Ground-breaking WA indigenous project Sounds Of The Pilbara II completed

Western Australia’s peak music association WAM this morning announced that recording of the ground-breaking WA indigenous project Sounds Of The Pilbara II: Songs In Language is completed.

In a primary team-up with Celebrate WA and Karlka Nyiyaparli Aboriginal Corporation (KNAC), the project captures 25 songs from WA’s Pilbara region with five of the 31 different language groups (Nyiyaparli, Nyangumarta, Nyamal, Ngarluma, Kurrama) recorded. The sessions took place over three weeks in a makeshift studio and cover everything from country (traditional) to contemporary music.

The ambitious project included 14 singers and 40 students from Warralong and Strelly community schools. They were selected with assistance from KNAC (which has been involved in creative collaborations in WA) and staff and board members of the South Hedland-based Wangka Maya Pilbara Aboriginal Language Centre.

Also involved were Indigenous contemporary music contacts that WAM built up through research and previous projects in the Pilbara.

Bradley Hall from KNAC said, “Sounds Of The Pilbara II serves to record and preserve the traditional Indigenous languages found throughout the Pilbara. Karlka Nyiyaparli Aboriginal Corporation is very pleased to be involved as partners in this project. We welcome this focus and expect it to result in an increase in public recognition and appreciation of Indigenous languages.”

In addition, the project has helped develop the skills of five locally based engineers and linguists through informal mentoring from award-winning studio engineers Matt Gio and Sean Lillico.

“This is the third Sounds Of project we have been a part of,” noted Celebrate WA CEO Patria Jafferies, “and we’re particularly proud to be part of the collective creating this permanent collection of songs in language. It allows us to highlight to Western Australia and beyond the rich diversity of our state.”

WAM CEO Mike Harris added, “The diversity of partners supporting this project is testament to its importance. It’s fundamental imperative is to protect and cherish traditional indigenous language through the medium of music.”

There was additional engagement in the project from Pilbara Development Commission, Pilbara Ports Authority and Horizon Power with in-kind support from Soundtown, Rio Tinto Dampier Salt and the Town of Port Hedland.

Sounds Of The Pilbara II: Songs In Language will be released mid-year on CD and digital format.

The full details are at http://wam.org.auwhich went live this morning.