I
think the city of Sydney and all those involved in planning the new year's eve
fireworks celebration should be ashamed of themselves. The theme of
celebrating the artists 'we' lost in 2016 featured foreign artist's and not our
own. Australia lost many great talents last year and they should have
been at the forefront of this celebration but instead it was a most
un-Australian event. Eyes of the world were on Sydney and were told we
value their artists over our own.
Don't
get me wrong, I enjoy the work of Prince, David Bowie and Gene Wilder but if we
are to celebrate the talent of those who had passed in 2016, surely and more
appropriately it should have, without question, been our own artists put on
show for the world to see. We should have celebrated our own people and
showed pride in their achievements and presented them to the world as worth
remembering. It is for these reasons I find the display on new year's eve,
disgusting!
Quickly
to mind, who should have been featured instead; Musicians: Jon English
and Stevie Wright. Jon English was a master at rock 'n' roll, ballads,
rock opera, operetta, comedy and drama. Stevie Wright was a rock 'n' roll
legend in this country and his rock classic Evie pts 1, 2 and 3 could bring the
house down (or a bridge). The pick of works from these two could have been put
to an impressive light display that we could have been proud of.
As
far as celebrating one Australian Actor: Peter Sumner (who, if you want more
international appeal, was in Star Wars) who had a long and distinguished career
in this country, but he wasn't our only actor loss to choose from.
The
limited approach and lack of consideration of celebrating our own people in the
City of Sydney NYE display was a telling reminder that this country still
suffers 'cultural cringe' when presenting itself to the world. The only
thing Australia and certainly, Sydney, need to cringe about is its dismissal of
its own talents lost in 2016.
Celeste
Warren
Yamba
* Guest Speak is a North Coast Voices segment allowing serious or satirical comment from NSW Northern Rivers residents. Email ncvguestpeak at gmail dot com dot au to submit comment for consideration.
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