BougainvilleVoices

Bougainville Voices is a CD and DVD recorded in central Bougainville in 1997/98 and released in Sydney,2000. The CD consists of 19 tracks of music and an 8 page booklet which includes the song lyrics and their English translations. The DVD includes footage of many of these performances as well as other events happening In Bougainville at that time.

This is a must buy for anyone interested in the social issues or music from this South Pacific region. Australian musician, Justin Tonti, at the personal request of Sam and Josephine Kauona-Sirivi, travelled from village to village in central Bougainville recording this exraordinary music. To more about this Bougainville journey please read Justin's Bougainville Diary

Because the Bougainville people were blockaded by the Papua New Guinea army for 10 years, the local people had to invent new instruments, new musical styles, and a new musical repertoire to express their thoughts, feelings and hopes for peace and freedom. In war the people found a simple yet profound Christian spirit.

BOUGAINVILLE VOICES

1. Bougainville Snaphots (voices, garden, forest, rain sounds)

2. Garamut Drums

3. Bougainville Anthem

4. Welcome song (Through Crisis we identified with God)

5. Man i no gat culture

6. Come to the Lord

7. Singsing Kaur

8. Singsing Kaur (includes smashing the instruments at dawn)

9. Naaning (You in the helicopter treat me like a foreigner)

10. Ai wara (CRA and PNG caused the loss of many lives)

11. Paradise Bougainville (Everyone wants Bougainville)

12. Are'mong (When are you leaving?)

13. Plenti dai

14. PNG lus pinis

15. Niuma Niuma (a leader aks for guidance)

16. Bougainville (they crowded into care centers)

17. Sweet Bougainville (I am begging you to come back)

18. Womens Meeting song

19. Blessed and Prayer

"During the war years it was music which kept us going" says

BRA General Sam Kauona.

Sam and his people travelled lightly during those years, but with a battery run keyboard, a guitar

and all sizes of bamboo close

at hand, music became a way to

express feelings of loss and

frustration, but. above all, hope.

This CD and DVD has captured some of this traditional, new and innovative music.