Music is an avenue for storytelling, self-expression and honouring one’s heritage. Our Oral History collection includes recordings of original and traditional compositions performed by migrants, refugees and their descendants. You can listen to a selection of these songs as you explore the exhibition.
Huari - Fernando Aguanta, Alejandro Aguanta, Alfredo Aguanta, Dio Aguanta, Jay Aguanta
Fernando Aguanta grew up in Tupiza, Bolivia. He initially migrated to Australia in 1989, returning to Bolivia in 1995 before migrating again with his family in 2004. Fernando and his sons, Alejandro, Alfredo, Dio and Jay, play Bolivian folk music as a family band. The song Huari is an original composition.
Hanap Ko (What Am I Looking For) - Christian Bong Ramilo
Christian Ramilo, nicknamed Bong, was born in Manilla, The Philippines. He wrote Hanap Ko in 1983 during the martial law period under President Ferdinand Marcos. Hanap Ko (What Am I Looking For) is about searching for strength to continue his activist work against the Marcos dictatorship. Christian migrated to Australia in 1986 and was granted residence on humanitarian grounds.
Dume - Ihor Kushnir
Ihor Kushnir was born in Adelaide to a Ukrainian father and Belarussian-Ukrainian mother. He plays and teaches the bandura, a Ukrainian string instrument. Dume is a traditional piece that Kushnir has arranged on the bandura for his band the Yellow Blue Bus.
Bāng Chhun-hong (Spring Breeze) and Ú lā Hoe (Rainy Night Flower) - Kim Yang
Kim Yang is from Taipei, Taiwan, and migrated to Australia in 2012. Bāng Chhun-hong (Spring Breeze) and Ú lā Hoe (Rainy Night Flower), performed by Yang, are love songs composed by Taiwanese Hakka musician Teng Yu-Hsien in the 1930s. Both were adapted into patriotic songs by the Japanese military during World War II.
Thank You Australia - Zuhir Naji
Zuhir Naji is from Damascas, Syria. He ran a music school before leaving Syria with his family in 2013. The Naji family lived in Jordan for three years before coming to Australia as refugees. Thank you Australia is an original composition, played on the oud, that Naji has performed at Government House.
Isabela - Oscar Jimenez
Oscar Jimenez grew up in Barranquilla, Colombia. He migrated in 2000 for his tertiary education and continues to work in Australia as a musician. His original song, Isabela, was composed in 2004. It is dedicated to his family in Colombia, specifically his niece Isabela, and explores how distance can help us appreciate our roots.
Seni Mokosoi - Radike Qereqeretabua, Eta Qereqeretabua
Newlyweds Radike and Eta Qereqeretabua relocated from Fiji to Australia in 1966 after Radike was awarded a scholarship to study librarianship. While living in Australia, they did live performances of traditional Fijian folk songs, such as Seni Mokosoi.
Tarantella Dell’emigrante - Dr Salvatore Rossano, Santa Taranta
Dr Salvatore Rossano is from the region of Apulia, Italy. He composed Tarantella Dell’emigrante on the accordion while completing his National Folk Fellowship on Italian folk music at the Library. This song is inspired by the stories and traditions of migrants from Calabria, and is dedicated to those who have left their homelands for a better life.
Tele l'a ole Sami (Let Me Hear You Whisper) - Iosefa Fidolu, Tautala Fidolu, Semi Vaafusuaga, Diane Vaafusuaga
Iosefa, Tautala, Semi and Diane learnt the song Tele l'a ole Sami while growing up in Samoa. Their performance was recorded in Griffith, New South Wales. This popular Samoan song was composed in 1954 by Napoleon Tuiteleleapaga, Ray Evans and Jay Livingston.
Nikriz Peşrev - Tamer Tarik Taskaya
Tamer Tarik Taskaya grew up in Corum and Ankara, Turkey. He chose to migrate to Australia in 2010 to avoid military service in Turkey. Nikriz Peşrev is a classical Ottoman song, composed by Ali Ufkî in the 1600s, that Tamer has arranged to be played on the cello.
Songs from the Woolgoolga Sikh Community - Surinder Kaur, Amarjeet Lalli, Sarhjit Kaur Bhalti, Sukhrinder Kaur Jhaj, Hohinder Kaur Raj, Jayvir Kaur Thandi, Rajwant Kaur, Balbiro Kaur Sangha, Prakaash Kaur
On Sunday mornings, women gather at the Guru Nanak Sikh Temple in Woolgoolga, New South Wales, to pray and cook food for their community. They sing these devotional songs to bless the food they make. These songs came from the first langar (community kitchen of a place of worship) in India, which began in 1469.
