If you’ve been keeping an eye on the Music NT website, you will have noticed that one band from North East Arnhem Land has been very busy…

In 2010, not only did Garrangali Band perform two sold-out gigs in Sydney, they were also busy with the launch of their first album ‘Garrangali’ (Crocodile Nest) and playing at the Barunga Sports & Culture Festival. They were also featured as part of an article on NT music in the June ’10 edition of Australian Musician Magazine, and in 2009 they performed as part of the Santos Opening Night Concert at Darwin Festival.

Most of the 12-member band live in and around Yilpara, working as rangers and in Community and Development Employment Projects (CDEP). They have great supporters within the local community, including co-managers Susan Sandery and Rrawun Maymuru (also a local artist); the Laynhapuy Homelands Association and local musician/producer Stu Kelloway (Horse Trank, formerly Yothu Yindi), also a Yilpara resident and resident music mentor to the band.

In addition to their popular ‘saltwater reggae’ musical style, the band also combines traditional dance and instrumentation into their performances.

Four of Garrangali Band’s members – Ngambulili Marawili, Wurrandan Marawili, Yiniwuy Marawili and Amos Marawili - were kind enough to do an interview with Music NT, from a friend’s place in Baniyala.

It’s a poetic, entertaining and insightful ‘collective chat’ about what makes the Garrangali Band tick…

Music NT: First of all – what was it like playing at the Old Manly Boatshed in Sydney? And the rest of that experience too..

GB: We felt manymak (good)… We liked it. It was the first time for us to play in Sydney and we felt confident, not shamed. Our name, Garrangali, people are learning it, they know us. We liked travelling on the plane to Sydney… Yo. When the Captain announced that the Garrangali Band was on board flying to Sydney for a gig… Everyone was shouting and clapping for us on that big plane and one Qantas lady wanted to buy our C.D..The same thing happened when we were on our way home.

It was the first time to Sydney for most of us, but me, Wurrandan, and my brothers Ngambulili and Amos, we went to Sydney for the 2000 Olympics.

Sydney was cold!

MuNT: Where else have you played gigs, outside of your community?

GB: We played at Barunga Festival this year, and we went to Millingimbi last year. Yo, we played at the opening of the Darwin Festival in 2009 then we played at Happy Yess in Darwin and the Garma Festival in Gulkula. Next week we’ve got another gig coming up at the Yirrkala Oval, July  9.

MuNT: Can you give us an idea of what it is like to live in Baniyala community? What does a typical day hold for you, and how often do you get together and write songs?

GB: We work here in Baniyala, like CDEP jobs. We keep the Community clean, we look after the tourism sites, we all work together. We live by the sea, there’s no drugs here, no alcohol in Baniyala. This country is free… About 4 hours’ drive from Yirrkala. Sometimes we have ceremony here, like funerals, and we have singing and dancing. We’ve got strong culture.

In a typical day we work then we go hunting. On the weekends most people go hunting or camping.

The band comes together when we have time. We are always helping each other to write music. We always talk to Mudiny, our lead singer when we’re writing new songs.

MuNT: Can you name each member and describe their role in the band and what they each play?

GB: Mundinymudiny Dhamarrandji, “Nicholas”, Vocals ; Yiniwuy Marawili, “Danny”, Traditional Vocals, dancer ; Wulkuwulku Marawili, “Amos”, Backing Vocals, keyboards ; Malngay Yunupingu, “Kevin”, Yidaki & Backing Vocals ; Wurrandan Marawili, “Ronald”, Traditional Vocals, dancer ; Ngambulili Marawili, “Fabian”, Backing Vocals ; Rakuwarr Wanambi, “Dion”, Drum kit ; Wurrku Wanambi, *Rico, Bass Guitar ; Watjarrngambi Marawili, “Mathan”, Rhythm Guitar ; Makungun Marika, “Brendan”, Keyboards ; Djulumarr Gurruwiwi, “Darren”, Rhythm Guitar, and Rrawun Maymuru, “Darren”, Vocals & Backing Vocals for Sea Rights song.

MuNT: Having 12 people in a band – that’s a lot! Is it easy or hard to work in a band of that size?

GB: It’s easy for us. We grew up together. We understand each other.

MuNT: How long have you been together as a band and how did the band come about?

