Vitality and Change in Warlpiri Songs | Edited by Georgia Curran

Warlpiri songs hold together the ceremonies that structure and bind social relationships, and encode detailed information about Warlpiri country, cosmology and kinship. Today only a small group of the oldest generations has full knowledge of ceremonial songs and their associated meanings, and there is widespread concern about the transmission of these songs to future generations. While musical and cultural change is normal, threats to attrition driven by large-scale external forces. Despite these concerns, songs remain key to Warlpiri identity and cultural heritage. This book draws together insights from senior Warlpiri singers and custodians on these song traditions, in collaboration with researchers who have worked in Warlpiri communities over the past five decades.

Paperback
25.4 x 17.8cm
254 Pages