Mayatja Altimani Mununi Minala

Original Pitjantjatjara hymn by Tony Campbell

Photograph: Amy Jean Harding

Pronunciation and explanation

by Caroline Windy

Listen to the pronounciation and an explanation of the meaning of the words of Mayatja Altimani Mununi Minala provided by Caroline Windy, recorded at Big Sing in the Desert 2016, Ross River Homestead, Northern Territory.

This hymn was written by Tony Campbell and was first sung by the Mimili Gospel Singers in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara lands in the north of South Australia. The words are in Pitjantjatjara. We love singing Mayatja together, and it has become a regular in the Big Sing in the Desert songbook.

This lovely song is taught at Big Sing in the Desert by members of the Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir. It is a great song for beginners to learn Pitjantjatjara language. This song has travelled to Germany and Washington DC with the choir, and they like to sing it sitting down, so they can use their knees to clap on.