I missed doing my Sounds post on the weekend, where I share the music I've been listening to, and thought to myself - meh, I'll skip it this week. Two days later, @soyrosa posted a challenge to share music 'in your native language'. I was a bit miffed about being left out from this given my native language is English - and I wanted to play! Besides, I'm Australian - it's hardly English English now is it? He he.

So I asked if I cheekily asked if I could join in and her reply was 'I guess Australian music is as much an underdog as non-English music in this world :-)' which was my point entirely. @bil.prag commented 'AC/DC' which made a good point about Aussie Rock music but then I kinda felt that was cheating a little, since that's as mainstream as Aussie rock as you can get. There were a lot of 'rock' songs that I didn't like, because it's not so much my genre - and all the very 'Aussie' songs that verged on rock were more garage, post punk, punk or grunge as that's what I was raised on in the early '90's.

Then I thought again about what it meant to be Australian again and what 'native language' meant and had to go for this song by Yothu Yindi. Whilst most Aussies wouldn't have a clue about the language sung in it, they definitely understood the verse and the sentiment. It's an Australian classic, composed in collaboration with Paul Kelly and Midnight Oil to challenge the government who were failing to honour the Prime Minister Hawke (who recently passed away) made to Indigenous Australians.

Words are easy, words are cheap

Much cheaper than our priceless land

But promises can disappear

Just like writing in the sand

Image Source

Hawke had said they're be a treaty by 1990 - by 1991, there wasn't one - hence this song. It became a number one hit - and the first to be song in a first language. It's driven by the beat of the djatpangarri, a popular style of music with the Yolngu people. You can hear the didge and clapsticks.

Yothu Yindi members Mandawuy Yunupingu recalls in 2004:

Bob Hawke visited the Territory. He went to this gathering in Barunga. And this is where he made a statement that there shall be a treaty between black and white Australia. Sitting around the camp fire, trying to work out a chord to the guitar, and around that camp fire, I said, "Well, I heard it on the radio. And I saw it on the television." That should be a catchphrase. And that's where 'Treaty' was born.

Well, it wouldn't be the first time the Australian government failed the Indigneous People here would it now?

It kinda became anthemic - a song for the reconciliation movement which continues still.

Well I heard it on the radio
And I saw it on the television
Back in 1988, all those talking politicians

Words are easy, words are cheap
Much cheaper than our priceless land
But promises can disappear
Just like writing in the sand

Treaty yeah treaty now treaty yeah treaty now

Nhima djatpangarri nhima walangwalang (You dance djatpangarri, that's better)
Nhe djatpayatpa nhima gaya' nhe marrtjini yakarray (You're dancing, you improvise, you keep going, wow)
Nhe djatpa nhe walang gumurrt jararrk gutjuk (You dance djatpangarri, that's good my dear paternal grandson)

This land was never given up
This land was never bought and sold
The planting of the union jack
Never changed our law at all
Now two river run their course
Seperated for so long
I'm dreaming of a brighter day
When the waters will be one

Treaty yeah, treaty now, treaty yeah, treaty now

Nhima gayakaya nhe gaya' nhe (You improvise, you improvise)
Nhe gaya' nhe marrtjini walangwalang nhe ya (You improvise, you keep going, you're better)
Nhima djatpa nhe walang (You dance djatpangarri, that's good)
Gumurr-djararrk yawirriny' (My dear young men)
Nhe gaya' nhe marrtjini gaya' nhe marrtjini (You improvise, you keep improvising, you keep going)
Gayakaya nhe gaya' nhe marrtjini walangwalang (Improvise, you improvise, you keep going, that's better)
Nhima djatpa nhe walang (You dance djatpangarri, that's good)
Gumurr-djararrk nhe yå, e i, e i, e i i i, i i i, i i i, i i (You dear things)

Treaty ma' (Treaty now)

Promises disappear - priceless land - destiny
Well I heard it on the radio
And I saw it on the television
But promises can be broken
Just like writing in the sand

Treaty yeah treaty now treaty yeah treaty now
Treaty yeah treaty now treaty yeah treaty now
Treaty yeah treaty ma treaty yeah treaty ma
Treaty yeah treaty ma treaty yeah treaty ma

---

---

@naturalmedicine II Discord Invite II #naturalmedicine

Website | @homesteaderscoop | Discord Community

Discord 🧘About