Thursday, June 20, 2013

SONGS OF THE CORAL SEA ISLANDS



   AUSTRALIAN BALLADS AND SONGS 
                       OF THE CORAL 
                                 SEA ISLANDS 

Such is the beauty of the South Seas and its islands, that anyone who visits will find their mind trying to form words to express the beauty they have found/ For there among the palm trees, mountains and forests that enhance the tropical seas stands mans own history. My time at Wiepa and in the Torres Strait was short but it was time enough to get the feel of history My time in Papua and it's islands was longer and helped to show me the way of early man.  

                                   THE TORRES STRAIT

WILDFLOWER
[The Barbara Crawford Thompson story 2000]
#1

 In a strange and rugged garden, they found her growing wild,
A sadly soiled beauty, by all the fates reviled
On savage shores she nestled, ‘neath burning sunlit skies,
Where fire and storm came raging to almost close her eyes.

Midst wild winds and crashing wave, her Will had slipped away,
And only strength, born of youth, helped her live that day.
At terror’s girth she gamely stood to struggle on alone,
Abandoned there by careless lust, a flower not yet grown.

With fierce ones she did bide, for white wings from the past,
Somewhere deep within she knew, such pain could never last.
Though fire scorched and battered, she grew there ever strong,
No torment, nor a tortured heart, could take away her song.

And so she grew in every way with wisdom at the fore
Until they came to take her home, a wild thing no more
A ghostly ship now holds her, embraced in memory’s arms,
Whilst errant hearts are stolen, by the wildflowers charms

THE DRUMMER OF MER
[December 2005] #2

Hear the throbbing of a drumbeat, somewhere o’er the sea,
Coming out from Murray, where that wild drummer be,
Like the sound of a heartbeat, throbbing as it were,
Pounding and a’ drumming, on that savage drum of Mer.

Darkly now incessant, he's never missed a beat,
Thump a’ thump a’ thumping and stamping his feet.
Face is gaudy painted, headdress of feathers blue.
Bright are his colors, though seen by only few.

He does not know them, he drums only for the past,
O’er the sea it echoes, for this drum will be the last.
So drummer thump your drum, beat it mercilessly,
Drum it for those days long gone, o’er the Coral Sea.

Hear the throbbing of a drumbeat, somewhere o’er the sea,
Coming out from Murray, where that wild drummer be,
Like the sound of a heartbeat, throbbing as it were,
Pounding and a’ drumming, on that savage drum of Mer. 

A PICCANINNY CRYING
[February 2006] #3

There’s a piccaninny crying, somewhere in the night,
A child of Moa sobbing, for something isn't right,
Where are all her children, whatever has been done,
Who did this to Moa, why did her kingdom come?

Was it Badu wild men that came to take her sons,
Your elderly the babies, men and women one by one?
Why would Badu do this, when for near a thousand years,
All was shared among the isles, even ghostly fears?

All your people murdered, a dirty deed there done,
Was it Badu or the Markai that murdered like the Hun?
They blamed the wild white man, old Wini of Badu,
But Baduans had no reason, for such murdering to do.

The weapon used that wild day, was the Markai sword,
Steel was the cutlass that cut children up like cord.
There was no rhyme or reason, for Badu ruled the sea,
They would never do this horrid act, not even for Wini.

So Moa who was it, who destroyed your seed,
Was it evil spirits that did this deadly deed?
Just like that done at Murralahg, poor Kaurareg,
Before going on to Badu where they shot old Wini dead.

Can you hear that child crying, somewhere in the night,
A babe of Moa sobbing, for something is not right,
Where have all her children gone, whatever has been done,
Who did this to Moa, why did her kingdom come?

THEY NEED MOA
 #4 [July 2006]

 She hides behind her mother, out there in the sun,
Surrounded by her siblings, for she’s not the only one.
They named that island Moa, a sister of the Strait,
While brown eyed children grew, others would not wait

They need Moa as their sanctum, give them Moa as their home,
They need Moa to protect them, to hold them lest they roam.
Give them Moa for their dreaming, in peace there they can live,
They need Moa in their hearts and the love she has to give. 
   
The waters of the Strait, give forth-abundant life
To feed the children of this isle, a man and his wife
For centuries they played, in that Eden of the sea,
They need Moa more than ever now, may God let them be.


They need Moa as their sanctum they need Moa as their home,They need Moa to protect them to hold them lest they roam.
Give them Moa for the dreaming, where in peace they can live,
They need Moa in their hearts and the love she has to give. 

STAND SILENT SAIBAI
 #5 [October 2006]

Stand silent Saibai, tiny isle of the sea,
Let your warm summer days watch over thee
Through your long tropic nights, Saibai always be,
The doorway to freedom with a strong golden key

Palms trees wave long slender arms,
To cool your gentle shore
Waters wash the quiet sands
And will forever more.

