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Kankawa Nagarra
Australian Aboriginal singer-songwriter From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Kankawa Nagarra (born circa 1943), (also known as Olive Knight[2]) is an Aboriginal Australian blues and gospel singer-songwriter and author. She sings in Walmajarri, Kimberley Creole and English.[1] Her 2024 album Wirlmarni won the Australian Music Prize.[3]
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Early life
Nagarra was born circa 1943 in Kimberley (Western Australia)[1] She is a Gooniyandi and Walmatjarri elder.[4]
At the age of 8, Nagarra was taken from her parents and sent to a mission in the Wangkatjungka Community. She one of the Stolen Generations.[1][5]
Nagarra discovered gospel, country, rock and blues music whilst working on homesteads via the radio.[5][6]
Nagarra learned to play a cousin's guitar when she was in her 20s. She said, "At the time, there was a cultural thing, women weren't allowed to touch anything made of wood, we were forbidden to even go near the guitar, because it was a men's wooden instrument."[7] Nagarra bought her first guitar at age 40.[5][6]
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Performing career
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In March 2011, Knight released Gospel Blues at the Edge of the Desert. She supported Hugh Jackman's Hugh Jackman: Back on Broadway concert residency from October 2011 to January 2012 in New York City. About the performance, Knight said "Singing on a Broadway stage backed by an 18-piece orchestra, visiting New York's blues and jazz clubs … security guards, private chauffeurs ... it was a dream. You have to pinch yourself."[8]
In 2013, Knight released Kan-Kawa Contemporary Gospel & Blues.[9]
In 2014, Knight received $12,500 via the Western Australia Regional Arts Fund which provided Knight the opportunity to work with professional musicians at James Newhouse's studio. With the assistance of this funding, Knight was recorded her third album project Olive has produced the album, Heroes & Laments: Walmatjarri Stories which was released in April 2015.[10][2]
In 2019, Nagarra toured the United States and Europe alongside Hugh Jackman again, as part of the production, The Man. The Music. The Show..[11]
In December 2024, Nagarra won the 20th Australian Music Prize for Wirlmarni. Upon hearing this, she said "I dedicate this award to all my little Greats with a special mention to Tykrira Wilson who stands with me on the cover of the album. I love them all very much. They are my future ancestors."[6]
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Personal life
In the 1960s, Nagarra assisted in the development of the Walmatjarri dictionary.[5][12]
Nagarra is a Systems Awareness Teacher, human rights advocate and political activist.[6]
Nagarra works to raise awareness about youth suicide and substance abuse within Aboriginal communities.[5][6] She is the Founder of the term 'Ears of the Heart' and painter of the Map that describes the Project of the same name. ears of the Heart brings people together using both Indigenous Spiritual Wisdom with Systems Awareness our Inner Selves as Human beings with our responsibilities to each other and to 'Country'. Kankawa believes we must all listen with the intention to really 'hear' each other in new ways. This will be possible when we all learn and practice to move Ears from our Heads to our Hearts.
In 2016, Nagarra released the autobiography, 'The Bauhinia Tree: The Life of Kankawa Olive Knight.[13]
She is honorifically known as "The Queen of The Bandaral Ngadu Delta".[14]
Discography
Albums
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Awards and nominations
Australian Music Prize
The Australian Music Prize (the AMP) is an annual award of $50,000 given to an Australian band or solo artist in recognition of the merit of an album released during the year of award. They commenced in 2005.
Western Australia Women's Hall of Fame
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References
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