Truganani (song)
Encyclopedia
"Truganani" is a song by Australia
n rock band Midnight Oil
, from their album Earth and Sun and Moon
. It was inspired by Truganini
, a Tasmanian Aboriginal
.
The song uses a recurring Australian problem (drought) to pose the question "What for?", meaning "why did Europeans bother to colonize this harsh place". The song mentions two prominent indigenous Australians (Truganini and Albert Namatjira
) whose lives were altered by European settlement and discusses current day sentiment towards the old country, namely the monarchy
.
The single's liner notes included the claim that Truganini was the "sole surviving Tasmanian Aborigine" when she died. This sparked protest by some of the 7,000 people who identify as Tasmanian Aboriginal.
The band performed the song live for American
audiences as the musical guest on the American television show Saturday Night Live
on May 8, 1993 when Christina Applegate
served as host.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n rock band Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil , were an Australian rock band from Sydney originally performing as Farm from 1972 with drummer Rob Hirst, bass guitarist Andrew James and keyboard player/lead guitarist Jim Moginie...
, from their album Earth and Sun and Moon
Earth and Sun and Moon
Earth and Sun and Moon is an album by Midnight Oil that was released in 1993 under the Columbia Records label.-Reception:-Track listing:# "Feeding Frenzy" – 5:07# "My Country" – 4:51...
. It was inspired by Truganini
Truganini
Trugernanner , often referred to as Truganini, was a woman widely considered to be the last "full blood" Palawa ....
, a Tasmanian Aboriginal
Indigenous Australians
Indigenous Australians are the original inhabitants of the Australian continent and nearby islands. The Aboriginal Indigenous Australians migrated from the Indian continent around 75,000 to 100,000 years ago....
.
The song uses a recurring Australian problem (drought) to pose the question "What for?", meaning "why did Europeans bother to colonize this harsh place". The song mentions two prominent indigenous Australians (Truganini and Albert Namatjira
Albert Namatjira
Albert Namatjira , born Elea Namatjira, was an Australian artist. He was a Western Arrernte man, an Indigenous Australian of the Western MacDonnell Ranges area...
) whose lives were altered by European settlement and discusses current day sentiment towards the old country, namely the monarchy
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
.
The single's liner notes included the claim that Truganini was the "sole surviving Tasmanian Aborigine" when she died. This sparked protest by some of the 7,000 people who identify as Tasmanian Aboriginal.
The band performed the song live for American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
audiences as the musical guest on the American television show Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live
Saturday Night Live is a live American late-night television sketch comedy and variety show developed by Lorne Michaels and Dick Ebersol. The show premiered on NBC on October 11, 1975, under the original title of NBC's Saturday Night.The show's sketches often parody contemporary American culture...
on May 8, 1993 when Christina Applegate
Christina Applegate
Christina Applegate is an American actress. She is best known for playing Kelly Bundy on the Fox sitcom Married... with Children. Since then, she has established a film and television career, winning a Primetime Emmy and earning Tony and Golden Globe nominations...
served as host.