by Yothu Yindi
music video
See also:
→ Djatpangarri (from Treaty) to watch Mandawuy perform the traditional song that forms the basis of Treaty.
→ Treaty (dance remix) for the music video of the version which became a major hit for Yothu Yindi.
Treaty was a collaboration between Yothu Yindi, Paul Kelly and Midnight Oil. lt was created as a protest against the failure of the Australian Government to honour the promise which the Prime Minister Bob Hawke made to Indigenous Australians at the Barunga Festival in 1988.
This song was written after Bob Hawke, in his famous response to the Barunga Statement (1988), said there would be a Treaty between Indigenous Australians and the Australian Government by 1990. The intention of this song was to raise public awareness about this so that the government would be encouraged to hold to his promise. The song became a number-one hit, the first ever to be sung in a Yolŋu language, and caught the public’s imagination.
- Mandawuy Yunupingu from the Yothu Yindi website.
This music video shows Prime Minister Bob Hawke and Minister for Indigenous Affairs, Robert Tickner, at the 1988 Barunga Festival.
Lyrics
Well I heard it on the radio
And I saw it on the television
Back in 1988, all those talking politicians
Words are easy, words are cheap
Much cheaper than our priceless land
But promises can disappear
Just like writing in the sand
Treaty yeah treaty now treaty yeah treaty now
Nhima djatpangarri nhima walangwalang
Nhe djatpayatpa nhima gaya’ nhe marrtjini yakarray
Nhe djatpa nhe walang
Gumurr-djararrk Gutjuk
This land was never given up
This land was never bought and sold
The planting of the Union Jack
Never changed our law at all
Now two rivers run their course
Separated for so long
I’m dreaming of a brighter day
When the waters will be one
Treaty yeah treaty now treaty yeah treaty now
Nhima gayakaya nhe gaya’ nhe
Nhe gaya’ nhe marrtjini walangwalang nhe ya
Nhima djatpa nhe walang
Gumurr-djararrk yawirriny’
Nhe gaya’ nhe marrtjini gaya’ nhe marrtjini
Gayakaya nhe gaya’ nhe marrtjini walangwalang
Nhima djatpa nhe walang
Gumurr-djararrk nhe yå
Promises disappear - priceless land - destiny
Well i heard it on the radio
And i saw it on the television
But promises can be broken
Just like writing in the sand
Treaty yeah treaty now treaty yeah treaty now
Treaty yeah treaty now treaty yeah treaty now
Treaty yeah treaty ma treaty yeah treaty ma
Treaty yeah treaty ma treaty yeah treaty ma
(for a translation of the Gumatj language lyrics, see Djatpangarri (from Treaty).
