It’s NAIDOC Week 2023, and Apple Music has partnered with several acclaimed First Nations artists to curate and share new playlists to mark the occasion.
Each artist took creative control to make their special playlist, one that speaks to this year’s NAIDOC Week theme of “For Our Elders.” Their playlist joins Apple Music’s First Nations collection of playlists dedicated to showcasing vital First Nations stories and artists, including FIRST, MOTHER, BLAKLIST, and ALWAYS.
Following Becca Hatch, Emma Donovan and Troy Cassar-Daley is rising star Tia Gostelow, who decided to choose songs about connecting with country, community and language.
“It’s important that we remember the stories and values that have been handed down to us by our grandparents and Elders, and continue embracing them in our everyday life,” the proud Luma Luma woman says.
“There’s a lot of beautiful melodies that can be sung along to. I love that a lot of these songs have family members singing on them or are being sung in language.”
You can check out Gostelow’s full playlist below, and see what she had to say about three of her favourite tracks:
Emily Wurramara, “Carry Me Home”
“Emily grew up in Milyakburra and Groote Eylandt (Anindilyakwa) and I lived there until I was 10 years old, so when I listen to her music I feel like I’m taken back to my childhood. ‘Carry Me Home’ is about Groote Eylandt (Anindilyakwa) and the lady speaking in it is Emily’s great-grandmother. I think it’s really special.”
Busby Marou, “Naba Norem (The Reef Song)”
“‘Naba norem’ means ‘Let’s go to the reef’ in the Torres Strait Meriam Mir language: [Torres Strait is] where Jeremy [Marou] is from and where the song was recorded. I think what makes this song so beautiful is that elements of the island were captured, including natural sounds [and] traditional instruments. My favourite part is the primary school kids singing.”
Alice Skye, “Wurega Djalin”
“I love Alice’s voice so much and it’s so beautiful hearing her sing in her people’s language of Wergaia. This song really shows me how important it is to protect our languages. Because if we don’t, we lose them, and that’s so heartbreaking to me.”
