The Wire review of the Lani Singers CD Ninalik Ndwadi

I've just received a copy of The Wire review of the Lani Singers CD Ninalik Ndwadi. I'm playing bass on 8 tracks.






When the Dutch quit West Papua in 1961, that mineral-rich land was soon occupied by Indonesian forces. Since then 400,000 West Papuans have been killed by the invading militia. Once you encounter that sickening statistic in the liner notes to Ninaluk Ndawi (Freedom song), it's impossible to hear the artless charm of this music without a profound sense of human vulnerability and a sense too of human resilience and dignity. Benny and Maria Wenda, the Lani Singers, grew up in the remote central highland region, where the Lani people still lead uncomplicated lives. Most of Wenda's family were killed during an air bombardment. Subsequently, he attended university, was imprisoned for voicing resistance to the regime, and eventually escaped with his wife to the U K, where they run the Free West Papua Campaign. They harmonise over basic guitar and ukulele accompaniment; Roger Harmar adds occasional bass. The song structures bears the singalong imprint of European missionary music, although at times - notably on "Umameke Dearowakod" - an indigenous vocal tradition surfaces. These are modest, understated songs but they bear the weight of the worst and the best in human behaviour and are deeply affecting.