Caring for Country: Strong Bala Wei - Bulman School & Community | The Song Room

‘Strong Bala Wei’ was written and recorded as part of a Song Room music program at Bulman (Gulin Gulin) School in the Central Arnhem Land, Northern Territory. The program is a Communities for Children initiative, funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services, and facilitated by The Smith Family Katherine, in partnership with Bulman School and Mimal Land Management.
On the first ‘The Song Room’ supported trip to the Bulman/Weemol Community for 2024, teaching artists Steve and Cate worked with elder Vivian Lawrence and the Bulman School students to produce the reggae tinged song/video ‘All Us Mob’
• All Us Mob - Bulman Sc...
During the writing, recording and filming of ‘All Us Mob’, Vivian started singing a lullaby that she used to sing to her kids when they were young. Vivian sung the song in Kriol and Dalabon and asked if we would record it. We recorded Vivian singing the song there and then and wrote the lyrics down.
Teaching artists Steve and Cate returned to Bulman in September to work on Vivian’s song ‘Strong Bala Wei’ with the Bulman School Students and produce a music video for the song.
Local countryman Randall also got involved in the song, translating and singing a Rembarrnga version of the song.
‘Strong Bala Wei’ is about caring for country and each other the right way and the community were keen to have the video reflect the ways they care for country.
Mimal Land Management employ Rangers to care and manage country in Central Arnhem Land. The Rangers are keen to minimize the impact of feral animals on pristine environments and limit the spread of these animals and weeds. They also continue to manage the land as they have for many, many 10's of thousands of years.
Mimal’s ‘Learning on Country’ coordinator Susie Stockwell had the mammoth task of coordinating the Rangers and the students to demonstrate some of the jobs the Rangers do to manage country.
During the week, the school students discussed why the Rangers do these tasks and why it is important to keep feral animals, pests and weeds out of country. They also talked about the kind of diseases and their impact and the damage they can cause on country.
Caring for Country Key tasks:
We burn our country to maintain the land.
We test our water to make sure it is clean and healthy.
We plant bush seeds to regenerate our country.
We put up fences to keep feral animals out of our waterways
We spray weeds to get rid of them.
We maintain our vehicles so we can work safely protecting our country.
We monitor birds as indicators of healthy country.
We clean our vehicles to stop weeds from entering our IPA as part of biosecurity.
We set up camera traps to monitor which animals are on our country.
We fly drones to check on our country.
We maintain and clean our equipment so we can carry out our safely and prevent spreading of weeds and diseases.
‘Strong Bala Wei’ is sung in Kriol, Dalabon and Rembarrnga.
Kriol part 1: sung by Elina
Wi gotta gobek
Gobek la main kantri
Wi gotta klin-im up
Gud-wei klin-im up, our kemp
Wi gotta bringim ol
Bringim ol da femili gija
Ol da pickaninnies
Growup gud wan wei
Wi gotta luk afta mi-jah gud wan wei
Ol our femili gotta sit la we kemp
Strong bala wei
Dalabon part 2: sung and translated by Vivian
Ngarra dudjmu
Dudjmu mabbarl-ngan
Ngarra djerrnga-no
Ngong djerrnga-no wadda-no
Ngarra yeburlth-ngong
Yeburlth ngokorrng djarrk-no
Wurdwurd-ngong
Rarriwo burrama-mon
Ngarra ngah-ngan ngokorrng burrama-mon
Djarra-ngong ngarra-ni wadda-no
Boyenj-boyenj ming
Rembarrnga part 3: sung and translated by Randall
Ngarra redijia
Dawal wula ga
Ngarra maninj
Dawal wula gan
Ngarra mangnara
Witinjmal dink gapul
Ngarra redijia
Dawal ga
Nagunda wula ngata neyana wula
Ngarra redijia dawal ga
Wula wula
English translation:
We’ve got to go back
Go back to my country
We’ve got to clean it up
Clean up our home properly
We’ve got to bring them all
Bring all the family together
All the children
Grow them up the right way
We’ve got to look after everyone the right way
All our family have to sit together at home
Strong fella way
Singers and Musicians:
Lead Singers: Elina (Kriol), Vivian (Dalabon), Randall (Rembarrnga)
Singers: Donniqua, Leanna, Zephaya, Jack, Leethan, Tyler, Cordelia, John,
Iresha, Dennis, Lex, Kono, Tamisha, Kayleen, Jilleasha, Markalisha,
Olive, harriet, Rowenna and Mossy.
Bumboo/Didgeridoo: Duncan, Rex. Organ: Donniqua. Piano: Elina: Clapsticks: Rex, Duncan. Guitar: Zephaya. Djembe: Owen. Drums: David Williams
Technical Details:
The Song Room teaching artists: Steve Lane & Cate U’Ren.
Recorded and mixed by Steve Lane (www.realtone.com.au)
Filmed and edited by Steve Lane
Mastered by Joseph Carra (www.crystal mastering.com.au)
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To learn more about The Song Room and our programs, visit: www.songroom.org.au