Deadly Vibe Issue 95 January 2005

Irresistibly nice

Many Australians were shocked last month to learn of the death of beloved Torres Strait Islander singer Rita Mills, who rose to fame as part of the singing trio The Mills Sisters.

The Mills Sisters – Rita, Cessa and Ina – formed in 1970 and performed traditional Island songs around the world.

Rita passed away after battling Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease.
Her niece Shirley McIlwraith says that her aunt helped to instil cultural pride among Indigenous Australians.

” She felt it important to revive the old songs and that way people were more comfortable and confident in keeping their culture alive through song and dance,” Shirley said.

One thing is for sure – Rita Mills, Naghir Island’s most-loved singer, will be missed by many.
It’s thought that the Mills Sisters did more to promote Torres Strait Islander culture than anyone else. In 1995, they were named Indigenous Musicians of the Year at the inaugural Deadly awards. Rita also won a prestigious Red Ochre Award that year for all the work she put into promoting the music and culture of her island home.

In 2001, Rita put out her final album, Mata Nice (which means ‘irresistibly nice’ in TSI language), even though she was already living with Alzheimer’s disease.

But Rita was never someone to dwell on her hardships. “This album was more difficult to put together than the others,” she said, in her typical understated way. “But I still had a lot of fun doing it. The songs are in my island language, but they’ve got modern sounds with them to appeal to a wider audience.”

Rita embarked on a solo career in 1995; by the following year, she was touring with her band, the Descendants. In 1998, they took the TI sound to Europe and the United States.

Mata Nice was Rita’s fifth recording, including the albums she cut with her sisters.
The sisters would often get together for a chin wag about their performing days. “When we started singing, no one knew were the Torres Strait Islands were!” Rita once said. “They thought we must be from PNG.”
Rita used to practise for up to four hours a day, learning new songs completely by ear. Then she would head down to the Grand Hotel and Federal Hotel on Thursday Island to perform, either with her sisters or solo, five nights a week. As such, her songbook contains some 300 tunes, as well as a couple of hundred traditional Island songs.

So how did she become a musician? Well, Rita started singing since she was a little girl. But she got guitar lessons from her brother when she was just seven. “I used to run messages for him – going to the beach or running to the store – just so I could have a go on his guitar!”

Over the years, Rita Mills met (and performed with) many people, from Col Joye to Engelbert Humperdinck, David Gulpilil to Mandawuy Yunupingu, Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter, Kev Carmody, Tiddas, Jimmy Little – and of course her niece, Christine Anu. But then again, what would you expect from someone who sat on General Douglas MacArthur’s knee as a child? (He visited the Torres Strait Islands right after the war.)

Rita recalled how it was a huge shock to see a picture of Eartha Kitt in the newspaper when Rita was a little girl, because up until then she’d thought that TSIs were the only black people on the planet. So to meet the slinky star in 1998 was a dream come true. “Eartha has been such an inspiration to me,” she says. “When I saw her picture in the paper, I knew then and there that I wanted to be a singer and travel to places I could only dream about!”

Those dreams came true many times over. Rita and her sisters performed all over the world, including at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, and at Spain’s WOMAD Festival in front of an audience of 70,000. She was also part of the Torres Strait Islander Cultural Group World Tour in 1998. The Mills Sisters also toured New Zealand as cultural ambassadors.

Rita trained as a nurse before having six children to her first husband, who died in 1980. She married her second husband, Brett Tyrell, in 1984. She also had many grandchildren, and helped raise many other TSI kids over the years. Many people on Thursday Island simply referred to her as “Mum”.

Deadly Vibe salutes Rita Mills – a remarkable woman and much-respected elder who will live on in the hearts and minds of many.

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If the Torres Strait Islands were a soundtrack, then the songwriter would undoubtedly be Rita Mills. Deadly Vibe pays tribute to a very special lady.

You can’t stop the musical legend that is Rita Mills. Although she will be 67 this year and toned down the touring schedule, nothing will be able to prevent Naghir Island’s most-loved singer from doing what she does best – making people smile, then get up and dance.

Rita is one of the famous Mills Sisters, who have arguably done more to promote Torres Strait Islander culture than anyone else. In 1995 they were named Indigenous Musicians of the Year at the inaugural Deadly Sounds National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Music Awards (aka ‘the Deadlys’). Rita also won a prestigious Red Ochre Award that year for all the work she has put into promoting the music and culture of her island home.

Rita’s latest album Mata Nice (which means ‘irresistibly nice’ in TSI language), is a tribute to her talent, dedication and love of melody. “This album was more difficult to put together than the others,” says Rita, who is now living with Alzheimer’s. “But I still had a lot of fun doing it. The songs are in my island language, but they’ve got modern sounds with them to appeal to a wider audience.”

