One of the South’s manu tīoriori is taking her songs to what seems a natural home next week.
Jenny Mitchell will play the final night of her The Bush & the Birds Tour at Orokonui Ecosanctuary, accompanied by a full band.
The tour takes its name from a bonus track on her recent album, Tug of War, which tells the story of her grandfather’s connection to the environment.
Once the album was out in the world, Mitchell says she continued to think about the song and liked the idea of building the supporting tour around the concept of loving the land, honouring the memory of her grandfather.
"And honouring our family and their connection to nature and the land, because pretty much all the Mitchells work with the land in some way," she says.
It also provided an opportunity to give back, something Mitchell has always been looking to do, and partner with an organisation she cared about.
It was a slightly intimidating prospect.
"Because you see people on TV, or whatever, who give a million dollars to such and such charity, and obviously I am not in a position to do that. So, I just decided I can’t do that but I can give some of what we create out on the road."
So, Mitchell approached environmental organisation Forest & Bird, to see if they were interested in being involved — and they were.
The tour began with an online campaign, in which a group of businesses pledged matching dollar for dollar contributions, providing a $1200 kick-start to proceedings.
Across the tour, 10% of profits will go to Forest & Bird.
"It is a whole new chapter for me in terms of telling that story, telling the conservation story and all the amazing work that Forest & Bird do," Mitchell says.
"There have definitely been some new audience members because of that, which has been really exciting.
"I come at it from a somewhat unique perspective in that I am really passionate about conservation and I know how important the work is, but I also come from a farming background. So, I have been quite open about that in the shows, about the fact that I don’t think those two things have to be enemies and I have grown up with people like my dad and his dad ... who are farmers but care so much about their land and animals and the environment.
"It has been a real interesting ride so far."
Mitchell says she shared that perspective with Forest & Bird at the outset.
In turn, the organisation said they were no strangers to working with the rural community, including the likes of Federated Farmers.
"They don’t agree on everything obviously, but they definitely do see a future where they can work together more closely."
It’s a topic that can stir strong emotions, the environment, forests and birds, Mitchell says, having become something of a fracture line between urban and rural.
The sensitivity around the topic can be palpable when she talks about it at gigs, Mitchell says, the audience shifting in their seats.
However, the farming she has seen is nothing but caring, she says, and she’s proud to be part of the conversation.
"I talk about who Granddad Bruce was and he grew up farming and that was his world and it was also my world.
"I talk about how I hope those things can be more hand in hand in the future, I guess."
The object was certainly not to deliver a sermon or claim she had the answers, just to have the conversation and there had been some interesting conversations after the shows as a result.
The Orokonui show features an impressive line-up of supporting musicians, Dunedin bass legend John Dodd is teamed with in-demand drummer Joe McCallum in the rhythm section, Vanessa Small, a close friend of Mitchell’s, brings the fiddle and Mitchell’s younger sisters Nicola and Maegan, The Mitchell Sisters, contributing backing vocals and uke.
The gig
- Jenny Mitchell plays Orokonui Ecosanctuary with The Mitchell Twins on Friday, July 28.
