Little Eva at Moonlight Creek and Other Aboriginal Song Poems
Martin Duwell
(editor),
R. M. W. Dixon
(editor),
St Lucia
:
University of Queensland Press
,
1994
Z406121
1994
anthology
poetry
Little Eva at Moonlight Creek is the sequel to the anthology of Aboriginal song poems, The Honey-Ant Men's Love Song. It samples the literary traditions of four language groups...Yanyuwa songs depicting particular events such as the 1942 crash of the B-25 bomber Little Eva, Ngurlu songs from Broome, Wangkangurru songs with mixed themes and Yolngu songs about birds from the Wora and Liyagawumirr clans. Each song is presented in its original language and in translation. Introductions place songs within their cultural context with interpretations offered by singers. (Source: Publishers blurb)
'Dark, viscous honey, hot stuff— so go some of the words sung in Anbarra country in Arnhem Land to celebrate sugar bag, as translated into English by Margaret Clunies Ross (P 81).
'The Central Australian song focussed on in the book's title also has honey as a theme. Verse 60 in Stephen Wild's organisation of the song words runs, in his translation: He asked for honey Not enough honey (p 67) Stephen Wild introduces this verse with the comment, The sexual symbolism of honey has its parallel also in Western thought' (p 66). Indeed—and, it might prove safe to add, wherever there is honey. Imagery is part of the celebration of the power of language in song the world over. Since it is love that makes the world go round, as English speakers are used to putting it, and since singing offers people a slippery grip on the process, many of the same sexually symbolic associations crop up in song again and again, here, there and everywhere.' (Introduction)
'Dark, viscous honey, hot stuff— so go some of the words sung in Anbarra country in Arnhem Land to celebrate sugar bag, as translated into English by Margaret Clunies Ross (P 81).
'The Central Australian song focussed on in the book's title also has honey as a theme. Verse 60 in Stephen Wild's organisation of the song words runs, in his translation: He asked for honey Not enough honey (p 67) Stephen Wild introduces this verse with the comment, The sexual symbolism of honey has its parallel also in Western thought' (p 66). Indeed—and, it might prove safe to add, wherever there is honey. Imagery is part of the celebration of the power of language in song the world over. Since it is love that makes the world go round, as English speakers are used to putting it, and since singing offers people a slippery grip on the process, many of the same sexually symbolic associations crop up in song again and again, here, there and everywhere.' (Introduction)
