The 2010 Indigenous Music Competition received many thoughtful, creative and high quality entries from Indigenous Australians. The stories told in each song were heartfelt and dealt sensitively with the impact of cannabis on Indigenous communities in Australia.

The winner and two runner-ups of this year's competition can be found below. Lyrics are included and songs can be listened to on this website or downloaded to your computer or mp3 player. A CD of all the entries will be available to order free from our website in the near future.

The judging panel was comprised as follows:

• Communications Team - NCPIC
• Ms Paulette Whitton - Presenter/Producer, Blackchat, Koori Radio
• Mr Michael Hohnen - Artistic Director, Skinnyfish Music

Winner

Coedie McCarthy of Ocean Shores, NSW
'Yandi Zombies'

[audio src="indigenous-music-competition-2010/coedie-mccarthy_yandi-zombies.mp3" height="334" width="594" downloadlink="true"]

Verse 1

It’s not called weed for nothing and yes it’s nothing but a weed
If you love it so much then why don’t you go drop a knee
But not me oh not I, I won’t be that same guy
Who has a greed in his eyes and always needs to get high
Why ya think they call it dope not 'cause it’s making you smarter
Next time your tempted to toke on that crap marijuana
Do as I do and sit tight 'n write through the night
Just stay away from that life I am shining a light
I’m saying if play with fire the price is your life
I know there’s a lot of bad examples blocking your sight
But take it from me the one that’s up here rocking the mic
I’d rather be rapping with style than be stuck in a fight
No it’s not worth the damage it could leave so ravaged
Just drop the habit and leave behind all the luggage 'n baggage
Live a long life and leave behind the bong and the pipe
There’s nothing wrong with my mind so here’s a song to recite

Chorus

You don’t wanna be a yandi zombie
The ones that passing out at every party
It’s might be fun or even funny
But it won’t be when you’re hungry starving the yandi zombie x2

Verse 2

All the destruction that’s caused by this one little plant
It’s just disgraceful to see this behaviour first hand
An' I have I’ve seen the way that it can take someone’s soul
My dad has the addiction thats why he's still on the dole
And now look at me I’m 16 and I hardly see him at all
He doesn’t have a phone so I guess he’s not going to call
I wasn’t even old enough to tell him I wanted a father
I never asked him to quit and I’ll regret it ever after
It’s so hard when your idol just goes and disappears
Leaving nothing but memories and two eyes full of tears
Now it’s clear he still loves me too but I was unsure for years
All because of crooked culture grabbing my dad by the ear
I know I’m not alone in this awful epidemic
There’s kids just like me all over the planet
I’m doing all I can to stop it all I can to prevent it
If I could I would send a letter straight to the Senate

Chorus x2

Verse 3

Slow thinking 'n slow reflexes
Un-coordination and lost connections
Delusional people have hallucinations
Anxiety paranoia and tiny patients
Increased appetite and a touch of psychosis
Wait a minute do ya reckon ya might happen to notice
That sounds like zombie not just a person on yandi
That’s why I call them the icky yucky yandi zombies

Chorus x2

(There’s no need for weed) x4
This one here goes to all the mummas 'n papas
The aunties uncles and bubbas
The cousins sisters 'n brothers
The grandmothers and fathers
The ones who are living and loving
Bringing awareness to others
'Cause if I didn’t have them I wouldn’t be nothing but nothing x4

Runner Up

The Cully Kids of Cunnamulla, QLD
'Wanna-Bees'

[audio src="indigenous-music-competition-2010/the-cully-kids_wanna-bees.mp3" height="334" width="594" downloadlink="true"]

Verse 1

Smoking marijuana, doing what I wanna
Till I get locked up, cops is talking to my Mumma
Puffin' on the herb, ninginahs roll by
Now I’m sitting in detention with a tear in my eye

Verse 2

Why you getting high? Sitting around and stressing out
Threatening to kill yourself in your own house
Stressing for a session, suffering from depression
Hoping from this song that I teach you mob a lesson

Chorus

People smoke marijuana to be a wanna-be
They have a backyard full of yarndi trees
But you see I wanna be the deadliest I can be
That’s why I go to school to learn my ABCs
So freeze! Now rewind it back please
You need to live your life while you’re young and free
So please! You gotta listen to me
While I’m talking to my young black Aborigines

Verse 3

Just a fiend on the streets you’re out looking for drugs
But what’s the real issue? You’re looking for love
This is for my brothers and my sisters out there
We’re here to let you know that somebody cares

Verse 4

So all my Murris in the hood I got a message for you
Think about your family whatever you do
Look out for your sister, brother, uncles and aunties
And your mum and your dad, don’t worry about the yarndi

