TRACK 25 (Mar97-04-s07) Song 19: Nga-ngat-pat-pa Mangalimba
Sung text | Free translation |
nga-ngat-pat-pa mangalimba | Nga-ngat-pat-pa Mangalimba |
nga-ngat-pat-pa mangalimba | Nga-ngat-pat-pa Mangalimba |
yagarra nye-bindja-ya nye-bindja-ya | Yagarra! You sing, you sing |
yagarra nye-bindja-ya | Yagarra! You sing |
bangany nye-bindja-ya | You sing the song |
yagarra nye-bindja-ya | Yagarra! You sing |
(nga-ngat-pat-pa) | (Nga-ngat-pat-pa) |
ii bangany-nye nye-bindja-ya nye-bindja-ya | Ii! You sing the song, you sing |
bangany nye-bindja-ya | You sing the song |
Although this song was composed by Tommy Barrtjap, he was never recorded singing it. This performance is by his son, Kenny Burrenjuck, for whom it was a favorite. Mangalimba is the name of a woman. The word ‘nga-ngat-pat-pa’ is said to be just for song, but it is unlike any other vocables that we have encountered, and like ‘rinyala’ (song 4, tracks 5 and 6) it sounds like, but isn’t, a Batjamalh word. This lively performance was recorded at the launch of Lysbeth Ford’s Batjamalh Dictionary at Belyuen.

Song structure summary
VOCAL SECTIONS 1-2
Melodic section 1
Text phrases 1-2
Rhythmic mode 5c (fast uneven quadruple)
nga-ngat-pat-pa | mangalimba |
SW | person's name |
Nga-ngat-pat-pa Mangalimba
Text phrase 3
Rhythmic mode 5c (fast uneven quadruple)
yagarra | nye | -bindja | -ya | nye | -bindja | -ya |
EXCL | 2MIN.IR | sing | SW | 2MIN.IR | sing | SW |
Yagarra! You sing, you sing
Text phrases 4
yagarra | nye | -bindja | -ya |
EXCL | 2MIN.IR | sing | SW |
Yagarra! You sing
Text phrase 5
Rhythmic mode 5c (fast uneven quadruple)
bangany | nye | -bindja | -ya |
song | 2MIN.IR | sing | SW |
You sing the song
Text phrase 6
Rhythmic mode 5c (fast uneven quadruple)
yagarra | nye | -bindja | -ya |
EXCL | 2MIN.IR | sing | SW |
Yagarra! You sing
Text phrase 7 (vocal section 2 only)
Rhythmic mode 5c (fast uneven quadruple)
nga-ngat-pat-pa |
SW |
Nga-ngat-pat-pa
Melodic section 2
Text phrase 8
Rhythmic mode 5c (fast uneven quadruple)
ii | bangany | -nye | nye | -bindja | -ya |
SW | song | SW | 2MIN.IR | sing | SW |
Ii! You sing the song, you sing
Text phrase 9
yagarra | nye | -bindja | -ya | nye | -bindja | -ya |
EXCL | 2MIN.IR | sing | SW | 2MIN.IR | sing | SW |
Yagarra! You sing, you sing
Text phrases 10
Rhythmic mode 5c (fast uneven quadruple)
bangany | nye | -bindja | -ya |
song | 2MIN.IR | sing | SW |
You sing the song
INSTRUMENTAL SECTIONS 1-2
Rhythmic mode 5c (fast uneven quadruple)
CODA
Rhythmic mode 5c (fast uneven quadruple)
yit ngayi yit ngayi yit ngowe, ngayi yit ngayi yit ngayi yit ngowe …