Nowhere on this earth, do stars shine as bright,
Where else can be seen, such clear moonlit nights.
Tiny fish play by your shores, among the ripples there
While green turtle and the others, live without a care 

Stand silent Saibai, tiny isle of the sea,
Let your warm summer days watch over thee
Through your long tropic nights, Saibai always be,
The doorway to freedom, with a strong golden key

                 PAPUA NEW GUINEA
The ballads below were written by myself during the 1990's [1991-1997] when I was stationed at Papua New Guinea. Each ballad represents my thoughts on what I saw or had seen while among that nation's people.

MADANG DOWN BY THE SEA
 [1993]  #73

There’s an outrigger on the lagoon,
Dancing to an old tidal tune,
Wrapped in the arms, of coconut palms,

At Madang down by the sea, 
At Madang down by the sea.

Sleepy days and bright moonlit nights,
Cloud of mother pearl white,
A warm noonday sun, seems to say come,

To Madang down by the sea
To Madang down by the sea

As the waves crash onto the reef,
Fishermen take home their keep,
And a brown wide-eyed child, offers a smile,

At Madang down by the sea,
At Madang down by the sea

When the time comes and I have to go,
There is no other place that I know,
That makes my heart yearn, until I return,

To Madang down by the sea,
To Madang down by the sea

The below ballad was written to tell of the great beauty of East New Britain and the [now crippled] city of Rabaul.
Verse one tells of the Volcanoes Vulcan and Tavurvur that destroyed Rabaul
Verse two tells of the Japanese invasion of East New Britain and their mountain caves that kept watch for American aircraft.
Verse three tells of the end of the 2nd World War and the American and Australians arriving in "gray ladies"while Japanese ships slept on the sea floor. The final verses speak of the end of war and peace yet twin volcanoes still have control while their "mother" mountain still stands as if ready [like all mothers] to defend that which belongs to her. 

RABAUL RABAUL RABAUL
[Written before the eruption, February, 1993] #74

Where the Mountains that yawn, rise to meet the dawn,
And the twins silently stand,
And the palm trees that sway, to greet each new day,
Dance to the song of the sea.

Rabaul, Rabaul Rabaul, you’re a mystery to me,
Rabaul, Rabaul, Rabaul, an Emerald in a Sapphire sea.

When Vulcan arose, with smoke in his nose,
He made the gardens grow,
Then the mountains grew eyes, so they could watch the skies,
For the wild bees that surely must come,

Rabaul, Rabaul, Rabaul, you’re a mystery to me,
Rabaul, Rabaul, Rabaul, an Emerald in a Sapphire sea.

With the fall of the sun, no more the mighty one,
Came a lady all dressed in gray,
And from days gone before, on the sea floor,
Giants sleep in the rippling sand.

Rabaul, Rabaul Rabaul, you’re a mystery to me,
Rabaul Rabaul Rabaul, an Emerald in a Sapphire sea.

Well the strangers that came, have now long since gone,
And the dove rules the sky,
And the mother looks down as her children gather round,
To sing out the song of the sea.

Rabaul, Rabaul Rabaul, you’re a mystery to me,
Rabaul Rabaul Rabaul, an Emerald in a Sapphire sea.

Children whistle and sing as once more they bring,
Sand all powdery gray.
And Tavurvur will fume, with Vulcan in tune,
For his sister is leading the way.

Rabaul, Rabaul Rabaul, you’re a mystery to me,
Rabaul Rabaul Rabaul, an Emerald in a Sapphire sea.
An Emerald in a Sapphire sea,
You’re a mystery to me.

GREY POWDER SAND
 [February 1995] #75

There’s a desert in paradise over the sea,
Where the heart of New Britain, one used to be
Now all that remains where the Volcano stand,
Is buried beneath Grey powder sand,

All over the land, gray powder sand,
That only the years will erode,
But the green will return to cover the burn,
Left by gray powder sand,

The village house crushed and broken that day,
When the brother and sister came out to play.
And they laid waste and ruin, as they went hand in hand,
And their world disappeared, ‘neath gray powder sand. 

All over the land, gray powder sand,
That only the years will erode
But the green will return to cover the burn,
Left by gray powder sand.

Sad fingers point skyward and they seem to say,
‘We were the palm trees that once used to sway’,
And where is the big town, that here long did stand,
‘Is it hidden also ‘neath gray powder sand’?

All over the land, gray powder sand,
That only the years will erode,
But the green will return, to cover the burn,
Left by gray powder sand.
  
EAST SEPIK PROVINCE 
NUEGO
 [February 1993] #76

In Wewak town there’s a place I know,
Where the wise men say that they wont go.
Where the native huts stand all in a row,
Down in the village of Nuego.

