Songs from the Stations

Myfany Turpin, Linda Barwick, Felicity Meakins , Brenda L. Croft

$40

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Sydney University Press
01 March 2019

World music; History

Series: Indigenous Music of Australia

The Gurindji people of the Northern Territory are perhaps best-known for their walk-off of Wave Hill Station in 1966, protesting against mistreatment by the station managers. The strike would become the first major victory of the Indigenous land rights movement. Many discussions of station life are focused on the harsh treatment of Aboriginal workers.

Songs from the Stations portrays another side of life on Wave Hill Station. Amongst the harsh conditions and decades of mistreatment, an eclectic ceremonial life flourished during the first half of the 20th century. Constant travel between cattle stations by Indigenous workers across north-western and central Australia meant that Wave Hill Station became a cross-road of desert and Top End musical styles. As a result, the Gurindji people learnt songs from the Mudburra who came further east, the Bilinarra from the north, the Nyininy from the west, and the Warlpiri from the south.

This book is the first detailed documentation of wajarra, public songs performed by the Gurindji people in response to contemporary events in their community. Featuring five song sets known as Laka, Mintiwarra, Kamul, Juntara, and Freedom Day, it is an exploration of the cultural exchange between Indigenous communities that was fostered by their involvement in the pastoral industry.

By: Myfany Turpin, Linda Barwick
Photographs by: Felicity Meakins, Brenda L. Croft
Imprint: Sydney University Press
Country of Publication: Australia
Dimensions: Height: 250mm, Width: 176mm,
Weight: 450g
ISBN: 9781743325841
ISBN 10: 1743325843
Series: Indigenous Music of Australia
Pages: 250
Publication Date: 01 March 2019
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active

Reviews for Songs from the Stations

' ... the depth of the analyses and attention to detail make this work an important contribution to the fields of history, linguistics and ethnomusicology. The general reader will see how all aspects of Gurindji culture intertwine, resulting in a most sophisticated world view. Ethnomusicologists, especially, will learn from the careful method used in musical analysis.' -- Grace Koch * Aboriginal History Journal * ‘Songs from the Stations is an important work – an invaluable work. It’s the first time that these public songs, as performed by the Gurindji, have been documented in detail.' -- Madelaine Dickie * National Indigenous Times *

Nominated for Alan Merriam Prize (Ethnomusicology) 2020 (United States)
Nominated for Alan Merriam Prize, most distinguished English-language monograph in the field of ethnomusicology 2019 (United States)
Nominated for Chief Minister's NT History Book Award 2020 (Australia)
Nominated for PM Literary Awards (Australian History) 2020 (Australia)
Winner of Alan Merriam Prize (Ethnomusicology) 2020