Urim songwriting workshop: Christian traditional music and dancing

A highlight of the Urim course for me was the large number of Urim-style songs that the participants composed. Most new songs included kundu, and a few even featured a set of bamboo trumpets. These trumpets were lengths of bamboo, open on one end and with a hole cut into the node at the other end. The player buzzes this to produce one pitch. Different lengths of bamboo, producing different pitches, alternate playing in the song, forming an interlocking pattern that plays at the same time that groups of men and women are singing. 

The group that created these songs practiced many hours in the days leading up to the final workshop day. That afternoon, they came into the house were I was doing the recordings. I really enjoyed hearing these songs fill the house. But when they had finished recording, the leader told me that this kind of music is accompanied by a dance, so I should really come outside and hear the music in its proper context. 

In the dance, the lead instrument player--playing kundu and bamboo flute at the same time--leads the other bamboo players through the middle of a circle of the singers.

Another part of Urim music culture I heard and saw that Friday afternoon was the bamboo jew's harp--called susap in Tok Pisin, and mtark in Urim. Pastor Peter, who had been a great participant in the workshop, was happy to show me the mtark, an instrument that doesn't fit into any large-group styles of Urim music, but is used for personal enjoyment.

Here are some examples of the traditional-style Urim Christian songs:

And the words:

1003
Nang a Sisas oooo, Sisas oooo (2x)             The name of Jesus
Nang alkil Sisas nang klalen, klalen               The name of Jesus is Light
Nang wor  wor akangklei wang                       I sing praises all day long

1005
La mamam, o la yayai o                                 O Mama, Papa
Sisas la-o kitn kunutel o                                  Jesus is calling you
Ampur akwonalmpen watipmen paipm o       Don't worry
Kitn il na-o kitn nowe  na-o                              about what you eat, or what you wear
Ampur akwonalmpen watipmen paipm o       Don't worry
Kitn kul kunutel il kolen wel-o                          Trust him, like the birds of the air do

1007
Sisas kil la, la kil a kil (2x)                               Jesus said,
Ikga kil nar eng mentepm  uwi atopen            "I will come back, and it will be a day of joy"

1008
Kupm akwe Sisas, akwe Sisas (2x)                  I cry out to Jesus,
La kitn ikopm titnongkef a                                  You give me strength
Maur klalen pa                                                   God gives light
Eng kupm al ik kwap, a kitnen pa (2x)               That I can work for him

1024
Mentepm uk wor maur wailen o                        We give thanks to God
Eng ukwa yangkipm alkilen kul (2x)                  that his Word has come
Akawi mentepm wrongkwail rpma                    He's come for all of us,
Kawor mpang kakir o (2x)                                 all of us who live in the bush

1027 
Warim kipman, kil yapon kil wangkir ooooo (2x)
Mentepm rpmi kuin o rpmi kuin o, rpmi wenting ooooo (2x)

1032
Peter plays the mtark

1047 (Luke 23:3-24)
Maur wailen, maur wailen oooo (2x)                  God, God,
Angkli wes, angkli wes oooo (2x)                       They threw stones
Ungkwa wulikgel, ungkwa wulikgel oooo            They spat on you
O wailen, wailen  oooo                                        Lord, Lord,
Kil amo, kil amo  oooo                                        You died, you died,
Akarmpen wrongkwail oooo                                to redeem us all