Groote Eylandt

Groote Eylandt lies on the western side of the Gulf of Carpentaria, just east of the Walker River and southeast of Blue Mud Bay. The Wanindilyaugwa of Groote Eylandt (whom speak Enindilyaugwa - often written as Anindilyakwa) have close kinship and ceremonial ties to Nunggubuyu people immediately adjacent on the mainland (around Numbulwar).

G - Groote Eylandt An -Angurugu* BI - Bickerton Island Um - Umbakumba* IW - Isle Woodah M - Milyakburra* WR - Walker River Al - Alyangula*   Nu - Numbulwar*

Alice Moyle provides some detail of the range of characteristics typical of songs and music of eastern Arnhem Land and neighbouring Groote Eylandt. Of particular interest here are the following characteristics indicative of Groote Eylandt clan song (emeba) which distinguish such clan songs from those in northeastern Arnhem Land (manikay);
 

• "the shaky voice, a deliberate manner of vocal ornamentation used by some emeba singers;
  
  
• the 'break' or brief cessation of the vocal part of a Groote Eylandt clan song which is signalled by certain words the singer chooses to sing (the song subject at this point may fall, swoop down, or change abruptly in some way - it was said that the 'break' gives the singer time to decide which words to sing next);
  
  
• a short, patterned interlay between sticks and didjeridu during the 'break'; and
  
  
• the general clatter of stick-beating percussion arising from several different sources at the same time." Such as clapsticks, sticks against another stick on the ground (often a spearthrower) and/or a stick against the didjeridu.

Discography & Notes