Chorus x1

Runner Up

Katrina Connelly & Elijah Connelly from the Kalka Community, SA
'Stay Alive'

[audio src="indigenous-music-competition-2010/katrina-connelly-and-elijah-connelly_stay-alive.mp3" height="334" width="594" downloadlink="true"]

Verse 1

People travelling on the road
Drinking too much grog
Some people messin' up their minds
Smoking Ukiri (marijuana)
Not thinking about the future passin' by
Not thinking about the future passin' by

Chorus

Be careful what you do to yourself
Be careful what you do to yourself
Walytja tjuta Kanyila – Kanyila
Think about your family yeah and stay alive

Verse 2

You can hear the people cryin'
Cryin' out so loud
You can hear the children cryin'
Cryin' all night long
Thinking about the trouble on the road
Thinking about the trouble on the road

Chorus x1

The National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC) Poster Competition gives secondary school students between the ages of 12 and 18 years the opportunity to showcase their creative talent and express their thoughts and ideas about cannabis. This year the competition will focus on cannabis and its impact upon young people and their educational achievements.

Most teenagers in Australia have not tried cannabis, however one in five teenagers have used the drug in the last 12 months, with males more likely to smoke than females.

Unfortunately some of those young people experience a range of problems after using the drug. They may feel sick, become paranoid and even worse, unlock pre-existing mental health problems like schizophrenia. They could also get into trouble with the law as cannabis is illegal right across Australia.

Students from secondary schools across Australia are invited to design a poster to increase young people’s understanding of how the use of cannabis may impact on their educational achievements. Research shows that adolescent cannabis use may lead to an increased risk of problems such as dropping out of school, low exams results, or lack of motivation, etc.

Click here to download an entry form

Conditions of entry

• The poster will need to convey a visual message about how the use of cannabis may impact upon young people and their educational achievements.
• The competition is open to secondary school students across Australia with the designer(s) currently attending a secondary institution and the entry being endorsed by the educational institution.
• All entries must be original and submitted in colour on A3 paper.
• Entries must include the National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC) logo. This can be downloaded below.
• All entries must be accompanied by an official entry form.
• Full terms and conditions are included in the PDF that can be downloaded on this page.

Prize money

There will be one national winner selected with prize money offered of $2,000 for the designer of the winning poster and $1,500 for the secondary school of the winning entrant.

Closing date

All entries must be received by 28 July 2010.

A submission will not be accepted unless the entrant has agreed to the terms and conditions.

Announcement of winner

The National winner will be notified by 5pm on Friday 1st October 2010. The name and state of the winner will be published in The Australian on Saturday 9 October 2010.

Logo:

Download NCPIC logo

The film can be in any style or genre (i.e. drama, comedy, documentary, science-fiction, etc.), but must creatively explore the issues associated with the use of cannabis and its impact upon educational achievement. Research shows that young people’s cannabis use may lead to an increased risk of problems such as dropping out of school or university, low exam results, etc.

Although most Australian teenagers have not tried cannabis, one in five teenagers have used the drug in the last 12 months, with males more likely to smoke than females. Cannabis use is more likely to occur in their 20s and some people become regular users.

Unfortunately some of those young people experience a range of problems after using the drug. They may feel sick, become paranoid and even worse, unlock pre-existing mental health problems like schizophrenia. They could also get into trouble with the law, as cannabis is illegal right across Australia.

The National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC) was established in 2008 to provide information about cannabis to the Australian community and also assist people who may have problems with the drug.

Click here to download an entry form

Conditions of entry:

• The short film may be shot on any format and be between 30 seconds and five minutes in length, including titles and credits.
• The film will need to convey a message about how the use of cannabis may impact upon young people and their educational achievements.
• The film must be in English or have English subtitles.
• The competition is open to 16-25 year olds across Australia.
• Two DVD copies of the entry must be received by the due date (do not send your master copy).
• Entries must include the National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC) logo. This is available below.
• Entries received after the closing date will not be accepted.
• All entries must be accompanied by an official entry form.
• Full terms and conditions are included in the PDF that can be downloaded from this page.

Prize money

There will be one national winner selected with prize money offered of $5,000 for the winning entry. There will be two runner-up prizes of $2,000 each.

Closing date:

All entries must be received by 20 October 2010 and be accompanied by an entry form.

A submission will not be accepted unless the entrant has agreed to the terms and conditions.

Announcement of winner:

The national winner and runner ups will be notified on Friday 3 December 2010 by 5pm and their names will appear in the Public Notices section of the Weekend Australian on Saturday 11th December 2010.

