Roseina Boston

Auntie Roseina Boston (* 1935 on Steward Island in Queensland ) is an elder of the Gumbayungirr Aborigines from the Nambucca Valley in Australia . In the Aboriginal language it is called Wanangaa and its name means "stop". She is the only gumleaf musician who can play this style of music today and is the only woman to have appeared four times at the Australian Gumleaf Playing Championship , which has been held annually since 1977. Gumleaf is an Aboriginal music in which a eucalyptus leaf is held to the lips and sounds are generated by puffs of air.

Early years

She lived the first years of her life on Steward Island, where eucalyptus grew, which were later felled for a golf course. She first heard gumleaf music from her uncles. Her mother taught her about bush life and how to eat bush food . She learned how to catch fish, dig up worms and pick up sea worms. In the evenings she listened to her mother, uncles and relatives around the campfire and their stories. She was fascinated by the gumleaf music her uncles played; at the age of eight she was able to recite “Happy Birthday” and other short songs. Her uncle's brother, George Possum Davis, was a member of the Burnt Bridge Gumleaf Band in the late 1800s and early 1900s.

today

Her current repertoire is much broader and more varied and she is a well-known and well-known personality in Australia. For you it all depends on the gumleaf; but she also paints. She can imitate bird calls in such a way that these birds fly towards her on these sounds.

For example, she plays the national anthem of Australia in front of school classes and on other occasions. She was also committed to the stolen generation and she herself had to learn the English language from 1997 on, which took her three years. She is married.

In her painting, which she began in 1993, “Starfish Dreaming” plays a major role; she is of the Catholic faith. The Dreamtime plays in her and in the Australian culture for them a major role. The black snake is also a totem for them.

Robin Ryan, Herb Patten and they wrote the history of gumleaf music, which they worked on for six years. Today she is a recognized specialist in the history of this musical genre. She also appeared on various occasions in her music performances in country clothing when she performed these songs in connection with her gumleaf style. Because traditional gumleaf music was supplemented and enriched by modern music styles such as jazz and country music.

Web links

• Pieces of music by Roseina Boston on trove.nla.gov.au

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Presentation of the gumleaft technique . Retrieved June 9, 2010
2. ↑ information and mapping of Roseina Boston on abc.net.au . Retrieved June 10, 2010
3. ↑ ^{a b} Roseina Boston on abc.net.au . Retrieved June 10, 2010