Introducing Salt Lake Band And The Music Of The Warnindilyakwa People

Anindilyakwa is our language. It is said to be the second most difficult language in the world to learn. That’s why we must share it more with the world.”

Ten-piece group Salt Lake Band are from Umbakumba, a tiny community in Groote Eylandt, off the coast of the Northern Territory. There are only about 400 people in Umbakumba, largely consisting of the land’s native owners, the Warnindilyakwa. Many of the members of Salt Lake Band are from this group, as well as the neighbouring community, Angurugu. They speak with the BRAG via an interpreter.

“We play regularly, which brings all our families and clan groups around the island together in the one place. It’s busy and it’s exciting. There are smiles and a lot of happiness having family come together to sing and dance. There will be babies just beginning to walk, teenagers and our old people. It’s beautiful to watch.”

Many of Salt Lake Band’s songs are deeply connected to the people’s cultural beliefs and daily practices. Totemism, in particular, is a major inspiration for the music. The band says some of its people’s totems include the parrotfish, eagle, stingray, shark and dugong. These totems have spiritual significance, as well as more practical applications in governing day-to-day roles of community members.

“Most of us on any given day will hunt with spears along the waterfront for fish, stingray and mud crabs, collecting mussels, clams, oysters and turtle eggs,” the band says. “Our whole families will take part in hunting or collecting these foods, including the little ones sitting in a low tide collecting pipi [a type of small clam], then throwing the food on the fire.

“Everyone has a job they naturally do, from cleaning the food to preparing the fire to cooking. We also have our ‘sorry songs’ singing of one who has passed, remembering them. It’s played at our sorry business [funeral] where our dancing will take place too, farewelling them.”

At their heart, Salt Lake Band create dance music. They may want to encourage the dissemination of their language and traditions, but it’s not just strict traditionalism. Salt Lake Band incorporate many Western influences, including reggae, blues and rock. Much of the music is upbeat, but the band says it endeavours to write introspective, searching and mournful songs to connect with people on a deeper level as well.

“Our songwriting is open to the group, each contributing in some small way – a verse, an idea, a melody. We work harmoniously together in this way, supported by the beautiful tones of our lead singer Branden Yantarrna and the backing vocals of youth community Elder, Basil Mamarika.

“It was also important to bring our young boys in, to pass the knowledge on. To have them participating. To get their ideas and know what they’re thinking.”

Salt Lake Band will be playing at Yabun Festival in Sydney on Thursday January 26, marking the farthest the band has travelled to date. It’s an important festival too: Yabun is an event that celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture on what is commonly referred to as either Australia Day, or for many others including Aboriginal people, Invasion Day.

“We want everyone to come together, black and white. We want us to all be good to each other, but nobody asked us if they could take our land. We have non-indigenous friends on our island; we work with them too. Our history is sad, though, and it still affects our people all over Australia.”

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