he idolized during his childhood— helped create a platform within his community and blazed a new trail for Indigenous Australian voices. 

What was your earliest exposure to music?

I grew up in a country town, where [I was] surrounded by souped-up Commodores and mullets, and cowboys with their gigantic bullbars and 20-foot antennas. Rap music was a big part of that, and I was pretty heavy into punk rock and metal, too—anything anti-establishment, like Guns N’ Roses, Ice Cube, and Snoop Dogg, which were always within arm’s reach of a tape deck. Punk rock stuff I liked was Green Day, blink-182, and The Vandals. I really got into Misfits and Motorhead, too. Just ’90s stuff, you know, Wu-Tang—anything cool.

How have the challenges for emerging artists in Shepparton changed since you were growing up?

Being a kid in Shepparton is a challenge because you’re isolated from music and ideas. When you’re in Melbourne, a kid in the city, you can see things happening. In Shepparton, you don’t get to see that, so you have to try and make it—and you have a lot of people telling you that you’re not allowed to make it, you know? I used to put shows on when I was a kid, get local bands to play, and take some money for myself. I started my hustle when I was 15. 

How is it different sharing your culture as an Indigenous person now versus back then? 

Shepparton has the largest Indigenous population in Victoria outside of Melbourne. It also has the largest Indigenous population in Victoria per capita. So there was always a presence, and it was always just a part of us and what we did and still do. We just operated as artists and rappers. You don’t really realize how different you are until it’s presented to you.

If you want to know what it’s like to be an Indigenous person in Australia today, just listen to my music. I’m tired of panels, I’m tired of lectures, I’m tired of keynotes—just listen to the music and go to the shows if you want to find out!

What are some of the misconceptions about your culture locally, and globally, that you’re trying to overcome with your music?

The message that I’m trying to get across with my music is one of triumph. Statistically, I’m not meant to be doing the things I’m doing. When I was a kid, I had Ice-T, Ice Cube, Biggie, Snoop Dogg—but I didn’t have someone from home [to idolize]. I started to figure all this out around [my third record] Sheplife. I realized I had to release legacy records.

A.B. Original was the beginning of that. What was the album I needed when I was a young, 15-year-old kid, when I was being told rap music wasn’t for Australia? It wasn’t like they were just saying rap music wasn’t for Koori kids, they were saying rap music wasn’t for Australia. And I think we nailed it with our album Reclaim Australia, to be honest. When it really made sense for me was when my cousins and nephews were playing our music on Bluetooth speakers at parties. That’s when I knew we’d achieved what we had set out to do.

Tell us about your next body of work and how you’ve approached putting it together.

I really wanted to set Briggs apart from A.B. Original, so with Briggs, it’s me as a person. There are other avenues for me to explore as an artist and as an individual. I want to work with some people I haven’t worked with before, and something that translates to a good, fun, live show as well. And just explore some thoughts and ideas musically that I haven’t yet and aren’t A.B. Original-centric.

Tell us about some great up-and-coming Indigenous voices in music.

Alice Skye is going to be a mega-star. Kobie Dee. Nooky is a dark horse, a quadruple threat. Philly just dropped an incredible track called “Brown Skin.” Everything on our label Bad Apples is really exciting at the moment.

Spotify is proud to be an official partner of the National Indigenous Music Awards 2019 taking place tomorrow in Darwin, Australia. Briggs is nominated for Best Artist and Film Clip of the Year, having previously won Best New Artist and a number of other accolades since 2014. 

For more on how we’re working to amplify Indigenous Australian voices, read about our Sound Up Bootcamp in Sydney last fall.