ABOUT NISA

Based on the Encounter Coast, 100kms south of Adelaide in South Australia, Morning Grass is Khairunnisa Schebella, better known as Nisa.

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Of Prussian descent, Nisa's maternal ancestors traveled to the new colony on the Zebra in 1839 and settled in Hahndorf, South Australia.

 

Nisa also has strong connections into South East Asia and Europe particularly France, speaks 3 languages and understands cultural diversity through her Islamic and multicultural backgrounds and many years of working with First Nation peoples.

 

Growing up in Adelaide, with an arts foundation in dance, Nisa flew the coop to Sydney and into the photographic and film industry, then began her overseas travels in the early 80s settling in Malaysia for almost a decade. There she studied Theology and worked in the Diplomatic core and building industry.

 

On her return to Australia Nisa immersed herself in the creative community arts sector and worked in Aboriginal Reconciliation, World Music and Dance and Community Radio, producing and managing three International Tours and an award winning World Music Compilation CD, Global Rhythms. She also founded the Dreamweaver Dance Company with Yorta Yorta dancer Sherry Yhi Yangarra and sang with the Dya Singh World Music group.

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The new millennia took her on a new ride, into the world of cycling. Working as an educator, writer, photographer and broadcaster covering professional road and track racing around the world. Using her creativity again Nisa created numerous 'spArts' projects bringing the two worlds of sport and art together, winning numerous awards for her projects and opening the first women's focused Cycling Boutique, Evelo - The Art of Cycling, in Australia in 2009.

 

She also penned the tribute song 'Wings to Ride' with Carl Pink in memory of Olympic rower and cyclist Amy Gillett after her tragic death in Germany. Nisa had the great privilege to sing 'Wings' at a 2000 World Championships gala event in Melbourne with Italian singer/pianist Chiara Passerini (former wife of Cadel Evans).

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"That night was a career highlight for me, just 2 days before my fiftieth birthday, and totally surreal. The room was full of the whose who of world cycling including Amy's parents Mary and Dennis. As I stood in the wings awaiting my cue I watched the slideshow projecting along the walls and there was a photo of Amy's memorial site in Thuringen, Germany where she died. On it were the words.. may the wind be on your back and sun on your face, which were also the lyric of the bridge! I had never seen this and the hair on my arms stood up as I was led through the dark to my position. It was magic and we sung up a storm. This is the power of emotion and art.'

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Nisa managed Adelaide icons Gumbo Ya Ya for a stint of 5 years and, along with many former and present band members and management, recently attended their 30 year anniversary gig. Other artists in her portfolio over the years have been Sherry Yhi Yangarra and The Fallen Saints.

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On relocating to the southern Fleurieu region in 2010 Nisa returned to the ocean and her teenage love of surfing and took on management duties with reggae band Littlefish.

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Collaborating with local photographer Alice Bell she opened the Surreal SurfArt Gallery in Port Elliot; moved on to found the inaugural Saltwater Surf Festival, curated the Saltwater Film Festival and produced the Home Brew CD project for the Just Add Water program. She also produced, and collaborated on, numerous digital projection events working and training with Illuminart, produces the Victor Harbor Artisan Market for the City of Victor and works as a curator and exhibition installer for the Coral Street Art Space in Victor Harbor.  She also contributes to Radio Adelaide's new Festival City program as the 'Encounter Arts' reporter.

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In 2019 Nisa worked closely with Uncle Major 'Moogy' Sumner AM and the Tal-Kin-Jeri dance group event managing the Dupang Cultural Camping Festival and the Ringbalin - Healing the River Tour, finishing a fabulous 2019 on a high as curator of the Surf Art Exhibition at Onkaparings Arts, 'Paddle Out'.

 

2020 saw her exhibition My Summer Holiday in Victor begin the Coral Street Art Space program in a collaboration with the National Trust.

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Nisa's passion for the ocean and the planet is what drives her and nurtures her creativity. As a Coastal Ambassador she Chairs the Encounter Coast Surfing Reserve Steering Committee and is a keen whale spotter, ocean swimmer and long board surfer.

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The name Morning Grass comes from a special musical collaboration with the late Ugandan National treasure, singer/songwriter Geoffrey Oryema which came to pass in 1995. “We met at Womadelaide 1995 and struck up a friendship due to our mutual strong human rights values. This friendship led to us writing the song At My Window together for 1996 album Night to Night”.

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“Geoffrey also penned the song On This Night to me and whilst in the studio in Brussels I sang some phantom vocals onto the demo track in the absence of the unwritten lyric of the bridge. When the finished CD arrived in the post (it was the 90s) the following year, my voice had been replaced with these lyrics. ‘and I’d like to fly.. to your land... land on the trees... and drink the morning grass with you.’ Voila! the name of my new creative venture was born”.

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“Now, more than 20 years later sadly Geoffrey has very recently passed from bone cancer. A massive influence and inspiration Geoffrey’s impact on my life and arts practice has never ceased.”

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His voice, poetry, words and music will live on in my ears and heart and in the title Morning Grass.