VISITING SPEAKER: An Introduction to the Western Arnhem Land Song Project

Linda Barwick from the University of Sydney will present a special guest lecture introducing the Western Arnhem Land Song Project Collection on 21 August at the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery.

Linda Barwick will present work undertaken by her research team on the Western Arnhem Land Song Project (WALSP) which documents the diversity of language and music from over fifty repertories associated with thirty four different languages and dialects, including recordings by Ronald Berndt at Warruwi (South Goulburn Island) in the 1960s.

The repertories mostly belonging to the public dance-song genre named kun- borrk (Kunwinjku) or manyarti (Mawng), consist of discrete song texts inherited or received in dream by known composers. Many of the repertories include dialects that are no longer spoken—as well as untranslatable ‘spirit languages’ used extensively in songs throughout the project area. The team worked with singers and their families to transcribe, gloss and translate the song texts, providing a rich documentation of these highly valued cultural forms for future generations.

RSVP and MORE INFO This lecture is free to attend however, RSVP is essential to [email protected] or 08 6499 3707 by 20 August 2013. Visit the event website for more information: http://www.lwgallery.uwa.edu.au/publicprogram/linda-barwick/_nocache

LWAG PUBLIC PROGRAM This event is part of the Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery Public Program of events in conjunction with the Berndt Museum's current exhibition - Little Paintings, Big Stories: Gossip Songs of Western Arnhem Land

CAMPUS PARTNER The Lawrence Wilson Art Gallery is pleased to collaborate with the Graduate School of Education as the Campus Partner for this exhibition.