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AbstractHistoryArchive Description
'Ngarla Songs is a unique bilingual presentation of sixty-eight anecdotal songs composed by Ngarla people. They describe the thrill of the hunt, the wonder of whales and other events and life experiences as seen through Ngarla eyes.
...These cameos of everyday life in the Pilbara have been written down, translated and recorded in English. Alexander Brown and Brian Geytenbeek have worked together for ten years to capture the wit, wisdom and vibrancy expressed in these songs.' (Source: Fremantle Press website)
Notes
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The Ngarla songs and the English translations are published on facing pages.
Contents
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Introduction,
single work
essay
Brian Geytenbeek' first became aware of the wealth of descriptive and poetic material in the Ngarla language while teaching Alexander ' Sandy' Brown to read and write. At that time (1984)....it became obvious to Geytenbeek that Brown knew a lot Ngarla songs' and over time he supplied Geytenbeek with the words to many Aboriginal songs from several different language groups.
'The particular selection from Brown's repertoire contained in these pages has been restricted to Ngarla songs.' Source: Ngarla Songs (2003)
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Cultural Introduction,
single work
essay
'The yirraru , of which sixty-eight are presented in this book, were anecdotal songs...The yirraru... were composed about specific events or experiences which captured the emotions or fired the imagination, which the composer shared by describing them poetically and musically...
Yirraru could be sung by anybody, at any time. Some people were gifted at remembering such songs and built up huge repertoires of them, often in several different languages. Alexander Brown is one such person.' Source: Ngarla Songs (2003)
- Miriny-Mirinymarra Jingkiri, single work biography (p. 25)
- Wirtiyamarrai"Parta ngaja nyurrala ngani marri,=I'm watching one of you fellows,", Miriny-Mirinymarra Jingkiri (composer), Alexander Brown (translator) Brian Geytenbeek (translator) single work lyric/song (p. 25-26)
- Murrkamalu Jarnti Nyinuyai"Nipuru jarnti ngirnta yarra nyirnti-nyirnti jilkurnmarra=Mr Neville put it up,", Miriny-Mirinymarra Jingkiri (composer), Alexander Brown (translator) Brian Geytenbeek (translator) single work lyric/song (p. 26-27)
- Mr Nipurli"Nganungaya kanyiyirnta purlpi pirtila=Well fancy that, he's been keeping it for ages for me,", Miriny-Mirinymarra Jingkiri (composer), Alexander Brown (translator) Brian Geytenbeek (translator) single work lyric/song (p. 30-31)
- Murrkanyakarnii"Yirrkalijikurru marnanyurulu,=Making lots of rattling noises,", Miriny-Mirinymarra Jingkiri (composer), Alexander Brown (translator) Brian Geytenbeek (translator) single work lyric/song (p. 32-33)
- Wayurrkuntimalungkui"Karlanjarra yiti murru,=Bright lights all along it,", Miriny-Mirinymarra Jingkiri (composer), Alexander Brown (translator) Brian Geytenbeek (translator) single work lyric/song (p. 34-35)
- Kurlintanyai"Kurlintanya kanyinpiya,=Look after Koolinda there, you fellows,", Miriny-Mirinymarra Jingkiri (composer), Alexander Brown (translator) Brian Geytenbeek (translator) single work lyric/song (p. 36-37)
- Wurruwangkanya Jipal Pirnu Jawirilui"Wurruwangkanya jipal pirnu Jawirilu.=At Wurruwangkanya Jawirimarrra is doing", Miriny-Mirinymarra Jingkiri (composer), Alexander Brown (translator) Brian Geytenbeek (translator) single work lyric/song (p. 38-39)
- Ngani Marna Kurlinta Karnumarra Mirtai"Ngani marna Kurlinta,=I'm looking at the Koolinda,", Miriny-Mirinymarra Jingkiri (composer), Alexander Brown (translator) Brian Geytenbeek (translator) single work lyric/song (p. 40-14)
- Wupurii"Warru yintirr ngarnu ngurlungka nyinu=There's a mob gathered in the house,", Alexander Brown (translator) Brian Geytenbeek (translator) single work lyric/song (p. 42-43)
- Wariyarranya Nyurranga Ngurra Pungkarriyai"Purlamilu nyurranga muwarr murru marnu,=Fleming sent a word about you", Alexander Brown (translator) Brian Geytenbeek (translator) single work lyric/song (p. 44-45)
- Wirrkaru Jingkiri, single work biography (p. 47)
- Wiyurrkarrai"Wurapirri wura ngantayinyu yarlunarra.=He crouches low in the saddle on a fancy horse.", Wirrkaru Jingkiri (composer), Alexander Brown (translator) Brian Geytenbeek (translator) single work lyric/song (p. 48-49)
- Piyuwikii"ngurra martu-martu, wallyanya,=It's a bumpy road, but the ride's not rough,", Wirrkaru Jingkiri (composer), Alexander Brown (translator) single work lyric/song (p. 50-51)
