AustLit

'In 1980, Neil Murray arrived in Papunya, 260 kilometres northwest of Alice Springs, with a guitar in hand. 'My peers were all hellbent on getting to Europe as soon as they could. I always had this desire to head bush, I felt there was something of the real Australia that was out there. I felt a lot of that was inextricably tied up with Aboriginal people. I felt that intuitively -- I wanted to go and work and live with Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory.'

'There he formed the iconic Warumpi Band with Luritja brothers Sammy and Gordon Butcher and Yolngu singer George Rrurrambu. One result of this collaboration was the anthemic song 'My Island Home'. From Papunya to Sydney, and on to Melbourne, Alice Springs, and Darwin, and a musical career alongside the Warumpis and Archie Roach, Shane Howard and Uncle Banjo Clarke, before returning home to Tjapwurrung country in western Victoria, Heavy Precious charts Neil Murray's journey in reconciling profound loss -- both cultural and personal -- while creating new and meaningful ways to belong.

'Heavy Precious is a lyrical and emotionally raw meditation on music, love, identity, and place from one of Australia's finest songwriters, offering a timely insight for anyone seeking a deeper relationship to this land.' (Publication summary)

''This song came to me when I was living in Papunya in 1982. Here I was in the minority as a whitefella working in a majority blackfella community but I was having a great time. I was mixing in and getting on well with everyone. Especially the young fellas my own age. We played footy and music together. So with that and the truth of the experiences I was having in Papunya the song just came to me. It was like a simple but powerful message. I still wasn't sure though, so I showed it to Sammy Butcher. He said we (the Warumpi Band) should do it. We're all living together now - black and white, we gotta get along. Before we recorded it, our lead singer, George, suggested we include yellafella as well. Which we did, which was right because the song went further than just blackfellas and whitefellas, it had to include all peoples from all places and it didn't matter what colour they were.'' (Publication summary)

'From the iconic Australian song written by Neil Murray comes an exciting and inspirational story for children of all ages. Every page is bursting with colour to depict the song lyrics as seen by the paintings of school children of the Kintore and Galiwinku communities.

'Neil Murray travelled back to these places that inspired his beautiful song with renowned Queensland artist, Peter Hudson. Peter's artwork graces the book with his stunning landscapes ... writer Martin Flanagan [says] "Aboriginal people sing 'My Island Home' like it's theirs. White people sing it like it's theirs. People in Australia who have come from other countries, other cultures, sing 'My Island Home' like it's theirs. That what makes it such a great song. Everyone who loves Australia can sing it."

'This was the song sung at the closing ceremony of the Sydney Olympics and will become a must have in every Australian home!

'A percentage of the profits will be returned to Ian Thorpe's Fountain for Youth, who have in part funded the project and will auspice the raised funds.' (From the publisher's website.)