a mix of kulama and hip hop, old language and english, voices of the ancestors, grandmothers and kids.. a song for today drawing strength from the past.
Ngariwanajirii The Strong Kids Song project
Karri alalinguwi wurrukurunyuwi wurrima. Wuta awungarri wurumungurumi nginingawula. Awarra pupuni ngirramini. Awarra wurraningurimagi.
When they grow into young women and young men they will understand about our culture. This important culture. Wherever they go it will be with them.
The Strong Women from the Tiwi Islands enjoy a collective sense of identity through knowledge of songs that keeps them strong and proud. As senior women in their community they have become increasingly concerned that young Tiwi people are straddling two cultures and losing connection with their Tiwi heritage. This has led to a renewed determination to preserve the knowledge of the ancestors and connect the younger generation with their elders. The Strong Women believe song is the way to teach messages of empowerment , pride, identity and social responsibility while inspiring a reconnection with culture and language.
The Strong Kids Song project is the result. Over the past year the women's groups in Wurrumiyanga, Milikapiti and Pirlangimpi, on the Tiwi islands have got together with young people to listen to old songs, talk about solving problems and share stories. Together the women and their grandchildren have composed lyrics with a positive message for life as well as concepts of ancestry and connection to country. English lyrics have been translated back into Tiwi song language and old Tiwi country melodies have been arranged into new musical styles. The CD comprises 9 tracks and includes four different versions of the lyrics that were created by the group; traditional singing of the performed by elder women, an arrangement by the women's group, a version sung by the kids at Pularumpi primary school and an extended dance mix. The other tracks are community songs chosen by the group.
To watch the Strong Kids song clip click below.
WARNING. A SENIOR SONG WOMAN WHO HAS RECENTLY PASSED AWAY SINGS THE INTRODUCTION TO THIS SONG.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QbntcUO_GE
Karri ngumpuriyi kapi ngawa murrakupuni
Ngini wutawa walima api ngawa kuwayi ngumpurumi
When we enter our country we can feel their spirit calling us
Kapi ngawa ampi ngini yinukuni ngarimuwu
najingawula Tiwi ngawayati ponki ngarrimi
Make proper law to live well for a long time
To share, to keep our peace and remember
Ngariwanajirri ngawurra ninguru magi awarra ngini
ngawa ampi ngamaninguwi putuwurumpura
ngajirti awa jawaya mulujupa
Tiwi ngirramini ngini ngawa ngampangiraga
Ngariwanajirri working together to listen and helping one another.
Hang on to old stories from our ancestors that they left behind
Let us not lose our culture and the language we speak
Ngawatu kapinganki kakarrijuwi ngawurraningirrumarri nginingawula ngirramini
We young people get together.
Ngawurra ngungurrumagi ngini ngawa ampi ngirramini putuwurrumpurra
We remember our ancestors’ stories
Ngawa ngawutimarti kakarrijuwi ngini pupuwi pumatama
We want our children to be strong and healthy – to follow the right path.
Ngawurra ngingurrumangi amintiya kukunari ngawurami
We support one another and are happy and to be a strong people.
Pilingawa yati ngaparinga ngingingawula pupuni ngirramini
We are the Tiwi that speak our Tiwi language
practising!
recording
CD Launch, NT Parliament House, Darwin.
CD Launch Pirlangimpi
This project is supported by the Australian Government through the Communities for Children Program of the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs and the Indigenous Cultural Support Program.