Ngarukuruwala Women’s Group Author

The Ngarukuruwala Women’s Group from the Tiwi Islands have been sisters and friends all their lives. As young women they composed songs to pass on the stories of their islands, culture and ancestors. As Elders and mentors in their community, they draw on the old ways of Tiwi song traditions to help young Tiwi people connect with their language and cultural identity, also creating new songs. The women have performed at the Sydney Opera House, the Australian National Art Gallery and the National Film and Sound Archive, and feature in the Australian feature film Top End Wedding.

Dr Genevieve Campbell met the Ngarukuruwala Women’s Group in 2007 and with them co-founded Ngarukuruwala (We Sing), bringing Tiwi and non-Tiwi musicians together in collaborative composition, performance and recording of Tiwi songs. Over a decade, Dr Campbell became closely involved in helping Tiwi song custodians preserve and maintain traditions of song composition and Tiwi language.