YUUPURNJU: A WARLPIRI SONG CYCLE

“Yuupurnju: A Warlpiri Song Cycle” details a ceremonial song cycle performed by Warlpiri Elder Henry Cooke Anderson Jakamarra in 2013 at Lajamanu, Northern Territory. Set within the traditional kurdiji “shield” ceremony, it narrates a women’s jukurrpa Dreaming story of ancestral women journeying across the land. Recorded by Carmel O’Shannessy, Jakamarra’s rendition makes these songs accessible to the Warlpiri community and beyond. The book includes Warlpiri lyrics, English interpretations by Jakamarra and Warlpiri Elders, and musical notation by ethnomusicologist Myfany Turpin. Forewords by senior custodians Jerry Patrick Jangala OAM and Wanta Jampijinpa offer additional context and insight.