Family drama staged

Megan Sarmardin (front left) with (clockwise) mum Dixie Sarmardin, grandmother Margaret Gertz and great-grandma Flora Hoolihan.

Songbird Megan Sarmardin raises the voices of her foremothers in a moving theatrical production debuting in Cairns soon.

Megan Sarmardin cannot remember a time when she didn’t sing. She first took to the stage in Mount Isa, singing Dolly Parton’s Coat of many colours, aged just seven.

Neither can Megan, 26, recall a time when she did not have a supportive family around her.

"I wouldn’t be who am I am without the love, support, discipline and stories from (mother) Dixie, (grandmothers) Margaret, Mavis, (great-grandmother) Flora, and my Aunties Marie and Janine," she says.

"They’re incredibly strong, and have been lucky to find men strong and sure enough in themselves to encourage their women.

"The biggest lesson I’ve learnt from the women in my family — and the message I hope the audience will take away with them is — ‘life is what you make it and if you believe in something, you fight for it’.

Blackbird – so named because "I’m a bird, birds sing, and I’m black" – opens at Jute Theatre in Cairns in August.

It’s the story of Megan’s womenfolk, descendents of the Ngadjon Jii people on the Atherton Tablelands, and their triumphs, challenges and tragedies. At its heart is the love between Megan’s great-great-grandmother Kitty and Russian migrant Leandro Illin. It’s a time of repressive Aboriginal protection legislation with forcible removal of people from traditional lands and efforts to stop ‘half-caste’ population growth.

Megan shakes her head recalling the secret removal of her great-great-great grandmother Emily to Palm Island. "She was 85 years old. What threat was she to anyone? I cannot understand; I just see – feel – the hurt. A lot of families have been impacted by this," Megan says. "And I admit, I’ve cried singing her song because it really does affect me, deeply."

Megan’s great-grandmother Flora, now 95, is the living memory Megan turned to, to learn more of her roots.

"She’s one tough lady whom I admire enormously," Megan says. "I can see a little of her in me already!"

Blackbird, produced by Leah Cotterell and written by musician John Rodgers in collaboration with Megan, will tour regional Queensland with funding support from the Australia Council, Arts Queensland, Events Support Program (Queensland Health).