Whilst drawing upon a continent-wide legacy of roots and reggae music, Ripple Effect Band are undoubtedly their own creation.
They hit the perfect sweet spot between tightly arranged songwriting and the grinning energy of a jam session, the most purest of pleasures of making music with friends, with family. Mayawa is charged with the vibrant contributions of its many members: nine in all, across multiple generations, and singing in five languages. The subtle harmonies of ‘Waláya’ carry the weight of a song that sounds timeless from the moment you first hear it. And at times Mayawa dips into fuzzy gloriousness, such as the bluesy saxophone and overdriven guitar of ‘People From Maningrada.’
“My country is my life… my future and my past” – so sing the band on the opening track ‘Na-Kalamandjarda’. Mayawa is a collection of histories of the land and its owners, bridging past, present and future generations. It’s also music as action – ‘Na-Kalamandjarda’ and ‘Namaeyarra’ are sung in Na-Kara, a language now spoken by less than 55 people. Other songs preserve stories: ‘Cyclone’ is the first ever recording of a Dhukurrdji story and song of local Djómi ancestral spirits, who turned a Category 5 cyclone in 2006 away from Maningrada at the last minute, saving hundreds of lives.
Ripple Effect Band were the first in their community to form an all-femme band, and Mayawa was carefully and unhurriedly assembled over a number of years, created and composed on Country with community and elder input. Mayawa is a shining example of a DIY attitude often spoken about and revered by many – done independently, done together, and most importantly, done with intention.
Words by Lindsay Riley