Lone Singers: the others have all gone
Date
2017
Authors
Hercus, Luise
Koch, Grace
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
The Hunter Press
Abstract
The Lone Singers and/or the Last Singers of songs from various Aboriginal traditions have a
most important role to play in the preservation of knowledge. In areas of Australia where there
are regular ceremonial performances, group singing provides the norm for analysis. However,
in places such as Victoria, many songs sung by the elders have not been passed on, and only a
few individual singers remember them. The Lone Singers on many occasions said that they were
sorry for the verses because in the future there would be no one left to sing and remember them.
Therefore, the recordings and the knowledge of these songs that may originally have been sung
by more than one person are very precious. We will argue for the value of songs sung by Lone or
Last Singers, showing their special merits and their place in contemporary Aboriginal society
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Type
Book chapter
Book Title
Recirculating Songs: Revitalising the Singing Practices of Indigenous Australia
Entity type
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License Rights
DOI
Restricted until
2099-12-31
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