Music and Memory

CD Notes

1. Trade Wind Whispers

Recorded: Bali 2002, Darnley Is. 2003
Voices: Tom dari Warung Bali, Geelong and Pastor Kemuel Kiwat of Darnley Island

The Indonesian word for turtle is penyu laut or kura-kura. This piece opens with the sounds of a turtle breathing and swimming - recorded at Pemuteran, Bali. Fragments of stories and whispers swirl and weave anticipating the many stories, journeys and connections to the turtle. Pastor Kemuel Kiwat describes the importance of the trade winds to fishermen travelling across the waters between Australia and Indonesia for hundreds of years.

2. Chakra – the death of Vishnu

Recorded: Bali, September 2002
Voice: I Nyoman Arya Suriawan

The conch is sounded - a symbol of Vishnu. The music anticipates the devastation and imbalance linked to the capture and death of a giant turtle believed to be an incarnation
of Vishnu. The Balinese gender played by Nyoman Arya Suriawan and his father overlays a traditional Sumbanese funeral chant. The imbalance of Bali becomes apparent in the distorted funeral calls. It concludes with the final cremation of the turtle at Klotok temple in 2002 and restoration of the balance of Bali.

3. Aru Gele – a lament for the many turtles killed under a full moon.

Recorded: Komodo Island, August 2002, Melville Island, September 2002
Voices: Anita Pangiraminni from Melville Island and Iwan Tohir of Komodo Island
Cellist: Siobhan O’Shaughnessy

This is an ancient song from Komodo Island, so old that no one can remember more than a fragment of the melody. Today it still has the power to bring the men of the island to tears. A solo cello and Anita Pangiraminni sing for the preciousness of new life. Fisherman Iwan Tohir concludes with Aru Gele reminding us of the great hardships known to the people of Komodo Island.

4. Belonging - Southern Equatorial Currents

Recorded: Christmas Island, June 2003, Melville Island, September, 2002
Voices: Anita Pangiraminni - Melville Is, Ibu Ramnah, Chew Boon Beng, Katrina,
Sho Yit Ron and Kompang Group lead by Asmad Majid & Othman Dardak.

Anita sings a crab dreaming song as crabs of Christmas Island scuttle through the leaves of the forest. Buddhist temple bells chime against Moslem calls to prayer. Rhythms of the Kompang group interlock as Ibu Ramnah explains, ‘the island belongs to the crabs!’ Chew Boon Beng shares the 7th century Chinese story of the monkey and the turtle as the children of Darnley Island sing the same story passed on by Chinese traders. Lin Gapp and community list flotsum collected in Malay, Chinese and English.

5. Jilarringa – Turtle Dreaming

Recorded: Melville Island 2002
Voices: Anita Pangiraminni, Justin Puruntatameri and Pauline (Jedda) Puruntatameri.

Justin, an elder of the island, sings his Turtle dreaming song. His daughter Jedda then tells the story of Jilarringa - the woman who ate too much honey and became thirsty. The story tells how she found a water hole and decided to swim whilst drinking great quantities of the pure water. Jilarringa had forgotten the words of the elders who had told her about not to urinate the water. She fell asleep beneath a rock and woke up to find she had become a turtle and the water had turned salty. Throughout the story Anita sings a traditional song teaching about the sea and all the marine animals.

6. Penyu Keramat - the sacred turtle

Recorded: Bali August 2002
Voice: I Nyoman Arya Suriawan

Pak Nyoman describes the need to make offerings in order to restore balance to Bali after the death of a giant turtle at Klotok Beach. He is accompanied by an interpretation of a traditional Balinese melody. Nyoman was commissioned by Green Turtle Dreaming project to develop a dance based on the death of the Klotok turtle. This is now performed every Saturday by the Pemuteran Childrens Dance Troupe. The proceeds from these performances fund school fees and the local turtle preservation program.

7. Keja Lenga

Recorded: Desa Ladolaka, Palu’e July 2002
Voices: Anton Toni Surya, Bernadetta Lima, Wilmus Wera, Paulina Punga and Theresia Lue.

A young woman nursing her child sings accompanied by the sounds of the gentle rocking of the boat docking at Palu’e. Her song Sotu is usually sung when a buffalo is sacrificed to give thanks to the turtle. Anton, an elder and keeper of knowledge tells the Keja Lenga story as Wilmus, Paulina and Theresia sing the song which describes their ancestors’ journey from India and their rescue by a group of turtles who carried them to Palu’e. This song is performed every 5 years with up to 20 performers.

8. Hai Kara Wulang

Direkam: Sumba, Agustus 2002, P. Melville, September 2002
Suara: Marianna Matalu - desa Pau, Sumba, dan Samuel Poantimului, P. Melville

Lagu ini menyatakan pentingnya buaya bagi orang Tiwi maupun orang Sumba. Buaya melambangkan raja/jantan sedangkan penyu adalah ratu/perempuan. Marianna, seorang penenun, menjelaskan motif2 yang dipakai dalam kain ikat. Suara tenun mengiringi lagu penciptaan buaya Igobay, dinyanyikan oleh Samuel. Marianna menceritakan hubungan antara bulan purnama dan Hai Kara Wulang yang dipakai untuk upacara. Dalam bahasa Sumba, wulang artinya bulan dan kara artinya kura2.

9. Selakaran

Direkam: Gili Air dan Lombok, Agustus 2002
Suara: Haji Damsiah H.A., Haji Murahim, Pak Jumli, Pak Mustama, Pak Sampar, Gambus Keser Pada Lokaq Putra Wisata Pemenang

Haji Murahim, tukang prahu, menjelaskan upacara Selakaran untuk melindungi prahu, dipentaskan oleh grup Gambus Keser. Pak Jumli main gambus sedangkan yang lain main alat2 buatan sendiri, seperti botol dipukul dengan obeng dan tong plastik. Haji Damsyiah diiringi lagu pantun mengisahkan seseorang yang mengingkari syariat, membunuh penyu, lalu dikutuk.
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10. Utusan

Direkam: Desa Nangahale, Flores, Juli- Agustus 2002
Suara: Pak Hamjah, Kelompok Manggarai Labuanbajo dipimpin Paulus Selasa.