Nuego, Nuego oh what a place is Nuego
Nuego oh Nuego, I’ll run my race in Nuego.

Well the ladies walk down muddy road,
Going to market with heavy load,
Children playing two toea Bingo,
Down in the village of Nuego.

Nuego, Nuego oh what a place is Nuego,
Nuego oh Nuego, I’ll run my race in Nuego.

Rascal boys sitting under the trees,
Sitting there and looking at me,
They smile then say, hey ‘don’t you go’,
‘You stay with us at Nuego’,

Nuego, Nuego oh what a place is Nuego,
Nuego oh Nuego, I’ll run my race in Nuego.

Bad man he got a big shotgun,
When he point it at me I’m a gonna run,
Well I got no money but he don’t know,
I been playing last card in Nuego.

Nuego, Nuego, oh what a place is Nuego,
Nuego oh Nuego, I’ll run my race in Nuego.

At the end of the day, the ladies come home,
No Television, they got no phone,
They light their fire and they fry Sago,
Down in the village of Nuego,

Nuego, Nuego oh what a place is Nuego,
Nuego oh Nuego, I ran my race in Nuego

Tambunum/Kanganamun [East Sepik]
The poems below written are perhaps better adapted to the Sepik River songs
from which I borrowed the native words. I have translated them as best I could 
from Yatmai [or Yatmul depending on which tribe you receive translations] and
I have retained the music in my memory. 

The song Kowat Bee as sung by the juvenile natives of the Sepik is perhaps the 
most hauntingly beautiful music I have ever heard, especially  when sung in harmony. 
I have borrowed only the native words; the English words are my own based upon their translations. This song of the Gawi family is based upon the story of how the Gawi 
[Sea Eagle] came into being from the violent mating of the crocodile Wahl and Kowat 
Bee the Blue with white neck Heron. This probably stems from natives seeing the Crane 
being taken by crocodiles at different times. Rather than accept the Cranes dying, the natives perhaps told their children that the crocodile simply fell in love with the bird and took her as his wife. The Gawi Story is a tale of the Sea Eagle who they say came from the mating of Wahl and Kowat Bee.

   
KOWAT BEE
The blue, white breasted Heron 
[Cow-wat Bee] [February 1993] #77

Kowat Bee Warringoomban dah-nyin tah,
Koonjangoomban dah-nyin tah.
Wanyinah Konjurah kombahnee yeh,
Eeyeh, kutkalapka bunniat koniarah.

Kowat Bee, she lives by the river or the sea
By the river or the sea. With all that she owns,
Empty net empty basket and alone
Working hard all day, till the evening comes her way.

Kowat Bee, Koonjangoomban dahrurah,
Warringoomban dahrurah.
Wanyinah Konjurah Kombahnee yeh,
Eeyeh, Kutkalapka bunniat koniarah.

Kowat Bee, so pretty in your pretty coat of blue,
In your pretty coat of blue.
Take care beneath the waves, something is waiting down there.
He can see your beauty too, in your pretty coat of blue.

Kowat Bee, Warringoomban dahrurah,
Koonjangoomban dah-nyin tah.
Wanyinah, Konjurah kombahnee yeh,
Eeyeh kutkalapka bunniat koniarah.

Kowat Bee, your day is now almost done,
No more fishing can you do. So put your basket on your back,
Let the evening breezes carry you away,
Lay your head upon your breast, you can try another day.

Kowat Bee, Koonjangoomban dah-nyin tah,
Warringoomban da-nyin tah.
Wanyinah, Konjurah kombahnee yah,
Eeyeh kutkalapka bunniat koniarah.
Eeyeh kutkalapka bunniat koniarah.

THE GAWI
 [Gahwee] 
#78 [February 2006]

Along the Sepik River, a story has been told,
About a pretty little girl, whom something sought to hold.
Dressed in bright blue feathers, with a little tuft of white,
Set there on her breast, that she bared in flight.

One day as she fished, that mighty river shore,
She overstayed a’ trying, just for one fish more.
When suddenly it happened, in that river flow,
Wahl the mighty crocodile, came up from down below

He seized her and in frenzy he dragged her to his lair,
And took of her advantage ‘twas more than she could bear.
From this mixed-up marriage a new life was formed,
A child of the skies, a new champion, was born.

She named her child Gawi and taught him to be,
Gawi the mighty fisher, the Eagle of the sea
Of the skies like mother, father’s strength had he
Gawi son of Wahl and his mother Kowat Bee

Along the Sepik River, a story has been told,
About a pretty little girl that something sought to hold.
Dressed in bright blue feathers, with a little tuft of white,
Set there on her breast, that she bared in flight. 

            


















































































































































































































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