TRACK 27 (Kof86-03/4-s10) Song 14: Tjagawala [136]
| Sung text | Free Translation |
| karra tjagawala wumburli ki-nyi-ng-kurr[-a]karra tjagawala wumburli ki-nyi-ng-kurr[-a]angga wakai ki-nyi-ng-kurr[-a] | Tjagawala! A breaker has hit meTjagawala! A breaker has hit meGrandson! Dead! It’s hit me |
Wagon Dumoo made this song for his deceased grandson, Tjagawala, whose name means ‘frigate bird.’ As in Pumurriyi, death is likened to being hit by a breaker. This is vividly confirmed by the final text phrase, ‘Grandson! Dead! It’s hit me.’
Song structure summary
VOCAL SECTIONS 1-3
Melodic section
Text phrases 1-2
Rhythmic mode 2 (slow even)
| karra | tjagawala | wumburli | ki | -nyi | -ng | -kurr | [-a] |
| SW | frigate bird/person’s name | breaker | 3MIN.A.R | make | 1MIN.O | hit | [PERF] |
Tjagawala! A breaker has hit me
Text phrase 3
Rhythmic mode 1 (without clapsticks)
| angga | wakai | ki | -nyi | -ng | -kurr | [-a] |
| grandson | finished | 3MIN.A.R | make | 1MIN.O | hit | [PERF] |
Grandson! Dead! It’s hit me
INSTRUMENTAL SECTIONS 1-2
Rhythmic mode 5a (fast even)
INSTRUMENTAL SECTION 3
Rhythmic mode 5b (fast doubled)