LOVE SONGS FROM NORTHWESTERN ARNHEM LAND

"Winner of the NT Traditional Music Award and Best CD/DVD Artwork & Design at the NT Music Festival 2005, Darwin."

Jurtbirrk (love songs) is a song genre composed in the Iwaidja language and performed mainly on Croker Island and the Cobourg Peninsula in northwestern Arnhem Land. As far as we know, this is the first time that Jurtbirrk songs have been recorded and published. The CD contains 40 recordings and comes with a 48-page booklet.

Iwaidja is a highly endangered language spoken mainly at Minjilang on Croker Island. Jurtbirrk songs are performed informally for entertainment and may include dancing. One or two men sing the songs, accompanying themselves on arrilil (clapsticks), while another man plays ardawirr (didjeridu).

The songs are inspired by actual events, usually concerning love affairs or personal relationships. No mention is made of the names of the people involved and their gender might not be defined. Full understanding of the lyrics is heavily dependent on contextual knowledge. Only the composer, those who witnessed the events portrayed in the songs, and people who have been told the story, will know exactly who the songs are about.

The booklet gives an insight into the historical and social background of the Jurtbirrk makers and their songs. It contains biographies of the composers and performers, a musical and linguistic analysis of the songs, a full transcription of the Iwaidja lyrics, and musical transcriptions of the melodies.

All profit from sales of this Music CD will go to the Iwaidja language team for recording and publishing their endangered cultural knowledge. Your support will help maintain the linguistic and cultural diversity of northwestern Arnhem Land.

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