Logo:

Download NCPIC logo

The judging panel was comprised as follows:

• Prof Jan Copeland, Director, NCPIC
• Ms Karen Vickery, Head of Performance Practices, National Institute of Dramatic Art
• Mr Andrew Mercardo, Film critic for Mornings with Kerri-Anne

The winner

In less time than you think

Rachel Gleeson, Carolina Iregui & Mauricio Iregui

The runners-up

Gap year

Thomas McKeith

Grown

Tavis Urquhart

The finalists

Passenger seat

Luke Ledger

Life. Love. Lost

Lucy Skadins

The criteria that the posters were judged on included creativity, design, originality, and effectiveness in conveying a message on the topic. Congratulations to our winner, Elise Yeaman of Huonville High School, Tasmania, whose poster ‘Cannabis affects friendships’ really stood out and conveyed a powerful and effective message about the impact of cannabis on relationships.

Congratulations also to the runner ups. The entrants’ explanations of their posters are also included below.

To order your free copy of this year’s winning poster, please click here.

The winner

Cannabis affects friendships
Elise Yeaman, Huonville High School, Tasmania

"In my poster there are two people sitting on a couch, one is a cannabis user. The other person is his best friend. Basically my poster shows how cannabis can change and isolate people. Also on my poster there are images of cannabis leaves and a lot of spray paint to catch people’s eye. I have also included some text explaining the strain cannabis puts on people’s friendships and relationships."

The finalists

Cannabis – wiping out relationships
Ben Phelps, Huonville High School, Tasmania

“My poster is showing that relationships can be destroyed by cannabis. The person on the right uses cannabis and he is depressed and doesn’t want to be with anyone, even though they’re all happy. The words at the bottom of the page represent cannabis wiping out all the things that are important to people. I created my poster on a chalkboard, to emphasise the idea of cannabis destroying or wiping out certain feelings.”

Where could you be?
Sheridan Van Aken, Wodonga Senior Secondary College, Victoria

“The scenario’s pretty simple. There’s this guy, on drugs. He’s in a bit of a mess. Meanwhile, there’s this gorgeous woman waiting for him, to meet him for their date. But this guy’s so tangled up, he’s completely forgotten about her. The cannabis is all that’s on his mind. There are a couple of suitable symbols in the poster; the spiral on his shirt, symbolising the chaos his life is in; the good luck charm on the lamppost; and of course, the faint cannabis leaf in the full moon. The clock can indicate the ticking of his life, as well as how late he is for his date; and of course, the fact that he is faded into the background: he’s not truly living. His life is, well, dark. Drugs are messing with his sense of time, his priorities, and his relationships. How could he possibly forget about the beautiful woman waiting for him?”

A colourless life?
Amelia Evans, Port Hacking High School, New South Wales

“Life is an experience to be enjoyed. Friends are there for us. Relationships enrich and add meaning to our lives. When we allow our true personalities to show through, our lives are bright and colourful. When we hide behind drugs we live a false life. A life that is lonely, withdrawn, isolated and friendless. It is a life without colour.”

Play your cards right
Michael Dos Santos, Emmanuel Catholic College, Western Australia

“My poster shows a hand in first person showing four cards, on the cards are the people who he cares most about. The title is “Play your cards right”, because he is going to choose which person he wants to hurt. The sub title is “cannabis affects more than your health”, this title means cannabis affects your relationships with the ones you care most about. I also showed a stoner because it is better than representing cannabis with a leaf.”

The winner

It’s not funny
Joshua Turner, Metro South TAFE, QLD

The runners-up

OJ breaks free
Paul Talbot, Alexis Grimm, Deanna Cubby, Boggabilla Central School, NSW

Boggabilla Central School is located in remote North-West NSW and has an enrolment of 180 students. 100% of these students are Indigenous Australians.

Untitled
Jerome Jouneau

The finalists

Notice
Aleksandar Trofin

Don’t get lost
Tristan Guillaume

A day in the life
James Dressen, Selby Press

The winner

Marionette
Amanda Olsson, Blackburn High School, VIC

“I wanted to show how cannabis makes you lose control over yourself, like a puppet being manipulated. Her blank face represents how she has hidden away from those around her, not showing her true state. I used a fairly simple design, because I thought it needed to convey the message without distractions. The cannabis leaf is made to represent a puppeteer’s “cross” that controls her actions.”

The finalists

Don’t dice with your life
Tia Dolan, St Ives High School, NSW

“My entry is to make people aware of the effects of smoking cannabis. For the people who are using it or maybe thinking about it, the poster is set out as the well known game “snakes and ladders”, either climb the ladder for help, or slide down the snake to either prison, effects or impaired judgement. The ladder leads to help, help from NCPIC.”

