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1.
Tabaran 05:05
Barturana amur ga kiki guvai ati, Mara tinata natabara go ati Iga manga burut tuna ra pakai vevet Two brothers sit together in the jungle talking about evil sprirts and they got scared. U U U iwarvatut warwarvatut I'm scared, my skin is tingling with fear. Inga ngala na ra marum go ati, Atinata iga vana boko iat ati Mara lavur mangamangana wakilang ati It is midnight and they still talk while the strange sounds emanate from the jungle. U U U iwarvatut warwarvatut I'm scared, my skin is tingling with fear. Turagu igat biti bea go ra mangana taim Itale pi data gire tamagit Navana rikai pire dat ati Older brother say because they are discussing evil spirits, then it is likely a real spirit will visit them. U U U iwarvatut warwarvatut I'm scared, my skin is tingling with fear. Iga manga burut tuna ra pakai vevet Go ra umana tinata Iga, waburat avet Aveta warbaiai tago, itarmarum Younger brother gets very scared about this and suggests that they both leave the jungle and head back to the village. U U U iwarvatut warwarvatut I'm scared, my skin is tingling with fear. Ba avega kiki angala navuvu Iga vana rikai dari ra tutana Iga vana rikai dari ra tutuna. Suddenly a great wind blows upon them, then they see the wind forming a human shape which is the evil spirit. U U U iwarvatut warwarvatut I'm scared, my skin is tingling with fear. Iga manga burut tuna rapakai vevet Go ra umana tinata iga waburut avet Aveta vana bar dave tago itar marum. They are both very scared and the older brother says to the younger one not to worry because he has special powers to protect them from the spirit. U U U iwarvatut warwarvatut I'm scared, my skin is tingling with fear.
2.
The Strong Chimbu man looks straight ahead. He hears his masta's voice, he's lost his nerve again. The kiap shouts, the big buffoon he yells his orders through the coffee trees. That's the way it's done up here yeah, the boss, the boys, the fight up here that's the way it's done up here. The hot nights roll on endlessly. His face is crushed from twenty years of drink. And the Townsville men all own plantations here. They drink at the club with their Philipino brides. That's the life they have up here, the labour's cheap and strong up here, that's the way it's done up here. And the coffee bean stench fills the air. The heat falls off his brow. And they've worked the fire since morning time. For a lousy three kina a day, well that's all . (tasol) That's the way they're paid up here, The boss, the boys, the fight up here, that's the way it's done up here.
3.
Pila Pila 02:24
And we lie beneath the kulau tree, The warm Pila Pila breeze blows thru As we're gazing out to sea. Ples bilong yumi. We all laugh, throw little Ludwig to the sea. He bubbles up and his smiling face, you know it’s staring back at me... Yeah we dance, and the kids all sing along. The clouds are coloured mauve and red We all watch the sun go down... and down And we're here, the Moab boys just strum along, let's go. Flying fish, they go soaring through the air And the Ratung people party round And we all just sing along They're happy so are we, Got a carton of S.P. And they're happy so are we.
4.
Sing Sing 04:50
5.
Rain 03:57
When it rains, smell the scent in the air, then the sea softens down and the water drips down from my hair, When it rains, well you know that it comes down, ... comes down in my head. Out to sea an outrigger sails by, the lone fisherman balanced, he watches for movement below. Out to sea it is calm, to the islands the waves gently fall ... so do we. When I sleep, hear the insects at night. All the dogs scream in circles, the rotating fans spin around. When I sleep I keep turning, the sweat trickles down on my face, ... oh the insects at night
6.
Feast 02:29
7.
8.
Blackwater 05:53
Angwi's fled his mountain home, the soldiers, as they burnt his village down, near the border line: He's left the card games by the village fire, the stories that his uncle told, the stories old, the spirits past. He's seen the land taken away and given to the Java men, they've flown them in from distant lands. Angwi fears for his people's songs, the nights they danced the valley strong: the hunting grounds, steep mountain side. slash and burn The sparks fly high and burn his eyes He cries in haste and strikes the sky He runs like hell, the sky is black They're burning out, the mountains rise. The border lines, snake river line The valley is strong, red red burn. Indonesian soldiers underneath their red berets Fire shots into the hills, burn the village homes. Striking out the O.P.M., the rebels hiding in the hills They're waiting for their time, when maybe they'll return slash and burn The sparks fly high and burn his eyes He cries in haste and strikes the sky He runs like hell, the sky is black They're burning out, the mountains rise. The border lines, snake river line The valley is strong, red red burn. West Papua, West Papua, Free West Papua One People One Soul, One People One Soul One People One Soul, One People One Soul
9.
Abebe 02:52
Uuu raura bebaik mutar Pukai Loop Mara Tulungei Dir Abebe Warpi Lan Eie Two butterflies representing spirits of my ancestors fly over me the magic man Uuu raura bebaik mutar Pukai Loop Mara Tulungei Dir Abebe Warpi Lan Eie Two butterflies representing spirits of my ancestors fly over me the magic man Akamana ra valian mur pukai Ialir abebe warpi lan eie They fly to the beach and over the sea so far away they cannot be seen anymore Uuu raura bebaik mutar Pukai Loop Mara Tulungei Dir Abebe Warpi Lan Eie Two butterflies representing spirits of my ancestors fly over me the magic man Uuu raura bebaik mutar Pukai Loop Mara Tulungei Dir Abebe Warpi Lan Eie Two butterflies representing spirits of my ancestors fly over me the magic man Akamana ra valian mur pukai Ialir abebe warpi lan eie They fly to the beach and over the sea so far away they cannot be seen anymore
10.
Lapun Man 03:22
Lapun man, lapun man Yu olsem wanem yu ai wara na ting-ting, long ples bilong yu. Ting-ting long war na mauden pairap. O-Matupit e pairap, Mi lukim simuk wantem siton antop tru long kilaud bekpela poret tru Yo yo Rabaul I pas pinis i bel sori Rabaul I bagarap long tudak. Ting ting long war na mauden pairap. Ol wait man, China man, barata Yu olsem wanem yu guria Sanap tingting long ronawe. Ting ting pikinini nameri Ol I go pas pinis long Australia Pretim ol siapan pretim ol soldier Yo yo Rabaul basis I pas pinis - ibel sore. I sol wara i pulap tru long warship Bomb pairap ol man I dai nating.
11.
Up in the mountains, up near the border, masked wooden faces, the tribes in the rain. And the words from the elders ring out through the valley, right through the seams of his face, the bones of his teeth. Take them all away, take them all away. Up in the mountains, up near the border, there’s souls for the saving, the missionaries gleam. Souls for the saving, Souls for the saviour, dress them in white clothes, to greet the Lord. Take them all away, take them all away, away, away.
12.
Azahe 02:32
13.
14.
15.
Gawi Bagarap 01:06

