This week, three stories about connection: connection to the land and the sea, connection to history, connection to the divine and to ourselves.

 

Weaving Ancestral Voices by Shareeka Helaluddin

In our first story, Shareeka reconnects to faith and identity through the voice of the singer Sheila Chandra.

Growing up in an interfaith household, Shareeka was immersed in a diverse sonic landscape of Islamic recitations, Hindu chants, Bollywood, folk, and Western music.

It wasn’t until Sheila Chandra’s drone-based singing resonated deeply within her that she found solace in voice. 

“Songs that weave through past and present, a voice that pierces through discordance and uncertainty. An immersive journey of glossolalia and spiritual vocal gateways, reckoning with - and returning to - faith; all bound together by the voice of Sheila Chandra.”

This story was produced by Shareeka Helaluddin. The Supervising Producer was Mell Chun, with support from John Tjhia. The artwork was provided by Rekha Dhanaram who can be found @rekha.dhanaram on instagram. The story features the voices of Aarti Jadu and Sheila Chandra, on instagram @thesheilachandra.

Our next two stories are recordings from the Red Dirt Poetry Festival, an annual showcase of spoken word and poetry from Mparntwe, Central Australia.

 

Black Pearl of the Desert by Marie Ellis 

In the first story, Marie takes us into the very heart of the desert.

The Black Pearl’s coming - timeless and untamed.

 

Red Dirt by Melanie Mununngurr 

In the second story, Melanie confronts colonial violence, systemic oppression, and cultural erasure.

Through the enduring strength of saltwater people and the unbroken connection between land, water, and ancestry, we celebrate the resilience and defiant song of those who refuse to be forgotten.

The water remembers all—carrying echoes of ancestors, the weight of sorrow, and the rhythm of survival.

Black Pearl of the Desrt and Red Dirt were performed and recorded at the Red Dirt Poetry Festival, a celebration of spoken word and poetry from Mpartnwe, Central Australia. You can check them out over on their their YouTube or at their website reddirtpoetryfestival.com/

 

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All The Best Credits

Executive Producer: Phoebe Adler-Ryan

Editorial Producer: Melanie Bakewell

Host: Kwame Slusher

Mixed & Compiled by Emma Higgins

Artwork by Rekha Dhanaram

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