《Rrakala》：Exploring the beauty of Australian indigenous music

What is your first image of the indigenous music? Strange? Hard to understand? And what is your feeling when you find difficulties even to pronounce the title of the album? It will be just a pity if they become your obstacles to further explore the world of music, especially when you miss something that is really worth to listen to. ‘Rrakala’, an album by Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, is one of the examples.

Being an Australian Aboriginal singer, Gurrumul has contributed much to surprise the mainstream listeners. His blindness has even made him a legend in music. After having a great success for his debut album ‘Gurrumul’, his second album ‘Rrakala’ that was released in 2011 has not disappointed me.

This album is very different to the mainstream popular music or even any other independent music. Such difference is mainly generated by the culture of the Aborigines. The album title ‘Rrakala’ is referring to the members of the Gumatj nation. Aboriginal culture has a solid sense of shared ancestors. They view their country or homeland as a spiritual identity and is inherited through ancestors. Soil and rocks are usually considered as sacred elements to connect their souls and the country. Hence, unlike being dominated by love songs in pop music, the Aborigines use music as a way to express their emotions for the sacred…