The Central Australian Women’s Choir, 2017

The Central Australian Women’s Choir (CAWC) consists of combined members from community choirs throughout remote Northern Territory. Townships represented in Australia’s central desert and coastal regions include Areyonga, Titjikala, Ntaria, Mutitjulu and Docker River (Kaltukatjara). The experience of its members ranges from two to nearly sixty years and crosses family generations.

Whilst the CAWC formed in 2010, its choral tradition began over 100 years ago in the late 19th century, when German missionaries arrived at Ntaria. They brought with them Lutheran hymns that they translated to local language and taught to community. As such, the choir’s repertoire today presents 53 traditional German hymns sung in languages including Pitjantjatjara, Western Arrernte and Pintupi-Luritja.