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MABO
© Hottentot Party 
           

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Mabo   The Hottentots

Carl Cleves

 

Child of Murray Island, jewel of the Coral Sea, Eddie Koiki Mabo took his fight for land rights to the highest court of Australia. As a result of his long struggle the concept of "terra nullius" or vacant land, ("there was no one at home when I took the purse") the conqueror’s excuse for denying land rights to the aboriginal population, was overthrown. After 200 years of occupation the presence of the indigenous people who had lived on this continent for 40.000 years was acknowledged. Their right to land has been established. The tide has now changed. Let true reconciliation be achieved in our hearts. When will a treaty be signed?

This recording is the result of a Brazilian - Australian collaboration. Whilst on tour in Brazil, my friend and ex-band member & brother-in-arms, Chico Amaral, famed in Brazil as the song writer, saxophonist and horn arranger for number 1 band Skank, took a liking to this song and offered to write a horn arrangement and play the flutes and saxes. He brought in the horn section of Skank. Ruben De Souza provided the rhythm section and all this was recorded over 2 days in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais. Stage 2 took plays at Troy Horse studios in Sydney, where Matty Doyle added his didgeridoo mastery, members from the Voices from the Vacant Lot sang along, and Torres strait islander Lama Pinao Ghee recited his eulogy for Eddie in language:

 

 

 

Koiki abi tebud ira bi dali                                                                        Koiki a light for his people
Ikweiredi au kela kela ares leisa, ares ge                                  `             Standing strong like a warrior in battle
Aseserdi tabara debe ged, abi omaskir im a yabi nosik im                      Protecting his                                                                                                  beautiful land  for his  children and their children
Ged ira gelar au kela kela ike                                                                  Mer land laws stand strong
E au kela kela ares le Dali                                                                        He is a strong fighting man

 

When Captain Cook came to Australia he named it vacant land
Terra Nullius was the word for robbery
And so a country was built on a lie
‘till there was one man who took a brave stand
Mabo Mabo
Eddie Koiki Mabo

 

For 30 years he struggled, his wife Nettie by his side
She was the flame of his Murray island home
They spied, they tried, denied his name
But now they fear him when we all cheer him

 

Eddie faced the Queensland state, the government of the land
Lawyers, guns nor money, could hold Eddie back
He fought from nowhere to the highest Court
He used the law to open the door

 

Eddie died before he saw his precious dream come true
He took his last breath in his darling Nettie’s arms
Five months went by ‘till the judges decided
That even a black man has rights to his own land
Mabo  MABO  Mabo  MABO 
Eddie Koiki Mabo

 

They defaced his grave, they spread lies, they made a 10-point plan
“Nothing for the mob and everything for the man”
But truth ‘s not decided by democracy
If justice is fairness why not share it with us?
 Mabo  MABO  Mabo  MABO 
He gave the people the people inspiration MABO
To end racial discrimination MABO
Justice, reconciliation MABO
He is the hero of our generation MABO
Eddie Koiki Mabo

 

Carl Cleves: lead vocal & guitar
Parissa Bouas: vocal
Pinao Ghee: spoken Murri eulogy
Chico Amaral: flute, saxophones and horn arrangement
Matty Doyle: didgeridoo
Ruben de Souza: programming
Joao Vianna: trumpet
Edvaldo Silva: trombone 
Additional backing vocals: Matthew Fargher, Elizabeth Newman, Simon Hudson, Mark D’Astoli
Recorded at Super Trilhos, Belo Horizonte, Brazil & Troy Horse Studios, Sydney
Engineered by Gauguin (Brazil) & Colin Wright (Australia)
Mixed by Colin Wright