We Rise

We Rise is a film produced by Powerhouse in collaboration with Indigenous social enterprise, We Are Warriors for the annual Blak Powerhouse program.

Written and directed by Nooky (Yuin Thungutti), Tyson Perkins (Arrernte Kalkadoon) and Gabriel Gasparinatos, We Rise is an Indigenous-led film that puts Indigenous stories, faces and voices to the front.

The film features JK-47 (Bundjalung South Sea Islander), Otis Hope Carey (Gumbaynggirr Bundjalung), Becca Hatch (Kamilaroi Sāmoan), Miah Madden (Bundjalung), and We Are Warriors founder, Nooky (Yuin Thungutti).

The release of the film on October 14 marks one year since Australia as a nation said ‘No’ to an Indigenous voice to parliament and inclusion of Indigenous people in the constitution. For many Indigenous Australians this was a painful reminder of the inequalities and injustices faced from birth.

In Australia, Indigenous people account for less than 5% of the population, but make up 33% of all prisoners and 63% of 10-17 year olds behind bars. Indigenous children are 29 times more likely than non-Indigenous children to be taken from their families and put in juvenile detention centres.

These statistics are hard to comprehend, and their truths are even harder to swallow when you know the odds were designed to be stacked against you. So where do young Mob go to feel inspired?

Sharing stories of resistance and resilience is a reminder to Indigenous youth that their potential is endless; they can unlock their own Warrior spirit and drive positive change for themselves and their Mob.

'We created this film not too long after the referendum and I feel like you can see the effects of what happened in myself and all the people involved within it. The Mob in the film have been vulnerable and they’ve been strong. You’ll hear the real conversations and reflections on what happened and the history we all share in this country. But more importantly, we’re looking forward into the future that we share here. It means a lot to me, the timing of it all, releasing on the year anniversary of the referendum, it's very important to me.'

Trailblazers in their fields, these Warriors are role models for the next generation. With their resilience, strength and pursuit of excellence they lead by example and show young Mob that anything is possible.

JK-47 is a Bundjalung/South Sea Islander man from Tweed Heads (Minyugmbal/Goodjinburra Country). He fell in love with music from an early age, gravitating towards hip hop. Inspired by late greats such as Tupac Shakur, Nipsey Hussle, DMX and their stories of struggle to strength, he first started writing and recording lyrics at age 14, determined to follow in the steps of his older brother (Cheniki ‘Chiggz’ Paulson) in pursuit of their dream to achieve success as professional musicians/artists. Since linking with Brisbane producer/MC NERVE in 2019 and dropping his debut album Made For This (2020), he’s toured and performed at some of the biggest festivals across the country and won triple j Unearthed's Artist of the Year (2020), NIMAs Album of the Year (2021), and has recently been nominated for Best Independent Hip Hop album (AIR Awards) and Best Australian Recording Used In A Commercial (ARIA Awards).

Otis Hope Carey (Gumbaynggirr Bundjalung) is an artist working across contemporary Indigenous sculpture and painting. Carey’s work reinterprets fragments of traditional symbols and stories to promote a bridging of cultures and understanding across communities. Crucial to Carey’s practice is the sharing of experience and the process of healing, reflecting on the artist’s connection to Country, the ocean and ceremony.

Becca Hatch (Kamilaroi Sāmoan) has carved an enviable niche in the Australian contemporary R&B and dance scene that is wholly her own. She first rose to prominence winning triple j Unearthed High’s Indigenous Initiative (2017), released her debut single 2560 in 2020, and recently released her first EP, MAYDAY. Now a multiple APRA Award and ARIA Award nominee (2023) , Becca is conscious of the positive role she can play for her contemporaries – particularly in her community – and is refusing to be defined or boxed in by labels, genre restrictions or public perception.

Miah Madden is a proud Bundjalung actress, presenter, and law student. She began her career in 2011 in the film Sapphires and has since been best known for her roles in Redfern Now, Dive Club, Bali 2002, Paper Dolls, The Clearing, and as a presenter on Play School. Miah is currently undertaking studies in a Bachelor of Law with the intention of working in Law Reform and Criminal Law to help address the inequities faced by incarcerated Indigenous youth.

Beau Dean Riley Smith (Wiradjuri Gamillaraay) is an award-winning dancer, choreographer and actor who performed with Bangarra from 2013-2022 under the artistic direction of Stephen Page. Beau’s career highlights include performing the title role in Bennelong (2017) of which he later won a Helpmann Award, an Australian Dance Award and was nominated for the Greenroom Award for Dance. In 2022, he made his musical theatre debut in The Sunshine Club (Queensland Theatre) under Wesley Enoch’s direction, and in 2023 made his Sydney Theatre Company debut in The Visitors. Beau’s passion for First Nations storytelling crosses artistic disciplines to bring to life the distinctive energy and nuanced quality central to cultural and contemporary Indigenous life.

Powerhouse x We Are Warriors is a partnership that aims to inspire and empower First Nations youth through creative expression, education and cultural leadership.

This project is a showcase of Blak excellence across different platforms. To magnify and share these stories, the adversity we as Blak people have to face just to be seen, to be heard, to succeed – these stories are inspiring

As a Wiradjuri person, the 2023 referendum was a period that was painful to live through but one I do not want people to forget so I’m glad the Powerhouse has collected objects that document, speak to and are witness to this time. Because truth telling is not just about the past, but it is about what is happening now. I want these objects to spark difficult conversations that get people to reflect on whose voices we listen to and why, whose truth have we been told. Like writer James Baldwin said, ‘Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.’

Nathan ‘Mudyi’ Sentance (Wiradjuri), Head of Collections First Nations, Powerhouse

The outcome of the 2023 referendum was a pivotal moment for the future of First Nations Australians relationship with mainstream Australia. Despite the divisive conversation, First Nations Australians and our allies were able to come together and address the issues within the Aboriginal community on a scale it hasn’t been in recent years. Regardless of the outcome, the discussion became a platform for ongoing conversations around self-determination, reconciliation, First Nations rights, and the deep-rooted structural inequalities in Australia. For me, posters such as this one are a reminder that people are committed to keeping the conversation alive and the fire burning.

Madeline Poll (Torres Strait Islander / Australian South Sea Islander), Assistant Curator First Nations, Powerhouse

Blak Powerhouse is an annual event held on 26 January by Indigenous social enterprise We Are Warriors in collaboration with Powerhouse. The event reclaims the colonially-minded 'Australia Day' into a day which celebrates Blak histories and futures.