about

We went to Rabaul, Papua New Guinea in July 1988 following an invitation from Greg Seeto, the manager of Pacific Gold Studios, to record in his studio with some local musicians who frequently recorded there. "Tabaran" is the result of those recordings.

Some of the recordings are NDW songs that could fit on any other NDW album. Their lyrics and feel however reflect time spent in PNG. Other pieces are Papua New Guinean songs, both contemporary and traditional. The arrangements have been augmented by our instrumentation. The rest of the songs are collaborations, jointly composed by ourselves and the Pacific Gold musicians.

"Tabaran" is not a representative album of Papua New Guinea music nor is it anthropological. It is merely the result of a 6 week get together between six musicians from Melbourne and a variety of musicians who reside in or near Rabaul on the northwest tip of New Britain island.

It was an exciting adventure and a wonderful experience, totally different from anything else we'd done as a band before.

We hope you enjoy it.

Not Drowning, Waving



2005

It was 17 years ago that we recorded 'Tabaran' in Rabaul, and it was an experience that has lived on with each of us. Yet the Tabaran recording was not where the association with PNG, and its culture and music ended - PNG gets under your skin and this became a life-changing experience for us. Since then George Telek has released four CDs and toured the world with various NDW members; NDW reconvened for the Sing Sing, Morning Star and Womadelaide festivals together with players from the 'Tabaran' record; percussionist Ben Hakalitz joined Yothu Yindi and now lives in Cairns; Pius Wasi and Glen Low have ventured south to Australia on numerous occasions promoting the stories and culture of their Melanesian nation; and all members of NDW have returned to PNG many times for music, work and holidaying.