- Kajikayin Nyayii"Yartingara parrku-parrku marnu,=Ploughing through the ocean waves,", Wirrkaru Jingkiri (composer), Alexander Brown (translator) Brian Geytenbeek (translator) single work lyric/song (p. 52-53)
- Mirtanyai"Ngantu nganya juntu marnu palu mirrtanya nganu?=Who told the old fellow about me?", Wirrkaru Jingkiri (composer), Alexander Brown (translator) Brian Geytenbeek (translator) single work lyric/song (p. 54-55)
- Maparnkarrai"Miru-miru nyinila. Wanyja?=Let's all wait anxiously. (What else can we do?)", Wirrkaru Jingkiri (composer), Alexander Brown (translator) Brian Geytenbeek (translator) single work lyric/song (p. 56-57)
- Wanyjakarnii"Wanyjakarni pirntu murrijangu?=Where are you fellows going with all that stuff?", Wirrkaru Jingkiri (composer), Alexander Brown (translator) Brian Geytenbeek (translator) single work lyric/song (p. 58-59)
Publication Details of Only Known VersionEarliest 2 Known Versions of
Works about this Work
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Introduction to the Post-Pastoral in Australian Poetry
2009
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Landscapes , Autumn vol. 3 no. 1 2009; (p. 1-17) This essay reflects 'on the notion of a progressive imaginative vision of Australians living with their land, along the way considering a range of Australian poems and literary figures.' Wilson seeks 'realistic, celebratory visions of contemporary Australians living in their home. Specifically...the post-pastoral in Australian poetry.' (p. 1) -
'That Shiny-Metal, Sky-Travelling Addit/Expert' Metaphors in Pilbara Ngarla Songs
2006
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Southerly , vol. 66 no. 3 2006; (p. 165-178) -
Untitled
2004
single work
review
— Appears in: JAS Review of Books , September no. 27 2004;
— Review of Ngarla Songs 2003 anthology lyric/song biography essay -
Charting Songs of Change
2004
single work
review
— Appears in: The West Australian , 23 February 2004; (p. 7)
— Review of Ngarla Songs 2003 anthology lyric/song biography essay -
Songs
2004
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 3 January 2004; (p. 12)
— Review of Ngarla Songs 2003 anthology lyric/song biography essay
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Songs
2004
single work
review
— Appears in: The Age , 3 January 2004; (p. 12)
— Review of Ngarla Songs 2003 anthology lyric/song biography essay -
Charting Songs of Change
2004
single work
review
— Appears in: The West Australian , 23 February 2004; (p. 7)
— Review of Ngarla Songs 2003 anthology lyric/song biography essay -
Singing the Landscape
2003
single work
review
— Appears in: Social Alternatives , Fourth Quarter vol. 22 no. 4 2003; (p. 57-58)
— Review of Ngarla Songs 2003 anthology lyric/song biography essay -
Untitled
2004
single work
review
— Appears in: JAS Review of Books , September no. 27 2004;
— Review of Ngarla Songs 2003 anthology lyric/song biography essay -
'That Shiny-Metal, Sky-Travelling Addit/Expert' Metaphors in Pilbara Ngarla Songs
2006
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Southerly , vol. 66 no. 3 2006; (p. 165-178) -
Introduction to the Post-Pastoral in Australian Poetry
2009
single work
criticism
— Appears in: Landscapes , Autumn vol. 3 no. 1 2009; (p. 1-17) This essay reflects 'on the notion of a progressive imaginative vision of Australians living with their land, along the way considering a range of Australian poems and literary figures.' Wilson seeks 'realistic, celebratory visions of contemporary Australians living in their home. Specifically...the post-pastoral in Australian poetry.' (p. 1) -
[Review Essay] Ngarla Songs
2004
single work
essay
— Appears in: Australian Aboriginal Studies , no. 2 2004; (p. 117-118)'The Pilbara is not a part of Australia that gets much attention in the literature. Of the traditional languages of the region we know little, and of the songs we know less. There is Carl Georg von Brandenstein’s book of song poetry, Taruru (Brandenstein & Thomas 1974), which includes some Ngarla songs and other, more recent, recordings of song performances from the region to the west by Mike Burns and by the filmmakers Frank Rijevec and Noellene Harrison. Ngarla songs provides some 68 song texts in Ngarla, with English translations. Ngarla is the language of Port Hedland and east past the De Grey River for which little has been recorded beyond a dictionary (Brown et al. 1991).' (Introduction)
Awards
- 2005 winner Australian Centre Literary Awards — The Kate Challis RAKA Award — Poetry
- 2004 winner Brencorp Prize for Poetry
- 2003 shortlisted Western Australian Premier's Book Awards — Poetry
- Pilbara area, North Western Australia, Western Australia,