Seorang pemuda Manggarai menyanyikan Li Ba Koto E Mbaru kaeng Enue - "boleh saya singgah di desa anda"? Pak Hamjah menceritakan penyu besar yang mendarat untuk untuk memperingatkan orang di P. Babi akan tsunami yang akan menghancurkan desanya pada tahun 2002. Saksi mata menceritakan ombak dengan tingginya 100 meter dan warnanya merah - seperti api! Yang selamat dibantu oleh orang Flores dan kini tinggal di pantai Flores dekat pulau asalnya.
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11. Keriba Buai! - Tarian Kita Mulai!

Direkam: P. Erub, Selat Torres, April 2003.
Suara: Kemuel Kiwat, Bully Saylor, Delassa Alo, anak2 S.D.N. Erub

Bully Saylor menyanyi kepada temannya "Ayo, tarian kita mulai!" Anak2 S.D.N. Erub menyanyikan kisah Kerari sementara Delassa menceritakannya dalam bahasa Kreol. Rekaman2 termasuk perayaan pertunangan, orang mengumpul dan makan besar penyu bersama. Kem Kiwat mengingatkan kita kalau kita makan buah wongai berarti kita pasti akan kembali ke Selat Torres, seperti penyu selalu kembali ke tempat lahirnya untuk bertelur.
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12. Do'a Pohon Karang - Anugerah Kesuburan.

Direkam: Alor 2002
Suara: Ibu Vina dan Pak Achmad Karaing, Kalabahi, Kumba Wutung, Pak Djasir T. Siri dan Ibu Nurjana, Alor Kecil.

Di Pulau. Satonda, di tepi danau ada pohon2 dihiasi dengan genta2 karang, tempat suami-istri mendoakan anak. Anak bermain sementara Ibu Vina bernyanyi tentang kesedihan dan kerinduan. Pak Achmad menceritakan orang yang kapalnya karam, lalu diselamatkan oleh penyu yang bertelur. Suara saksofon menyambut penyu dengan lagu yang menyapa pengantin dari seberang laut. Lagu ini selesai dengan irama Kumba Wutung dan Ibu Nurjana menyanyikan lagu penutupan upacara di Alor.

8: Hai Kara Wulang

Recorded: Sumba August 2002, Melville Island September 2002
Voices: Marianna Matalu of Pau, Sumba and Samuel Poantimului of Melville Island.

The song symbolises the importance of the crocodile to Tiwi and Sumbanese cultures. The crocodile represents the king/masculine whilst the turtle is the queen/feminine. Weaver, Marianna describes the motifs in her ikat. The rhythms of her loom accompany the crocodile Ilgobay dreaming song sung by Samuel. Marianna tells of the connection of the full moon and the crown called Hai Kara Wulang worn on ceremonial occassions. Wulang means moon and Kara means turtle in Sumbanese.

9: Selakaran

Recorded: Gili Air and Lombok August 2002
Voices: Haji Damsiah H. A., Haji Murahim, Pak Jumli, Pak Mustama, Pak Sampar and Gambus Keser Pada Lokaq Putra Wisata Pemenang.

Haji Murahim, boat builder, describes the Selakaran, a ceremony for the protection of new boats. The music is performed by Gambus Keser. Pak Jumli plays gambus while others play makeshift instruments – coke bottles hit with a screwdriver and Tupperware containers. A Pantun song accompanies Haji Damsiah as he tells of a man who broke traditional law, killed a turtle and was cursed.
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10. The Messenger

Recorded: Desa Nangahale, Flores, July-August 2002
Voices: Pak Hamjah,Manggarai Group in Labuanbajo managed by Paulus Selasa.

A Manggarai boy, sings Li Ba Koto e Mbaru Kaeng Enue - May I come to your village? Pak Hamjah describes the giant turtle who came ashore to warn the people of Pulau Babi of the tsunami which was to devastate their village in 1992. Witnesses recall the 100 meter wave coloured red – like fire. Survivors were assisted by the people of Flores and today live on the coast of Flores within sight of their island.
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11: Keriba Buai! – Our people, our dance is beginning

Recorded: Darnley Island,Torres Straits April 2003
Voices: Kemuel Kiwat, Bully Saylor, Delassa Alor and the school children of Darnley Island State School.

Bully Saylor sings: Our people! Our dance is beginning! Children of Darnley Island State School sing the Kerari story as Delassa tells the story in Creole. Recordings include: celebrations of an engagement, the coming together of the community and a turtle feast. Kem Kiwat reminds us that if we eat the fruit from the wongai plum we will one day return to the Torres Strait – just as the turtle always returns to its birthplace to lay its eggs.
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12 Coral Tree Prayers – the gift of fertility

Recorded: Alor, August 2002
Voices: Kumba Wutung Pak Djasir T.Siri and Ibu Nurjana - Alor Kecil, Ibu Vina and Pak Achmad Karaing - Kalabahi.

On Pulau Satonda a freshwater lake is surrounded by trees laden with coral chimes where men and women come to pray for children. Children play as Ibu Vina sings of sadness and longing. Pak Achmad tells of the turtle who laid eggs to save a shipwrecked family.The saxophone welcomes the turtle with a song for welcoming brides from across the sea. Rhythms of Kumba Wutung and the voice of Ibu Nurjana conclude with a song for closing ceremonies in Alor Kecil.