Rob Hirst (Midnight Oil), John Schumann (Redgum) and Shane Howard (Goanna) share vocal/guitar duties on this remarkable song/story ‘Sugar in the Tea’, written by Rob and produced and mixed by Midnight Oil’s Jim Moginie.
New Song from Rob Hirst feat. John Schumann & Shane Howard
“ Rob’s compelling ballad of the Pintupi Nine creatively captures their epic narrative tale. It fires the imagination. It’s important to remember they were still living a traditional, sovereign, Aboriginal life in our lifetime, independent of modern Australia.” - Shane Howard
Sugar in the Tea
October 1984.
Nine members of the Pintupi people, from the edge of remote Lake Mackay in the Great Sandy Desert, arrive in two Toyotas at W.A.’s Kiwirrkurra Roadhouse. Once there, they resolve to abandon their traditional lives and remain in the ‘modern world’
Bushman Charlie McMahon (Gondwanaland) is one of the mob there to greet them, bearing clothes, blankets and water. Journos from the big cities soon follow, filing headline-grabbing, ‘first contact’ stories – ‘We Find the Lost Tribe’ - or framing the group as ‘The Last of the Nomads’.
The years pass, and works by Australia’s First Nations artists become highly sought after. Several of ‘The Pintupi Nine’ – particularly Warlimpirrnga Tjapaltjarri and Yakultji Napangati - develop unique artistic skills at the Papunya Tula Art Co-op, their paintings bringing huge international recognition.
Rob Hirst (Midnight Oil), John Schumann (Redgum) and Shane Howard (Goanna) share vocal/guitar duties on this remarkable song/story ‘Sugar in the Tea’, written by Rob and produced and mixed by Midnight Oil’s Jim Moginie.
‘On the 40th anniversary of the Pintupi Nine’s abrupt and unsettling arrival at Kiwirrkurra, I thought it timely to be reminded of their amazing achievements and the extraordinary arc of their lives. Many thanks to those who helped make ‘Sugar in the Tea’ happen, especially drummer Hamish Stuart, film-maker Robert Hambling, didge-player Charlie McMahon and the Kiwirrkurra community. - Rob Hirst
‘Do they want to come in, do they want to turn back? . The decision of the Pintupi Nine to ‘come in’ is the other bookend to the particular bit of our national story that started with ‘They were standing on the shore one day, saw the white sails in the sun… It’s an honour and a joy beyond measure to sing this important song with my two best friends in the music industry.’ - John Schumann
‘Rob’s compelling ballad of the Pintupi Nine creatively captures their epic narrative tale. It fires the imagination. It’s important to remember they were still living a traditional, sovereign, Aboriginal life in our lifetime, independent of modern Australia’. - Shane Howard