Peoples of the Kimberleys

Abstract

The Kimberley region extends from the Victoria River district in the Northern Territory across to Broome on the west coast of WesternAustralia. It is often divided into the eastern and western Kimberleys, with Turkey Creek (WA) forming a geographic and culturalboundary. Western influences have been strong throughout this region but there is strong awareness of traditional culture and there are various projects to protect and revitalise traditional practices. There are many performance genres and influences throughout the Kimberleys. Instruments used to accompany singing are clapsticks, boomerang clapsticks, a rasp—a notched stick scraped with a smaller stick—or clapsticks and didjeridu.Danced songs include 'nurlu', 'balgan' and 'gadraynya' and are believed to be found in dreams. Non-danced songs, which include 'lildjin' and 'dyabi', are described as being "made with the brain" in that they are consciously composed "like cowboy songs", according to Alice Moyle, who surveyed music of the Kimberleys in 1968. Singers throughout the region maintain contact with performers from other areas. For example, many singers at Kununurra (WA) and Derby (WA) attribute didjeridu-accompanied songs to singers ofPort Keats (NT). Contact with the western and central deserts is evident in the song styles of 'nurlu', 'balgan' and otherclosely related forms.