Aboriginal Welcome Song
iPod version [1:50m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (522) AppleTV version [1:50m]: Download (374)I met Joe Gala in Australia in 2004 and again in 2005. I am very proud to call this man my friend. I blogged about him the day I met him, and had a lot to say. Here he’s performing Gari Gynda Narmi, the welcome & farewell song of the Badtjala aboriginal tribe of eastern Australia. Joe wrote down the words for me, no mean feat as his tribe struggles to retain their language as their elders die out. The Badtjala people normally do not give permission for their songs and dances to be videotaped, but I got special permission to record this. Given that, I’ve licensed it separately - no commercial use or derivative works please.
Aboriginal Welcome Song by
July 9th, 2007 at 9:26 pm
Very cool. So how did you get special permission?
July 9th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
I asked, and because my travel group had spent two weeks living with this community, making a daily effort to learn about their culture and share ours, they grew to trust us and agreed. But when I asked on day two they said no. So it was a matter of making connections, establishing a dialog and an atmosphere of trust. We were shocked to find most (Caucasian) Australians nearby do not take an interest in this community.
July 9th, 2007 at 9:50 pm
YES!
July 9th, 2007 at 9:54 pm
I love his laugh at the end! I had forgotten … Must mean it’s time to go back.
July 10th, 2007 at 10:58 am
Great vlog.
I love the spontaneous and authentic expression of his dance and song.