Wetland Warriors - 'Have You Heard the Word'

This production was written, recorded and filmed over 5 days in June/July 2016 in the community of Warren in Western NSW. An out come of a Desert Pea Media community project with a group of young Indigenous people enrolled at Warren High School.
The project came about through a partnership between Desert Pea Media, Outback Arts, Barnardos Australian and the James N Kirby Foundation.
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.
Content was developed as part of a group process with local elders, Outback Arts staff and young people. This information was then disseminated into a narrative structure by local young people and Desert Pea Media staff - Toby Finlayson, Joel Westlake and Michael Graham (aka MC Boomalli), then the lyrics were co-written and recorded. We then shot a music video over two days all over Warren and surrounding areas.
This project featured the expert musical direction and production of Sydney-based music producer Joel 'Roc West' Westlake
Further mentoring support came from previous DPM project participant Michael Graham (MC Boomalli), Kamileroi man who is now one of the head project facilitators for DPM.
The song is a celebration of survival, resilience, culture and pride, and dedicated to the people of the Beemunnel Aboriginal Reserve.
Special thanks to Stephen Greenslade and Fleur Stubbs.
CREDITS
Young people in Warren NSW - Co-Director/ Co-Writer
Toby Finlayson - Producer/ Director/ Writer/ DOP/ Editor
Joel Westlake - Music Producer/ Co-Writer
Roy Weiland - Colour Grading/Motion Graphics
David Nicholas - Audio Mixing & Mastering
LYRICS
My people been telling their stories
keeping the dreaming alive
Singing and dancing under the stars
Since the beginning of time
My people been tellin their stories -
We the Nyaampa Wailwan mob
We quick, you jealous, we burrai, you kurugar
killing it, kurai we hot.
Get ready for change, the cavalry came .
to Botany Bay downunder
Settlers made their way
with crack of the whip with sticks of thunder
My people held the songline,
but the white man held the power
Forced onto Brewarrina Mission
with bags of poisoned flour.
Yo its close to the final hour
We taking back the power
The beats are getting louder yo
We taking back the power
Yo its close to the final hour
We taking back the power
The beats are getting louder yo
We taking back the power
So have you heard the word
My people from the Beemunnel Reserve
My people still connected to the earth
I hope you know your worth
I hope you take pride in your work
Switch it up so we can get what we deserve.
Welcome to Warren we let it be known
We representing wherever we roam
The river, the marshes, the mountain of stone
It’s part of the reason I call it my home
The clay banks (wot) my best mates (yep)
The willows (woo) the flood gates (hey)
My homies (huh) it’s our place (yep)
We swim at the jetty on hot days.
This focus on negative getting repetitive
Too many turning to grog
Sedative (yep) like a medicine
but it be making you sick as a dog
got - stress and depression that’s keeping you guessing
From drinking and smoking a lot (cough)
Ya feel like ya falling, ya spirit is calling
It’s time to get on with the job.
Ya fighting a war in your head (ahh)
Ya drifting away from your mob (clapsticks)
Ya fighting a war in your head (ahh)
Ya drifting away from your mob (clapsticks)
Ya fighting a war in your head (ahh)
Ya drifting away from your mob (clapsticks)
I WONDER WHEN ITS GUNNA STOP
I WONDER WHEN ITS GUNNA STOP
So have you heard the word
My people from the Beemunnel Reserve
My people still connected to the earth
I hope you know your worth
I hope you take pride in your work
Switch it up so we can get what we deserve.