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Anja Tait, BMus, RMT
Regional Liaison for
Australia/New Zealand
Contact: australianewzealand@wfmt.info[/caption]
On behalf of all the music therapy community in Australia and New Zealand we would like to thank everyone for the kind wishes and offers of support that have been received following the string of natural disasters we have experienced over the past few months. Whilst myself and Anja Tait have not been directly affected by these events our hearts have gone out to those who have experienced and/or witnessed the trauma that has unfolded and we have been truly encouraged by the stories that have emerged from music therapists who have met the challenge to help members of their surrounding communities. We feel very proud that as music therapists we are able to stand alongside other health professionals and offer support to those directly affected by disaster but particularly the families and children who have become so dis-placed by these events. We share some of their stories/comments with you below as a testament to their strength and creativity in the face of such adversity.
From New Zealand, Megan Glass writes ...
Dear friends and colleagues,
I am writing on behalf of MThNZ to thank you all for your messages of support and assistance at this difficult time. As I'm sure you can imagine, the impact of this disaster is immense. Even if not directly affected we all know somebody who is, and many are still waiting for news of friends and family. We are deeply grateful for all the support offered, and will be in touch with many of you directly in the coming weeks once we have had the chance to ascertain what is needed and what we can offer both the local music therapy community and the wider community.
From Queensland, Monica Zidar, an experienced RMT with children of her own, responded to a call to assist families at the Ipswich evacuation centre. Her experience is shared in this extract from the Queensland branch newsletter:
I arrive at the show grounds to be greeted by SES volunteers... there was a large building divided into two sections, make-shift beds and information desks were set up... I introduced myself and brought in my gear: Guitar, gathering drum, box of instruments.... oh and the smartphone! The children are sitting very quietly, playing with a selection of toys within a fenced off area. As soon as I brought in my gear, the children gravitate towards the instruments with curiosity. They just wanted to play. So I let them explore anything and everything they wanted.... allow them as many opportunities for choice and mastery of their environment as I possibly could. .....I suggested they change around some of the words [/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type="1_1" background_position="left top" background_color="" border_size="" border_color="" border_style="solid" spacing="yes" background_image="" background_repeat="no-repeat" padding="" margin_top="0px" margin_bottom="0px" class="" id="" animation_type="" animation_speed="0.3" animation_direction="left" hide_on_mobile="no" center_content="no" min_height="none"][to familiar songs] to make songs of their own. The group was very excited at this idea and called over the policemen present in the centre to be their audience... we sat in a circle, each person getting a turn to put in a line in the song.... I asked them if they would like the song to be about something, a theme, and it was only a few seconds before someone suggested the floods. The children began by describing their surrounds.... about the third time around the circle someone mentioned the word flood.... swimming to safety, saving pets.... one of the workers commented on how he felt like he could cry listening to the kids express themselves like this..... I left that day feeling profoundly affects and humbled by the spirit of the children who suddenly felt lucky just to have each other.
Amidst the distress and grief of such horrific natural disasters, both Queensland and New Zealand music therapists still have good news stories to share:
In New Zealand, Megan Glass reports that the music therapy community throughout New Zealand are all delighted to be able to congratulate Daphne Rickson on her PhD - the first completed through the New Zealand School of Music.
The Queensland branch of the Australian Music Therapy Association is hosting this year's national conference and professional development seminar. The conference venue was affected slightly by the flooding in inner city Brisbane but it's business as usual and the committee is full steam ahead. Conference convenor Kate Williams reports: "Brisbane conferences are known within AMTA circles as being some of the best. With the whole of Queensland under a cloud of natural disaster after natural disaster, we hope that by September we will feel ready to celebrate what is behind us and what lies ahead, with the support of colleagues from around the country." For all our colleagues in the Australasian region, do consider joining us for what promises to be a fabulous event.
Again, thank you to everyone who forwarded their thoughts for safety and wellbeing to all in our region who are living with the horror of major natural disasters and their aftermath.
This blog entry was compiled by Louise Miles (President, Australian Music Therapy Association), with Anja Tait (WFMT regional liaison, Australia/New Zealand), and Megan Glass, (Music Therapy NZ).
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