Midnight Oil co-founder Rob Hirst has written ‘Sugar In the Tea’ about the Puntupi Nine, who were considered Australia’s “lost tribe”.
In 1984 the Puntupi Nine, a group of indigenous people who lived in the Gibson Desert and were unaware of European colonisation, made contact with relatives after the death of their elder. The family was two adult women and seven children, four brothers and three sisters.
All nine members of the family were discovered in excellent health with “not an ounce of fat”.
The brothers, Warlimpirrnga, Walala and Tamlik, are now internationally famous painters known as Tjapaltjarri Brothers. The three sisters, Yalti, Yikultji and Takariya, are well-known Aboriginal artists whose works can be seen on exhibition and purchased from a number of art dealers.
One of the adult women has since died. The other lives with the three sisters.
‘Sugar in the Tea’, written by Rob Hirst and sung by Rob, Redgum’s John Schumann and Goanna’s Shane Howard. It tells the story of the so-called ‘Last of the Nomads’, their discovery and for some, their subsequent international art success.
Jim Moginie of Midnight Oil produced and mixed, Rob Hambling made the lyric video, and Charlie McMahon – who was there at Kiwirrkurra at the time – provided primary source facts in the video.
Stay updated with your free Noise11.com daily music news email alert. Subscribe to Noise11 Music News here
Be the first to see NOISE11.com’s newest interviews and special features on YOUTUBE and updated regularly. See things first SUBSCRIBE here: Noise11 on YouTube SUBSCRIBE
