Anniversary of Christine Anu’s My Island Home Olympic Performance
Anniversary tracker
1 October 2000
A performance at Sydney 2000
On 1 October 2000, Christine Anu performed My Island Home during the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympic Games. The Powerhouse collection records the performance and the costume worn for it, as well as the ceremony’s date.
This anniversary recognises a particular performance by a Torres Strait Islander artist. It is separate from the song’s original release and from the Olympic opening ceremony.
A song with its own history
Anu’s interpretation became strongly associated with the Sydney closing ceremony, but the song has a longer history. Neil Murray wrote My Island Home, which was first recorded by the Warumpi Band before Anu’s version. Credit the songwriter and distinguish the recordings when discussing the performance.
Anu’s Torres Strait Islander identity should be recognised specifically. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and histories are distinct, and a broad label for First Nations performance should not erase that distinction.
The Olympic setting brought together music, staging, dance and costume. The Powerhouse record identifies Jennifer Irwin as the costume designer and the Ceremonies Costume Workshop as its maker, showing how a major performance draws on many forms of creative work.
Reflecting and learning
How can a familiar song carry different meanings in different performances? Compare authorised versions and discuss the singer’s interpretation, the setting and the audience without assuming they are all the same cultural statement.
The costume record is evidence of a particular event, not simply an illustration. Ask what museums preserve about performance through clothing, recordings, photographs and production documentation.
A learning activity can recognise the scale of the Olympic platform while keeping the artist, songwriter and contributing performers visible. This date uses the Sydney local date of the ceremony.
We do not currently offer products or learning resources specifically for this date. The reading links above are provided for background and further learning. Suitable items from our range will be added here as they become available.
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