Nabarlek (band)

Nabarlek (literally dwarf stone kangaroo ) is an Australian music group from Manmoyi, a small community in Arnhem Land, about 215 kilometers from Gunbalanya ( Oenpelli ) away. The band formed in the mid-eighties as a singing and dancing group with the accompaniment of broken guitars and drums of flour doses. The members belong to the people of Bininj ( Indigenous population of Western Arnhem Land ) and sing in their native language and in English. They see it as their goal to mediate between cultures (to reach across the cultures ). Her songs are traditional songs of the Kunwinjku - in Western Arnhem Land, mixed with rock and reggae arrangements. They describe themselves as "the garage band that never had a garage ."

They came together with the Darwin Symphony Orchestra and Yothu Yindi with, were the opening act for Midnight Oil and accompanied Silverchair and Powderfinger on their Across the Great Divide tour of Australia. They played at numerous music festivals, including several Darwin Festival, the Adelaide and the Womadelaide Festival 2000, the Port Fairy and the Brunswick Music Festival 2001. They played for six weeks at the World Exhibition Expo 2000 in Hanover.

Their album Bininj Manborlh was nominated for the ARIA Music Award 2002 for Best World Music Album. They were also nominated for the Deadlys Award in the years 2001, 2002 and 2007., You are the subject of DVD From outstation to out there. Nabarlek a music industry case study by Gillian Harrison.

Discography

CDs

• Munwurrk (1998)
• Bininj Manborlh (2001)
• Nabarlek Live (2003)
• Manmoyi radio (2007)

DVD

• Nabarlek on tour (2005)