The Mob - 'Dhinawan Touch the Stars'

'Dhinawan' is the Kamileroi word for 'emu', and the song title refers to an ancient Kamileroi constellation etched into the negative space of the milky way. A powerful and sacred Indigenous songline, the Dhinawan story shifts and changes as it travels from nation to nation, and is the foundation of this particular production.
Written, recorded and filmed over 5 days in June 2016 in the remote community of Walgett in Northwest NSW, 'Dhinawan Touch the Stars' is an outcome of a Desert Pea Media community project with a group of young Indigenous people enrolled at Walgett Community College.
The project came about through a partnership between Desert Pea Media, Outback Arts and the James N Kirby Foundation.
Desert Pea Media projects involve a dialogue-based storytelling process that encouraged participants to analyze 'the real', 'the ideal' and 'the bridge'. In simple terms this means critically thinking about how to create positive change for individuals, for each other and for our communities.
This information was then disseminated into a narrative structure by local young people and Desert Pea Media staff - Toby Finlayson, Michael Graham (aka MC Boomalli)and acclaimed Indigenous hip hop artist, Director, Producer, Label Owner and everything in-between - Fred Leone aka Rival MC. The lyrics were co-written and recorded, we then shot a music video over two days all over Walgett and surrounding areas.
This project featured the expert musical direction and production of acclaimed musician and and songwriter Carlo Santone (Blue King Brown, Nattali Rize) who has since worked with us on a number of projects.
The song is a celebration of culture, songline, connection to country and pride in Australia's Indigenous heritage and is also one of our proudest achievements of 2016.
Special thanks to DPM mentor and community elder - Ros McGregor for her unwavering support and friendship over nearly 10 years, and to the Walgett community.
LYRICS
My songline criss cross from coast to coast
Stories of my culture that we holding close
This the black soil plains where the songline start
The story of my people, Dhinawan up in the stars
This a - call out from the north to west
And if you know the emu dreaming yarn y’all connected
To the - black dirt that’s beneath ya feet
Coming fresh outta Walgett where the two rivers meet
Couple cods and a yellowbelly - couple Johnny cakes
Have a yarn to Aunty. Bit of conversation
This how we do it in kamileroi nation
Throw ya dubs up, reppin all of my relations
You can feel it round the campfire light
You can hear the clapsticks when you close your eyes
Get ya friends and ya family and hold them tight
Stay strong we gonna be alright
My country where the songlines are
Where dhinawan touch the stars
Sunset see the red light glow
My heart beats to get back home
My country where the songlines are
Where dhinawan touch the stars
Sunset see the red light glow
My heart beats to get back home
We dealing with the kinda stuff that’ll get ya down
That stuff what ya do when ya bored livin in a small town
That sadness is all around us
yep trauma & pain gets passed down cuz
Copy what ya mum & dad does and what ya brothers do
Yep it’s my family and my friends that I look up to -
shapes my values - makes me who I am
black superwoman or black superman
Black fella spray paint on the back of your right hand
Used to hold a spear now ya holdin a mic stand
Used to follow lore now ya follow the white man
Used to read stars now we follow the nav man, a black man
Gotta read the signs ahead - choose the right path
Got young fullas lookin up to you bred.
Watching your every step, every path you tread
Every choice you make you better make it your best
My country where the songlines are
Where dhinawan touch the stars
Sunset see the red light glow
My heart beats to get back home
My country where the songlines are
Where dhinawan touch the stars
Sunset see the red light glow
My heart beats to get back home
This is our time, it’s time to make a choice
This a song for my people, stand up and raise your voice
This a message and it’s special for the little girls and boys
Speak the truth, be fair dinkum and make some noise
Pull yourself out of the drain, get up out of the gutter
Continue the story of your great great barji and ya darthar
Show the love and respect one another
Don’t let it go in one ear and out the other.
Love ya my dhagaan.
Love ya my brother.
CREDITS
Young people in Walgett, NSW - Co-Directors/ Co-Writers
Toby Finlayson - Producer/ Director/ Writer/ DOP/ Editor
Fred Leone - Co-Writer/ Mentor/ Facilitator
Michael Graham - Co-Writer/ Mentor/ Facilitator
Carlo Santone - Music Producer/ Music Director
Roy Weiland - Colour Grading/Motion Graphics
Ptero_Stylus @ Hope Street Studios/ Audio Engineering