Rabaul's Simpson Harbour is the collapsed caldera of a massive former volcano, and the old caldera rim has many volcanic peaks, some still very active. In 1994 Vulcan and Tavurvur erupted violently changing beautiful Rabaul town forever. Mango Avenue, with its funky trade stores and kai bars, now lies under three metres of Tavurvur's ash, and the town is a weird wasteland of broken buildings. Nearby Kokopo is now the centre of things for the Tolais people.

The 'Tabaran' album is imbued with the upbeat vibe of Rabaul in its glory days, when it was the most beautiful town in the Pacific, and home to a vibrant music scene. 'Tabaran' was the most important thing we did as a band - it forged many lifelong friendships and collaborations - and it's an album we're extremely proud of.

Not Drowning, Waving

credits

released October 10, 1990

Lyrics by David Bridle except Tabaran and Abebe by Telek

Recorded at Pacific Gold Studios Rabaul, PNG July to August ‘88
engineered by Tim Cole assisted by Digby Holeong

Post Production at Hothouse Studios assisted by Paul Annison and
Sing Sing Studios Melbourne Australia assisted by Miranda McLachlan

Songs 2, 3, 4, 8, 9 Mixed at Platinum Studios by Paul Kosky.
Produced by Paul Kosky and Not Drowning, Waving

1, 5, 6, 7, 10, 12, 13, 14 Mixed by Tim Cole at Hothouse Studios
Produced By Not Drowning, Waving

Up in the Mountains recorded at Fast Forward Studios, 1986 engineered, mixed and produced by John French, Tim Cole and Not Drowning, Waving

ART & DESIGN : Russel Bradley
PHOTOGRAPHY : Philip Greenwood
PNG PHOTOS : Russel Bradley, Tim Cole and Rowan McKinnon
PHOTO OF NDW : Stuart Miller

NOT DROWNING,WAVING are:
Russel Bradley, David Bridie, Tim Cole, Rowan McKinnon, John Phillips and James Southall


WE WISH TO THANK THE FOLLOWING:
PNG Greg Seeto, Jim and Agnes Paliau (Lorengau), Michael Pint, Ludwig, Paul, Martin, Saimon, Snotty, Rambo the wonder dog, All the people from the Ratung Village, Max Memehere and Yaki Tazino (Keravat), The Pacific Gold Crew: Dick, Fabian, Kamit, Nelson, Lino, Harold, Pauli, Nelson, Glen, Kennedy, Kenny and Warbat; Paul and Ancilla Lokei, Polos, Francis, Ebert, Elvis, Seargent Stev~ Mohok and all the Ponam Islanders including the pikinini Rambos; Burns Philp, EM TV, Kundu Crackers. SP, Trukai, The Pacific Gold Tuck Shop, Spear, The Point After Disco, The Sea World Club, Andersons, Buai, Panim Wok, Olgeta manmeri, yu stap isi. Em Nau

AUSTRALIA Penny Hewson, Mark Worth, Kanin Casey, Community Arts Network, Owen Coney, David Ettelson, Rick King, Stuart Miller, Helen Mountfort, Philip Greenwood, Brian Cam, Rob Taylor, Mona and Grant, Robin Myers, Jaylene Farrell and Peter Shultze.

This trip was funded entirely by the meagre bank accounts of NDW and with the support of Pacific Gold Studios
DEDICATED TO KAMIT MAMUA
MUSICIAN AND ENGINEER AT PACIFIC GOLD
WHO TRAGICALLY DIED IN RABAUL DECEMBER 1989.

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Not Drowning, Waving Melbourne, Australia

NDW's music was haunting, evocative, brooding, sensuous and a million other words that excite people who type for a living. In record stores, you could usually find NDW filed under ambient or art-rock, ill-fitting labels if ever there were. Though they were often minimalist, they never made background music. Arty by comparison to other acts of the era, but they knocked out some glorious pop tunes. ... more

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