You can say that again. Slap this CD on, close your eyes and you’ll be effortlessly transported to a place of blue seas, green land, brown skin and white smiles. Tracks like “Oh Magandi”, “Tamilar” and “What’s A Matter You Last Night” are favourite ‘party songs’ from the islands, while “Rose Nar” is a sad number Rita’s mother taught her when she was a little girl. “It’s a farewell song, maybe the kind you would sing at the wharf when the boats set sail.”

Mata Nice is Rita’s fifth recording, including those records she cut with her sisters, Ina and Cessa. And Rita still enjoys getting together with them whenever she can to sing and reminisce about their performing days. “When we started singing, no one knew were the Torres Strait Islands were!” she laughs. “They thought we must be from PNG.”

Back then, Rita would practise for up to four hours a day, learning new songs completely by ear. Then she would head on down to the Grand Hotel and Federal Hotel on Thursday Island to perform, either with her sisters or solo, five nights a week. As such, her songbook contains some 300 songs, as well as a couple of hundred traditional Island songs.

So how did she become a musician? Well, Rita says she’s been singing since she was a little girl. But she got guitar lessons from her brother when she was just seven. “I used to run messages for him – going to the beach or running to the store – just so I could have a go on his guitar!”

Rita originally wanted to be a country and western singer. “I didn’t think I’d be an island singer. But I just love to sing. I’ll act the fool and just get up and dance!” And wherever she’s toured, Rita has taken a little bit of that special island spirit with her. These days, there aren’t many who don’t know about the cultures of the Torres Strait, and we have people like Rita and her sisters to thank for that.

She’s met (and performed with) loads of people in her travels, from Col Joye to Engelbert Humperdinck, David Gulpilil to Mandawuy Yunupingu, Archie Roach and Ruby Hunter, Kev Carmody, Tiddas, Jimmy Little – and of course her niece, Christine Anu. But then again, what would you expect from someone who sat on General Douglas MacArthur’s knee as a child? (He visited the Torres Strait Islands right after the war.)

Rita remembers it was a huge shock to see a picture of Eartha Kitt in the newspaper when she (Rita) was a little girl, because up until then she’d thought that TSIs were the only black people on the planet. So to meet the slinky star in 1998 was a dream come true. “Eartha has been such an inspiration to me,” she says. “When I saw her picture in the paper, I knew then and there that I wanted to be a singer and travel to places I could only dream about!”

Those dreams have come true many times over. Rita and her sisters have performed all over the world, including at the Queen Elizabeth Hall in London, and at Spain’s WOMAD Festival in front of an audience of 70,000. She was also part of the Torres Strait Islander Cultural Group World Tour in 1998. And more recently, Rita and her sisters toured New Zealand as cultural ambassadors, courtesy of the Australian High Commission.

But she hasn’t spent her whole life touring. Rita trained as a nurse before having six children to her first husband, who sadly died in 1980. (She married her second husband, Brett, in 1984.) Then there are the 10 grandchildren she dotes over, not to mention all the TSI kids she helped to raise over the years. Not surprisingly, many people on Thursday Island simply refer to her as “Mum”.

Rita has always enjoyed making people happy with her music and her laughter. She has been a great influence and inspiration to many people all around the world and is a much-loved elder on the islands. It’s hardly surprising that she was nominated to be a torchbearer during last year’s Olympic torch relay. And at the 2001 Moomba Festival Garden Party in March, Rita and her band, the Descendants, got to share the stage with many member of her musical ‘family’, including Lou Bennett from Tiddas, Jimmy Little, Yothu Yindi and Kutcha Edwards.

Even though she is facing uncertainty due to illness, Rita remains a happy and positive woman who likes to take things one day at a time. And while she’s no longer touring, Rita is happy to perform around Cairns, which is where she now lives. From 22 to 24 June, you can catch Rita singing and strumming at the Laura Festival in far north Queensland. Come August, she will be part of the opening ceremony of the Goodwill Games in Brisbane.

But the most exciting gig on her 2001 calendar will no doubt be the Rita Mills Benefit Concert, to be held at Cairns Civic Centre on 20 October. Organised by her husband and manager, Brett Tyrell, the concert is a tribute to this remarkable woman and her music, and will feature Jimmy Little, Coloured Stone, David Hudson, Shane Howard, and local bands Bahloo and Capricorn. “I’ve even invited the Queen, who will be in Cairns that night!” says Brett. “So anything’s possible.”

To all the people who have enjoyed Rita’s music over the years, she would like to say, “Mina Big Esso”, which means: “Thank you from the bottom of my heart.” And we here at Deadly Vibe would like to thank Rita from the bottom of our hearts. She has brought us a lot of joy and pleasure over the years with her music. We hope you enjoy these photos illustrating some of the highlights of Rita’s life so far.

If you would like to be part of the Rita Mills Benefit Concert on 20 October 2001, please call Brett Tyrell on 07 4054 3116.