Small Island Big Song
An Oceanic Songline

Film stream access: Monday, May 3, 2021–Friday, May 14, 2021

Virtual visit from artists: Monday, May 10, 2021–Friday, May 14, 2021

Register by Thursday, May 13, for free access to the Small Island Big Song film and artists visit.

Small Island Big Song film

A musical journey across and into the soul of the Indian and Pacific oceans, Small Island Big Song was filmed during three years and features more than 100 artists from island nations. 

The nonnarrative film is a playful but poignant musical plea. In the spirit of storytelling before current borders were drawn, the film is an oceanic songline, a timely and uplifting musical plea for environmental and cultural awareness from those on the frontline of the climate crisis.

The film’s initiators, Australian filmmaker and music producer Tim Cole and Taiwanese film producer BaoBao Chen, met the artists on their homelands to record a song “which spoke for their heritage and environment.” It’s a song they took across the ocean for other artists representing their island to add to—all filmed in nature, sung in the language, and played on the instruments of that land. Through this process, the film’s voice was created in the field following the guidance of those carrying the cultural lineage, those who could speak for the land.

Small Island Big Song was filmed and recorded across the Pacific and Indian oceans in Australia, Indonesia, Madagascar, Aotearoa/New Zealand, Bougainville, Borneo, Malaysia, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Mauritius, Vanuatu, Guam, Hawaii, and Taiwan. 

Small Island Big Song artists

As an encore to our free School-Time Virtual programs, and to mark Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Center for the Performing Arts will present a virtual visit from two artists in the touring production of Small Island Big Song.

Young musician, surfer, and environmental activist Putad lives in Taitung, Taiwan, and represents the Amis indigenous heritage. Together with her collaborator, National Geographic Explorer and Fulbright Research Scholar Anika Ullah, they will discuss the oceans, how the island homes of Pacific Islanders are being affected by climate change, and how they have confronted racism both as indigenous peoples in their own countries and in the United States. 

Subject areas:
Environment and Ecology, Live Music, English Language Arts, Social-Emotional Learning, World Languages, Social Studies

Recommended grade levels:
Grades six through twelve

Watch a preview of Small Island Big Song. 

Small Island Big Song - An Oceanic Songline (Official Trailer) from Small Island Big Song on Vimeo.