Thursday Island Ilan Styles

Time Wait for No One

The music video 'Time Wait for No One' is the product of a collaboration between the Torres Strait Islander community of Thursday Island, Desert Pea Media, and Northern Queensland Primary Health Network (NQPHN).

This production, along with two short films, was created over 14 days in September 2019. It is an outcome of a unique, collaborative creative process with Desert Pea Media artists, local Indigenous young people, community members, Elders, and local health and community services.

'Time Wait For No One' is a bouncy, tropical, reggae/dub infused ballad for the people of the Torres Straits. Written on location in Thursday Island and inspired by a quote from Aunty Ellen Ronson, the song refers to the importance of maintaining and passing down language and culture in an ever-changing contemporary society.

Lyrics

Verse one

Wiswei bala sissy? (whichway brother sister)
Kassa (we) wanna know.
Where youpla from? Where the Oobarr (wongai tree) grow
(wah) me Zenadth Kes got their wires crossed
And now Zenadth Kes becomes paradise lost

Ina noomunlag surrounded by athabad (land surrounded by water)
Murra kazil (everybody), lagau kab (Island Dance) - Zenadth kes diew gassoman (everybody proud)
Mipla baptal tookoi pal coming up to run amuck
Iy pu nagamik we love it laka everyone of us

Mepla lived in harmony for generations
Island Nations of the Torres Strait
And then the white man arrived in paradise
And took my island lifestyle away (CHAY)

Yawor (goodbye) now, wati-siga (gangja), grog, shame job you mob
Not mepla culture, when’s it gonna change
Dopey in the head, dim diem (stupid), walking dead
like a zombie, sirip-em (crazy), when we gunna be the same?

Hook

Time wait for no-one,
Flow like the ocean
Like poetry in motion
Steady steady coasting
Riding on the tides just floating
Cruise on the coastline
Steady steady coasting
Steady steady coasting

Verse two

Mepla warrior people we be living by the sea
It's who you were, who you are
Who you continue to be (free)
Issa blessing not a curse, our diversity
You see, you be you, I be me perfectly

Music’s number one effect is to connect
Me altogether larn you apasin respect
Like something in the water we reflect upon the depth
Teach ‘em bout our culture and our country and the rest

You feel it in your body when you’re dancing it’s the best
Assa rhythm of our heart that’s beating deep within our chest
Four winds on my back, north, south, east, west
Dressed to impress nonetheless our interest
Is to project what we want to protect