This release is a way for us to share 'Our Island' beyond the song, its 60-page booklet gives full lyric translations along with artists' insights into their songs, and illustrations of the artists created from cultural elements and nature grant us a pathway to explore their cultural perspectives. With a hands-on meditation of creating your own globe, ‘Our Island’ is in your hands.
‘Our Island’ was recorded remotely from our island homes. Many of us have never met in person, we are yet to discover if we have legs. Online we shared our stories, songs, concerns and loves, usually interrupted by Sammy’s spontaneous Kabosy solos, Putad, Vaiteani & Luc’s children or our internet freezing again (even in the tropics!).
We could support each other in our concerns for our planet, we know at times these feelings are overwhelming, that’s a healthy response, but know you are not alone, there are many sharing these feelings. We are a part of a movement, a momentum for cultural change which puts our relationship to our planet at its core.
Available at our concerts, bandcamp & our website.
#1 Trans Global Music Chart 2022 Feb
Nominated - 2022 Golden Melody Awards TAIWAN - Best Indigenous Album & Album of the Year
Includes unlimited streaming of Our Island
via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more.
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about
From Tim -
At a global rise in temperature of 1.5° marine
scientists are in consensus that our planet will lose
90% of its coral reefs, at current rates we will reach
that threshold in 2035. These reefs support 25%
of all marine life, the loss of these irreplaceable
habitats and species will be an existential event for
the world's ocean. As an Australian, I am spiritually
destroyed that the natural wonder beyond expression
that is the Great Barrier Reef is dying on my watch,
it’s death along with uncontrolled gutting of the
oceans fish stocks, the destructive fishing methods
of vast unaccountable fishing fleets, the continued
preventable pollution of plastic, sewage, oil spills
and nuclear waste entering our ocean and the very
real possibility of the great ocean guyas maintaining
ocean and atmospheric climate stability collapsing;
our oceans as a functioning global ecosystem could
end in our generation.
Once the ocean stops functioning as a coherent
living ecosystem there will be no reviving it, this is
where this song hopes to take you.
As the producer of the album this was my
biggest ask of the artists, for them to know and own
this awareness and to go to the place deep in their
soul after such an event, and embody their loss of our
oceans and all sea life. Then to draw on the mourning
traditions of the heritage to express such profound
inconsolable loss. This is where we hope to take the
listener because there will be no point in writing such
a song if we fail to respond to nature's demands, we have
to go there now.
lyrics
Originally in Amis of Taiwan
Have we all forgotten?
The ocean is the birthplace of all life
Mother of all life
It is dying
Who should protect it?
Embrace our mother
‘Til forever
(Spoken word)
Do not forget
No ocean, no life
Protect. With full strength
Originally in English & Creole of Mauritius
We’re gonna cry a river until it reaches the ocean
Originally in Hawaiian of Hawai’i
Drink the water of life
From the child to the elder, drink
The yellow leafed ‘awa, the kava of Keahialaka
And then you shall meet with Pele
Pluck the lehua
See the lei at the sea of Hopoe
Originally in Paiwan of Taiwan
(Sigh)
Our Island is losing its fight
to survive and thrive
(Sigh)
credits
from Our Island,
track released January 28, 2022
Composers — Putad, Sauljaljui & Tim Cole.
Arrangement — Tim Cole
NATURE SOUNDS: Pacific Ocean, Pisirian Village beach, Taiwan/
Humpback whale songs recorded off Moorea (French Polynesia) by the OCEANIA association (www.asso-oceania.com)
supported by 7 fans who also own “Lament for a Dying Ocean”
I love these women. the voices mesh together perfectly; also the world music is exceptional. I have all of their albums and they're all excellent. Give them a listen. Steve Lake
