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West Papuan cultural music group
Black Paradise release their stunning debut album
West Papua has been in the news a lot recently. The arrival of 43 West Papuan asylum seekers on Australian shores and the discovery of a veritable Garden of Eden in the forest shrouded Foja Mountains has catapulted the story of West Papua into mainstream public attention.
‘Spirit of Mambesak’, the debut album by rising West Papuan cultural and musical sensation Black Paradise evokes both the mystery of this breathtakingly beautiful land and through song and poetry, words and image tells something of the story that compels 43 West Papuans to make a perilous ocean crossing in a traditional canoe to seek freedom.
‘Spirit of Mambesak’ features both string band and traditional music from diverse highland, island, and coastal communities from around West Papua. Producer David Bridie comments that “Black Paradise’s music is based around guitars, skin drums, ukulele and soaring four part harmony vocals that draw on ancient songs from their land of jagged and rugged highlands and tropical coastlines…songs from the bush; earthy throat-based vocals; soulful rhythms; haunting laments; and upbeat hip swinging sensual tunes punctuated with infectious joy”.
The album concludes with a bonus track, ‘West Papua’: a rousing tribute to freedom written and sung by internationally acclaimed fellow Melanesian, George Telek. Telek, who usually refrains from political songs, wrote the track after being deeply touched when he met the band when they performed together in Melbourne recently.
Black Paradise frontman, Ferry Marisan; says that the bands message is to “show that West Papuan culture is still alive." Indeed Black Paradise's lyrics paint pictures of liberation. The core members of Black Paradise work for the amnesty international-type organisation Elsham (Institute for the Study and Advocacy of Human Rights) who investigate human rights in the troubled territory, accompany local communities as they assert their rights, and educate the rest of the world about the beauty of West Papuan culture. The profit from the sale of each CD supports the work of Elsham and helps Black Paradise develop a viable cultural organisation.
Black Paradise musician Max Binur says that the CD is “a way to introduce the music and songs of West Papua to the international community, to show that West Papuans, not unlike other ethnic groups around the world, also have their own distinctive culture.”
The music is complemented by a stunning full-colour booklet outlining the story of West Papua written in both Indonesian and English, and containing the lyrics – sung in an array of indigenous West Papuan languages – accompanied by Indonesian and English translations, all interspersed with striking photo’s from Black Paradises hugely successful 2003 Australian tour.
The albums title, ‘Spirit of Mambesak’ evokes the name and memory of the music group established by West Papuan musicologist and anthropologist Arnold Ap in the late 70’s and early 80’s. Arnold Ap, West Papua’s own Victor Jara, ventured around the territory collecting and recording the songs and dances of his people, nurturing and promoting West Papuan identity. In 1984 he was jailed and assassinated by the Indonesian military. His only crime was that he sung the songs of his people.
The album was recorded during Black Paradise’s visit to Melbourne for the hugely popular Morning Star Concert for West Papua in 2003. Spirit of Mambesak is being released internationally on the Blunt label and is in stores now. http://www.mana.com.au/blackparadise/
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