GB: We got together in 2005. We started with one keyboard and 2 acoustic guitars and 1 tambourine.  We had homemade instruments – we put small rocks and sand in an empty Coke bottle for a shaker. We used one of our own stereo speakers for the amp, and we had a ukulele too.  We used empty flour tins… sugar and milk tins for drums… We had yidaki (didgeridoo) and bilma (clapsticks). Our drummer would listen to music like Lucky Dube and islander music in headphones and pick up the rhythm. Yo.

MuNT: What have been some of your favorite gigs to play as a band?

BG: Garma 2009 was our best gig. That’s because everybody was there dancing and happy. Especially for our ‘Muthi Muthi’ song – that’s a favourite for all the Homeland people in Arnhem Land.

MuNT: Do you have any big ambitions for the band?

GB: In the future we want to tour the band so we can share our culture and show people around Australia and the world our music and the meaning in our songs.  All our songs have meaning – about the sea and the land. We want to sing our manikay (songs) for people, and show the world our culture through the music and dance, both modern and traditional.

We want to inspire our djamarrkuli (children), the young people in Baniyala to make music and be proud of their culture.

MuNT: You hear of lots of young bands getting together, playing for a while and then moving on.. What’s the meaning of music for you? What does music mean to your community?

GB: Music is how we tell stories about gapu (sea)… Salt water…  Garrangali – that’s a story about crocodile nest… Baru – that’s a story about crocodile. Music makes us happy, it helps us relax and yolngu music makes us proud.  We feel inspired by other music. Yo.

MuNT: Who are some of your favorite bands and musicians – including the NT? And do you have any musical mentors who have supported your career so far?

GB: Yothu Yindi Band is our favourite. Sometimes we listen to Saltwater Band. Me, (Amos), I like Dire Straits and Lucky Dube. And me, (Wurrandan) I like Lucky Dube and Michael Jackson, and Barnsey – Jimmy Barnes.  And we all like gospel music – that’s what we started from.

Mandawuy Yunupingu and Stuey Kellaway from Yothu Yindi Band have been mentors for us – yo, they taught us a lot. Me, (Yiniwuy) I learnt traditional yolngu manikay (song) from our leader, Djambawa Marawili. And me too (Ngambulili), I learnt from my father Djambawa… He taught all of us.

MuNT: On your new album you have a disco track… Given that you’re a saltwater reggae band – how did that become part of Garrangali Band’s repertoire?! Who’s the disco fan?!

GB: That was (producer/musician) Stuey Kellaway’s idea! He used to play with Yothu Yindi Band. We haven’t played that remix live.

MuNT: What would be your dream gig?

GB: We really want to play in Vanuatu. Maybe that’s gonna happen next year.

Jimmy Barnes was adopted by Mandawuy Yunupingu and we’d like to play with him one day… We’re still waiting for more gigs. Maybe around Australia or overseas… We don’t know. Maybe that reggae festival in Cairns…

MuNT: What would you like people to know about Garrangali Band, that they might not know yet?

GB: Me, Wurrandan, when I’m going to dance, that means crocodile, and (it) also means the nest for the crocodile. I’m showing the tracks where the crocodile goes… he’s going to the Garrangali (nest), that’s where our name comes from… and also the other place Yathigpa. I’m showing in the Djanytjunga manikay (song) the mangrove place down here in Baniyala. It’s called Watjin.

Have you got any more plans to record another CD?

Not yet. We’re waiting for our new studio to be ready in Baniyala.

MuNT: Please finish this sentence: “In five years time Garrangali Band will be…”

GB: … still here, travelling around the world, playing our music and teaching people about Yolngu culture.  We’ll be showing the world our bunggul (dance) and manikay (song).

MuNT: Thank you!!

GB: Ma!

Words: Megan Spencer. Many thanks to Garrangali Band for the interview, Elise Fitzpatrick for her assistance and to Susan Sandery for the photos, courtesy of Laynhapuy Homelands Association Inc.

Enquiries about Garrangali Band can be made to co-manager Susan Sandery, (08) 8939 1803 / 0427 955 499 or co-manager Rrawun Maymuru, (08) 8939 1800.  Check out Garrangali Band’s music on Bandcamp. And read more about them on the Music NT website here and here and here.