‘Galloping words’ to Anmatyerr Hymn
After sitting through eight one and-a-quarter-hour teaching sessions at a Bush Bible Course, the brain seeks a bit of rest and rejuvenation. However, at the recent Bush Course at M’Bunghara, linguist David ‘Stricko’ Strickland was talking with some Anmatyerr language-speaking young men.
They decided to use their spare time to translate the lunchtime hymn, ‘Spread our table Lord and Father,’ into Anmatyerr. The hymn has just eight lines and a simple tune. After about half an hour of serious effort to fit Anmatjerr words to the eight beats per line, someone suggested recording it on a mobile phone. The first recording revealed too many ‘galloping words’ to fit the beat, so they went back to the drawing board several more times, eventually recording a third version.
Everyone was pleased with the combined effort, but they considered the third recording a work in progress.
It still needed to pass the ultimate test: the older, experienced Anmatjerr ladies listening to it and commenting on the correctness of the meaning and the suitability for the musical beat. Once approved, the Anmatjerr speakers can join in singing this lunchtime prayer in their own language.
Well done, men!
