Suns of Mercury

03/08/2026

Drama at the State Library of Victoria! Catch our performance of Oshun on the evening of August 12th.
Featuring dance, drums, and drama, the performance is part of Salon After D'Arc: The Power of Cultural Memory.

Get your tickets here:
https://www.slv.vic.gov.au/whats-on/salon-after-darc-power-cultural-memory

Adrian Hearn
Amarantha Robinson
Rodrigo Calderón
Afrekete Australia
Melbourne Social Equity Institute
Faculty of Arts at the University of Melbourne

05/07/2026

All work and no play? Not in Rio!

Thanks to my drum teacher André Cristiano for preparing me, and to Vitamina, Kayiki, my cousin Annette, and Uncle Douglas for showing me a good time.

Adrian Hearn
Afrekete Australia

28/06/2026

Three years of growing, and our medicinal plant farm in Rio’s Northern zone continues to flourish. I’ve been fortunate to stay in the vibrant community of Manguinhos and collaborate with the Hortas Cariocas “ancestral plants” initiative.
I thank the Australian Embassy’s Direct Aid Program for funding the project, from water tanks and plants to grass cutters and pumps. My part in the project now officially wraps up, but I’m excited to see where the community takes it.
As the saying goes, “show de bola!” See what plants we’re growing (and why) here: www.sunsofmercury.com/rio

13/06/2026

I'm delighted that the Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute (JRAI) has just published my article. It considers the competition between Cuban community farms and fast food, especially in the tourism sector. As the title suggests, it finds that intermediaries step in to resolve tensions by "temporalising" the idea of food sovereignty.

Adrian Hearn
Afrekete Australia
Faculty of Arts at the University of Melbourne
Melbourne Social Equity Institute

06/06/2026

Bring the storm! It was my honour to accompany this dance for Oyá, embodied by the incansable Mariesly Paradelo. Another uplifting Afrekete Festival on Magnetic Island.

Adrian Hearn
Afrekete Australia
Faculty of Arts at the University of Melbourne
Melbourne Social Equity Institute

17/05/2026

A big thank you to the Melbourne Children’s Hospital and the Starlight Express Room for hosting our “Talking Drums” incursion. Nothing gets kids moving like rhythm!

Adrian Hearn
Afrekete Australia
Faculty of Arts at the University of Melbourne
Melbourne Social Equity Institute

27/04/2026

Thanks to SBS World News for asking my thoughts on Cuba, especially Tys Occhiuzzi for expertly presenting the story. The take-away: “What we’ve seen this year, in Trump 2.0, is an even closer tightening of the screws.”
See the story here: https://youtu.be/ip88ga171TE?si=Qm8YMivm0G36mObR&t=544

Adrian Hearn
Afrekete Australia
Faculty of Arts at the University of Melbourne
Melbourne Social Equity Institute

19/04/2026

I'm honoured to present this webinar for the Carnegie Network on my work with communities in Havana, Rio, and Melbourne. I'll draw stories from my book "Food System Intermediaries" to explore how universities can co-create partnerships that bridge peoples and traditions. Thanks to MIT Press and Engagement Australia for hosting the event. Register here: https://events.humanitix.com/roots-recipes-and-reciprocity

The MIT Press
Adrian Hearn
Afrekete Australia
Faculty of Arts at the University of Melbourne
Melbourne Social Equity Institute

Beyond aid projects: a three-phase model of reciprocal community engagement spanning Melbourne, Havana, and Rio de Janeiro.

31/03/2026

Thanks 7 News for inviting my opinion on Cuba. The take-away: Cuba wants to integrate into global markets, and if the US wants Cuba to open its economy faster, then “it would make sense for the US and its allies to support the reforms that are already underway in Cuba.”
View here: https://www.facebook.com/reel/3618397448333664

Adrian Hearn
7NEWS Australia
Afrekete Australia
Melbourne Social Equity Institute
Faculty of Arts at the University of Melbourne

25/03/2026

I'm thrilled to drum alongside the West African goddess Oshun on her quest through forests, rivers, and the High Council of Orishas. Oshun is sensuously portrayed by Amarantha Robinson, directed by Rodrigo Calderón, and stage managed by Noemie Huttner-Koros.

The regional season hits Bendigo (on 10-12 April) and Wyndham (on 17-19 April) - for tickets see the below links:
https://www.bendigoregion.com.au/arts-culture-theatres/event/oshun -venue
https://tickets.wyndham.vic.gov.au/Events/Oshun

Adrian Hearn
Afrekete Australia
Melbourne Social Equity Institute
Faculty of Arts at the University of Melbourne