Nabarlek are an Indigenous Roots band from Manmoyi, a tiny community in Arnhem Land, 215 kilometres from the remote community of Gunbalanya. The band formed in 1985 as a group of singers and dancers with a couple of busted guitars and flour tins for drums.[1] The members are Bininj (the indigenous people of West Arnhem Land) and they sing in the Kunwinjku language and in English, trying to reach across the cultures[2] and to pass their knowledge from one generation to another.[3] Their songs are traditional songs of the Kunwinjku people of western Arnhem Land with a rock/reggae arrangement.[4] They call themselves the garage band that never had a garage.[5]
Nabarlek | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Manmoyi, Australia |
| Genres | Indigenous Roots |
| Years active | 1985–present |
| Labels | Skinnyfish |
| Members | Ross Guymala Terrah Guymula Stuart Guymala Rodney Naborlhborlh Leon Guymala Marshall Bangarr Benjamin Buranali Winston Naborlhborlh Berribob Watson Winston Guymala Lester Guymala Peter Mylaynga Garrad Naborlhborlh Joe Guymala |
| Website | http://www.myspace.com/nabarlek |
They have performed with the Darwin Symphony Orchestra and Yothu Yindi, supported Midnight Oil and played with Silverchair and Powderfinger on their Across the Great Divide national tour. They played at many music festivals, including several Darwin Festivals, the Adelaide Festival in 2000, and Womadelaide, the Port Fairy and Brunswick Music Festivals in 2001. They played for six weeks at the International World Expo in Hanover, Germany in 2000.[6]
Their album Bininj Manborlh was nominated for the 2002 ARIA Award for Best World Music Album.[7] They also received a nominations for Deadlys in 2001, 2002 and 2007. They are the subject of From outstation to out there. Nabarlek a music industry case study a DVD created by Gillian Harrison.[8]
In 2001 the group featured in the Nganampa Anwernekenhe series, in an episode titled Nabarlek, produced by Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA) Productions and directed by Beck Cole.
In 2011 and 2013 they participated in Regional Arts WA's First Nations contemporary music tour, Sand Tracks. They toured central Australia with supporting act the Sunshine Reggae Band (also known as Tjintu) from Ikuntji in the Northern Territory in 2013, and with Sandridge Band from Boroloola in 2013.[9]
Discography
edit| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Munwurrk |
|
| Bininj Manborlh |
|
| Nabarlek Live |
|
| Nabarlek Radio |
|
| Manmoyi Radio |
|
Awards and nominations
editARIA Music Awards
editThe ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony held by the Australian Recording Industry Association. They commenced in 1987.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Bininj Manborlh / Blackfella Road | Best World Music Album | Nominated | [10] |
National Indigenous Music Awards
editThe National Indigenous Music Awards recognise excellence, innovation and leadership among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander musicians from throughout Australia. It commenced in 2004.
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Nabarlek | Excellence in Music Industry Training | Won |
| 2005 | Nabarlek | Band of the Year | Won |
| 2006 | Nabarlek - Nabarlek on Tour | Best DVD Release | Won |
| 2007 | Nabarlek - Manmoyi Radio | Album of the Year | Won |
| Artwork & Design of the Year | Won | ||
| Nabarlek - "Bushfire" | People's Choice - "Song for Country" | Won | |
| DVD/Film Clip of the Year | Nabarlek - "Brownbird" | Won |
References
edit- ^ DIG Internet radio Nabarlek Band Live. 26 August 2004
- ^ ABC Darwin Nabarlek reach new heights
- ^ Cole, Beck (2001). "Narbalek: Manmoyi". National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. Central Australian Aboriginal Media Association (CAAMA) Productions.
- ^ Australian Music Online Arnhem Land band Nabarlek head to Brisbane... Archived 3 August 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Queensland Arts Council Nabarlek. The garage band that never had a garage!
- ^ The Music Council of Australia From Outstation to Out There. Nabarlek - a music industry case study Archived 23 July 2008 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Aria Awards Archived 2011-05-19 at the Wayback Machine Nabarlek awards history
- ^ NLA From outstation to out there. Nabarlek a music industry case study
- ^ "Sand Tracks". Regional Arts WA. Retrieved 2024-05-10.
- ^ ARIA Award previous winners. "ARIA Awards – Winners by Award – Best World Music Album". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 12 November 2018.