Tjupi frontman Barnabus Daniels at Triple J One Night Stand in Alice Springs 2010. Pic by Peter Carroll.
The Northern Territory’s Tjupi Band from Papunya is the recipient of a 2011 Contemporary Music Touring Program Grant.
Federal Arts Minister Simon Cream announced the grants on Wednesday May 25, 2011.
Tjupi Band was one of 23 recipients nation-wide to to receive a grant from a total “funding pool.. of $294,037 under Round 21 of the program”.
Two other Territory artists also received grants from this round of the touring program: Elliot-based country rock singer Harold Injimardi Dalywaters for his ‘Blue Sea to Bush’ tour of performances and workshops, and Seldom Party, aka Alice Springs-based solo performer Will Kendrew. Will will use the funding to embark upon a two month tri-state tour of gigs and workshops.
The Federally-funded Contemporary Music Touring Program “supports touring opportunities for Australian musicians, and aims to increase audience access to live and original Australian contemporary music, particularly in regional and remote Australia”.
Mr. Crean said that “the Australian Government is committed to encouraging and increasing opportunities for emerging contemporary artists to tour, and in particular to regional and remote parts of Australia”.
Tjupi Band (meaning “Honey Ant”) will use the funding to “tour the Northern Territory for three weeks comprising of 11 performances and four workshops”. It is called the ‘Desert to Saltwater Country’ tour.
The grant enables the band to tour Arnhem Land through the Music NT, Artback NT and Arts NT joint initiative, the Music Touring Program. The program is coordinated by Music Touring Manager, Vanessa Hutchins.
Vanessa says that Tjupi Band will be funded to tour remote communities Yirrkala, Galiwinku, Gapiwuyak, Ramingining, Maningrida and Gunbalanya, and that the band forms “part of the new wave of uniquely Indigenous Australian reggae”.
The seven-member “Indigenous desert reggae” band have been working hard to increase their profile since forming in 2004. Singing in language (Luritja) and in English, Tjupi Band were playlisted on triple j in 2010 after performing at the Alice Springs One Night Stand gig in March. They were billed alongside John Butler Trio, Bluejuice and Washington, and the concert was broadcast to a national audience.
Tjupi Band lead singer Barnabus Daniels, on stage at the 2010 Bush Bands Bash. Pic: Bob Gosford, The Northern Myth.
The Tjupis have also have played five times at the annual Bush Bands Bash concert of Indigenous music at Alice Springs Desert Festival, at the Indigenous Music Awards in Darwin in 2009, and have recorded two CDs with CAAMA Music.
On the Bush Bands Bash website, Tjupi Band‘s distinct sound is described as epitomizing the “Central Australia desert reggae – sparse upbeat, driving kick and snare, in-language; the songs are about loneliness for country, love lost, listening to elders, following tradition, social issues, skin pride, tribal unity”.
It finishes with, “Today Papunya, tomorrow, the world!” Too right…
Music NT congratulates Tjupi Band, Seldom Party and Harold Injimardi Dalywaters!
Read more details about Round 21 of the Contemporary Music Touring Program Grants.
Words: Megan Spencer. Sources: Office of Federal Arts Minister Media Release, Bush Bands Bash website, Vanessa Hutchins.
my son gave/loaned me this cd on a visit and i stuck it in the car, yeah just another reggae band from somewhere up north right, i played it,then again,then again, im 60 i havnt heard any like this since marley its so tight,some american or english famous session muso’s could not get that cohesive in a lifetime,the drumming is so innovative,the singer is so close to the harmonies of the band with his voice its an instrument in itself, i havnt heard anything so stunning in a long time,the boy wont be getting his cd back for a while if at all.all the best for the future tjupi band.