The Wilcannia Mob: Intergeneration - 'Our Country, Our Way'

Written, recorded and filmed over 5 days in September 2016 in the remote community of Wilcannia in Far Western NSW, 'Our Country, Our Way' is an outcome of a Desert Pea Media community project with a group of young Indigenous people enrolled at Wilcannia High School, and a group of community leaders from Wilcannia and Broken Hill.
The project came about through an ongoing partnership between Desert Pea Media and Warra Warra Legal Service.
Desert Pea Media projects involve a dialogue-based storytelling process that encouraged participants to analyze 'the real', 'the ideal' and 'the bridge'. In simple terms this means critically thinking about how to create positive change for individuals, for each other and for our communities.
The lyrics were co-written by DPM staff, community members including Brendan Adams from Wilcannia River Radio, Paakantji cultural advisor Walpra Thompson, Broken Hill-based musician and Warra Warra staff member Bilyara Bates and respected elder and old friend of DPM - Uncle Terry Doolan.
The song also features an intro from respected artist and cultural leader - Uncle Badger Bates, and a cameo from local elder Uncle Woddy Harris
Musical production from acclaimed musician and and songwriter Carlo Santone (Blue King Brown, Nattali Rize) who has worked with us on a number of projects in Bourke, Walgett and now Wilcannia.
The song is a celebration of culture, songline and connection to country. Wilcannia is indeed "the cultural heart of Western NSW", and it was an absolute honor to be invited on to Paakantji Country to work with the amazing community and vibrant young people of Wilcannia.
Full respect and big ups to Shopfront Theatre, Morganics and Wire MC for your work with the community (and many others) over the years, and for your support.
Special thanks to Eliza, Bilyara, Shannon, Lucy, Charlotte and Anne-Marie from Warra Warra Legal Service for the ongoing support and friendship - and to the Wilcannia community.
LYRICS
Ngai (hello) - welcome to Wilcannia where the Darling flow/
Starts near Bourke but the cotton farmers keep the Paaka (river) low/
Paakantji Nation - 10,000 generations/
Been people of the river since the dawn of creation/
Take you for a stroll from the Mally to the Mission back to town/
Warriors and Boomerangs play to shake the ground/
Wiimpatjas (black fellas) - Paakantji and proud/
River got sick, it's like it affected my mob/
It's like my people ditched fishing for smoking and sipping grog/
My people started rowing (fighting) started pointing the bone/
Forgetting trauma's like a shadow that will follow you home/
Well the past is the past and enough is enough/
Hit the laneway to be safe instead of walking past the pub/
Shake a leg in the red dirt, we dance in the dust/
In waaku (crow), bilyara (eagle), ngaatchi (spirit) we trust/
CHORUS
Paakantji - Run like the wind/
You know I'm going to prove you wrong/
Bit of courage and guts, hard work, determination/
Gotta protect our culture for the future generations/
Wiimpatjas (black fellas) - run like the river/
We keep our culture strong/
Got strength and respect flowing from my ancestors/
On this land where we belong/
Kiira Kiirinanha/
Makwarra Kilparra/
Kiira Kiirinanha/
Paakantji Wiimpatja/
Don't panic, get smarter, work harder, help yourself/
Going to make better choices bruz/
Keep your eyes on the prize, nuh never give up/
Being a leader for my people takes courage and guts/
So give it up for the Paakantji, Wilcannia's on the map/
They reckon culture's on the way out, we bringin' it back/
People think we can't do it, but we givin' it a crack/
Can't forget about the colours red, yellow and black/
We back - we outsmart ya, us noongu's (women) at the core/
Songline flip the script, kicking down the door/
Sister girl spittin' like ya never seen before/
It's written in the stars, seven sisters brought the lore/
Born and bred Wilcannia cuz, this is where we at/
Once you cross the Darling, we know you're coming back/
Let me see them hands if you feeling the track/
We Paakantji proud, yep we Paakantji black!/
Kiira Kiirinanha/
Makwarra Kilparra/
Kiira Kiirinanha/
Paakantji Wiimpatja/
CREDITS
Young people in Wilcannia, NSW - Co-Directors/ Co-Writers
Toby Finlayson - Producer/ Director/ Writer/ DOP/ Editor
Jared Melrose - Co-Writer/ Mentor/ Facilitator
Michael Graham - Co-Writer/ Mentor/ Facilitator
Nicky Akehurst - Photographer/ Camera 2/ Mentor/ Design
Ashleigh Butler - Production Assistant/ Mentor/ Design
Carlo Santone - Music Producer/ Music Director
Roy Weiland - Colour Grading/Motion Graphics
Uncle Terry Doolan - Cultural Advisor/ Mentor
Bilyara Bates, Brendan Adams, Walpra Thompson - Co-Writers
David Nicholas @ Rhinoceros Music - Audio Engineering