Small Island Big Song

Hear the people who sing for the sea. Small Island Big Song unites islanders, who share an ancient seafaring ancestry and language, in a contemporary musical statement from a region on the frontline of cultural and environmental challenges. 

The Small Island Big Song spring 2022 North American tour features a multimedia concert and residency. The Penn State performance will feature the Small Island Big Song artists Putad (Taiwan); Emlyn, Kan, and Kokol (Mauritius); Selina Leem (Marshall Islands); Sammy (Madagascar); and Airileke and Richard Mogu (Papua New Guinea).

Small Island Big Song evolved from visits to sixteen island nations by Australian filmmaker and music producer Tim Cole and Taiwanese film producer BaoBao Chen. They worked with more than 100 artists, elders, community groups, and grassroots musicians. The result is a stunning collaboration reuniting the distant yet interconnected musical traditions of the Pacific and Indian oceans.

In 2018, the collaboration launched its fair trade and climate action-driven project through social, audio, film, and performance content on a global scale. The group’s self-titled debut album is a Fair Trade Music release with 50 percent of the net profit going back to artists and non-governmental organizations.