It’s no secret that January 26 is a polarising date.
For First Nations communities in particular, it’s never been a cause for celebration.
“I usually dread this day,” admits Nooky, real name Corey Webster — an outspoken rapper, cultural leader and host of triple j’s Blak Out.
“Around that November/December mark, it gets thrown in your face and it’s always been something where you don’t really like being out in public, dealing with it.”
Why then is this proud Yuin and Thunghutti man looking forward to January 26 this year?
Because it marks the return of Blak Powerhouse — his music and cultural event celebrating Blak excellence.
Last year’s inaugural event at the titular Powerhouse museum in Sydney’s CBD saw 3,000 people taking in Indigenous art, film, photography, talks, dance and live music from the likes of Barkaa, Kobie Dee and Kanada The Loop.
For Webster, it was an emotional experience, reclaiming what was historically a day of sorrow, and turning it into a powerful celebration of positivity.
“That was the first time in my whole life I was happy on January 26,” he says.
“I know all the people who were there could say the same thing. It became apparent that it was important to do. I think we added some healing to the hurt that day.
“For me, there’s always discussions of abolishing the date, changing the date. And for me, in that moment, we changed the date. Not by moving it but changing what it meant and how you feel on that day. That’s exactly what it did for me.”
Blak Powerhouse also commemorates the third anniversary of We Are Warriors, the social collective Nooky founded on January 26 in 2022, with headquarters based down the road from Powerhouse.
“January 26 holds a lot of weight, and it is a polarising day,” he explains. “We wanted to bring some new life into that day. Create an alternative space that’s centred for the mob around Blak excellence and success. But also, be inclusive and open it up for non-mob and allies.”
Following the success of last year, Blak Powerhouse returns to the venue today, and the second edition boasts to be “bigger, bolder, Blaker”.
Blak power and joy
In addition to exhibitions, workshops and traditional dance, there’ll be market stalls from Blak businesses and a “Nooky A.I. experience”, where attendees will be able to craft messages using Webster’s voice.
There’ll also be a preview screening of a new We Are Warriors film — a spiritual sequel to Through The Fire, the documentary that scooped a coveted Bronze Lion at the Cannes Film Festival.
“We’ve been calling it Through The Fire: Chapter Two for the time being,” Nooky says.
“It’s centered around Blak power and Blak joy; a bit of a reflection piece on the year that we’ve had as blackfullas.”
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The new film features Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung artist and surfer Otis Carey, actor and presenter Miah Madden, as well as musicians JK-47 and Becca Hatch, who are both performing at Blak Powerhouse.
“Revision For Regrowth, that album JK just put out? One of the best I’ve ever heard, not just in Australia,” Nooky gushes of JK-47’s second album — the follow-up to his debut and 2021 NIMAs Album of the Year, Made For This.
“It’s one of the best things I’ve ever heard, so I’m super-excited to see that live.”
He’s also thrilled to throw the spotlight on RONA, Maanyung, Mi-kaisha, and Unearthed Artist of the Year Miss Kaninna.
“Been a fan since her debut [single ‘Blak Britney‘]. We had her on our Blak Out stage up at [industry conference] BIGSOUND. Seeing what she could do live? I was like, ‘gotta invite Sis to this Blak Powerhouse!'”
He also revealed that special guests include Ziggy Ramo — performing new single ‘Banamba’, which captures the emotive potency of his Paul Kelly rework ‘Little Things’ — and rapper Kobie Dee, doubling down from last year’s appearance and showcasing new single ‘Statistic‘.
Nooky will also take to the stage as part of 3%: the supergroup he recently launched alongside Dallas Woods and Angus Field that’s already turning heads and ears.
Their debut single, ‘Our People’, sampled The Presets’ classic did-you-know-it’s-actually-a-protest-song ‘My People’ and paired it with a J Award nominated music video.
Their first live performance — as part of Sydney SXSW — caused a stir thanks to Chance The Rapper showing up and fanning out over 11-year-old Noongar Wongi rapper Inkabee.
“It’ll be hard to top that first experience at the Gladstone,” Nooky admits. “But I think if there was a place to do it, it’ll be Blak Powerhouse.”
In the wake of the Voice
This year’s event holds special significance, coming in the wake of the Indigenous Voice to Parliament referendum being defeated.
“We’re still feeling the effects of that,” mourns Webster. “You go on social media and you can see it — the division, the hurt, the racism.
“I felt worthless after that. I felt like my family didn’t mean anything. I felt like I didn’t matter in my own country, my own land. It wasn’t a good feeling.”
His response to Australia voting ‘No’ on October 14? Curating the Calling Country display as part of the New Year’s Eve fireworks.
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Nooky described it as “a message to my people — up on the Sydney Harbour Bridge, as big as you can see it on the world stage — to remind them they are loved, they are heard and they are seen.”
That same reminder will extend into Blak Powerhouse, with elements from Calling Country projected around the building along with a behind-the-scenes documentary on the NYE celebration.
“Going forward, I feel like I need to push everything further, fight harder and elevate things to bigger than ever before. Blak Powerhouse is a part of that,” Nooky says.
“It’s why we put our logo printed up on top of the [Powerhouse] façade. You can see it from Haymarket! It’s a beacon of hope, like the Bat Signal!
“It’s an important reminder to my people that we do matter, to have a space where we can go and be around each other, celebrate our survival and our greatness.”
The ‘No’ result doesn’t change Nooky’s ongoing mission — if the message is negative, he believes his people will come back twice as hard, twice as positive.
After all, fighting is what a warrior does.
“Something I’m very much focused on is … bringing positivity, speaking light into the darkness and uplifting my people. That’s what it’s all about, what it was always about, even more so now.”
Blak Powerhouse takes over Powerhouse Ultimo on January 26. More info here.