Creative collaborations in the contact zone

This introductory essay draws on theoretical work about the contact zone to reflect on the nature of music collaborations between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians. From the time of first settlement, ceremony has been central to cross-cultural contact and continues to be so In contemporary Australia. In ceremony, all forms of expression Including music, sound, movement, dance, body and ground designs come together In a particular place. "Creative collaborations" therefore borrow from this synchronicity where any one element can evoke the whole. The understanding of music in this essay, from its derivation as an integral element of ceremony, is expanded to encompass sounding the landscape more broadly. The topic is explored through a mixture of theoretical investigation, personal experience and research collaborations.