Title: Tulukadar
Artist: The Lakinyeri Band
Shane Rigney – Songwriter, guitar, vocals
Brooke Rigney-Lively – Songwriter, vocals, tenor saxophone
Bedlam Rigney – Songwriter, vocals, bass & ukulele
Language: Ngarrindjeri and English
Lyrics
Phrase 1)
Yarimatji mitji? Yangimai ruwi?
(What’s your name, where’s your country?)
V.1)
Where do you come from baby?
Where is your country?
What mob do you hail from honey
Who’s your mother?
Ch.)
Let me dry your tears,
For the children they took
But we will be stronger now
Just take a look
Phrase 2)
Pethun porlar ngani parpun
(Stolen children, we cry)
V.2)
Can you speak your language baby?
Where do you call home?
What’s your mother tongue honey?
Who’s your father?
Chorus
Phrase 3)
Ngarni tjil-ani namawi petjar
(We paint our faces)
V.3)
Where do you come from baby?
Where is your country?
What’s your mother tongue honey?
Who’s your father?
Chorus
Outro – Phrase 3)
Ngarni tjil-ani namawi petjar x4
Song Background
Tulukadar:The survivor of a clan, survivor, relict person allowed to live on others country.
The song talks about the connectedness of mob who find home again and who despite all we lost as communities, the endurance of the connections we have each other. It talks about mourning the stolen children we lost but the power of reclaiming tradition, language and culture.
We hope that this addition to the book continues this legacy of connection to community and culture through music and highlighting the resilience and strength of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.
Bio
Lakinyeri is the Ngarrindjeri word for the family groups and clans that make up what we call Ngarrindjeri ruwi (country). This word is often understood as the bonds of family and blood connection.
We are a proud Ngarrindjeri and Kaurna family living and performing on Kaurna yarta. The band current comprises of our father Shane Rigney and siblings Bedlam and Brooke Rigney.
Two of us, father and eldest sibling, Brooke, are proud Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music alum and as such continue a legacy of performing in community and using our music as an expression of and connection to our culture and community.
We share a collective responsibility for culture preservation and intergenerational healing and each of us write music that reflects this, with a wide array of influences and a rotating band line up around Shane and Brooke.
Members:
Shane Rigney – Songwriter, guitar, vocals
Brooke Rigney-Lively – Songwriter, vocals, tenor saxophone
Bedlam Rigney – Songwriter, vocals, bass & ukulele