Not thinking - sinking!
Katie Johnston, Mundaring Christian College, WA

“I made sure that my poster was eye-catching with contrast. It is not supposed to be literal but it just means that your life will go downhill... I also liked the ad how this drunk guy falls into the ocean and tries to swim to the surface but he drowns. It turns out that he was swimming down not up. It really got the message through and I hope to do the same.”

My cannabis poster
Sophie Kazda, St Ives High School, NSW

“My entry shows a girl, called Lily, who is worried about her older brother because he’s addicted to cannabis. So she looks up the helpline on the internet, gives her brother the number and phone and after a few weeks everything is fine.”

Smoking cannabis can affect sex life
Rebecca Kenworthy, St Peters Lutheran College, QLD

“Because of the attitude of...teenage males (in particular the stereotype that use cannabis), I decided it would be hard to portray a message that this group would take seriously. After extensive research I discovered that smoking cannabis can affect a male’s ability to perform sexually/their sexual drive... Being able to perform well sexually is very important for a male, therefore I decided this would be the most appropriate message to portray through my poster as it would be realistic for teenage males. My poster portrays the image of the top friends on Myspace of males. I chose Myspace because I know teenagers of this generation.”

The National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC) Short Film Competition gives young people aged between the ages of 16 and 25 years the opportunity to showcase their creative talent and express their thoughts and ideas about cannabis and its impacts upon young people.

The film can be in any style or genre (i.e. drama, comedy, documentary, science-fiction, etc), but must creatively explore the issues associated with the use of cannabis and the importance of seeking help if someone is experiencing problems with the drug.

Although most Australian teenagers have not tried cannabis, one in five teenagers have used the drug in the last 12 months, with males more likely to smoke than females. Cannabis use is more likely to occur in their 20s and some people become regular users.

Unfortunately some of those young people experience a range of problems after using the drug. They may feel sick, become paranoid and even worse, unlock pre-existing mental health problems like schizophrenia. They could also get into trouble with the law, as cannabis is illegal right across Australia.

The National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC) has recently been established to provide information about cannabis to the Australian community and also assist people who may have problems with the drug.

Download an entry form for the short film competition

Conditions of entry:

• The short film may be shot on any format and be between 30 seconds and five minutes in length, including titles and credits.
• The film will need to convey a message about cannabis and the importance of seeking help if someone is experiencing problems with the drug.
• The film must be in English or have English subtitles.
• The competition is open to 16-25 year olds across Australia.
• Two DVD copies of the entry must be received by the due date (do not send your master copy).
• Entries must include the National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC) logo. This is available below.
• Entries received after the closing date will not be accepted.
• All entries must be accompanied by an official entry form.
• Full terms and conditions are included in the PDF that can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

Prize money

There will be one national winner selected with prize money offered of $5,000 for the winning entry. There will be two runner-up prizes of $2,000 each.

Closing date:

All entries must be received by 20 October 2008 and be accompanied by an entry form.

A submission will not be accepted unless the entrant has agreed to the terms and conditions.

Announcement of winner:

The national winner was announced on 28 November, 2008.

Logo:

Download NCPIC logo

Most teenagers in Australia have not tried cannabis, however one in five teenagers have used the drug in the last 12 months, with males more likely to smoke than females.

Unfortunately some of those young people experience a range of problems after using the drug. They may feel sick, become paranoid and even worse, unlock pre-existing mental health problems like schizophrenia. They could also get into trouble with the law as cannabis is illegal right across Australia.

Students from secondary schools across Australia are invited to design a poster designed to increase young peoples' understanding of the harms associated with cannabis and the importance of seeking help if someone they know is experiencing problems with the drug.

Download an entry form for the poster competition

Conditions of entry

• The poster will need to convey a visual message about cannabis and the importance of seeking help if you or a friend are having problems with the drug.
• Competition is open to secondary school students across Australia with the designer(s) currently attending a secondary institution and the entry being endorsed by the educational institution.
• All entries must be original and submitted in colour on A3 paper.
• Entries must include the National Cannabis Prevention and Information Centre (NCPIC) logo. This is available at the NCPIC website.
• All entries must be accompanied by an official entry form.
• Full terms and conditions are included in the PDF that can be downloaded at the bottom of this page.

Prize money

There will be one national winner selected with prize money offered of $2,000 for the designer of the winning poster and $1,500 for the secondary school of the winning entrant.

Closing date

All entries must be received by 28 July 2008. A submission will not be accepted unless the entrant has agreed to the terms and conditions.

Announcement of winner

The national winner will be announced on 30 September, 2008.