Approximately 1300 ethnographic field recordings of Tiwi songs, made between 1912 and 1981, are archived at the Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies (AIATSIS) in Canberra.

In November 2009, Genevieve Campbell and eleven Tiwi colleagues travelled to Canberra to reclaim these archived songs and song texts. The Old Songs are Always New explores their return home to the Tiwi Islands and reveals that the fundamentally contemporary, topical and current nature of the Tiwi song culture has resulted in the preservation of a rich social, cultural and historical oral record.

Originals in the ABC, Doolan, Grau, Hart, Moyle, Osborne, Simpson, Sims, Spencer and Wurm collections courtesy of AIATSIS. Originals in the Montford-Sheard collection, courtesy of State Library of South Australia.

All audio examples are included with the knowledge and permission of Tiwi song custodians and the Tiwi Land Council, and are protected by the Indigenous Cultural and Intellectual Property rights associated with the songs and performances.

Buy the book from Sydney University Press: The Old Songs are Always New

Musical performances

Audio example	Singer and subject	Play
1	Allie Mungatopi, Prince of Wales
2	Unidentified man, Turtle
3	Clementine Puruntatameri, Murrntawarrapijimi
4	Calista Kantilla, Being in Darwin
5	Calista Kantilla & Leonie Tipiloura, Ngariwanajirri
6	Orsto, Yirrikapayi
7	Aloysious Puantiloura, Yirrikapayi
8	Romuel Puruntatameri, Dugong
9	Unidentified man, Tirupi Country
10	Justin Puruntatameri, Genie
11	Barney Tipuamantimeri, Argument with Maninkuwila
12	Stephen-Paul Kantilla, Sorrow for father
13	Allie Miller Mungatopi, Cards
14	Dorothy Tipungwuti, Sorrow
15	Unidentified woman, Why did you leave me?
16	Eunice Orsto, Coiled like a snake
17	Black Joe, Goose
18	Male Group, Jalingini and Timilani Calls
19	Unidentified man, Sorrow
20	Unidentified woman, Kinship
21	Unidentified women, Yirrikapayi
22	Unidentified man and woman, Lizard, Flea
23	Unidentified woman, Light
24	Tractor Joe, Tatuwali
25	Long Stephen, Father
26	Long Stephen, Drinking together
27	Long Stephen, Waking up
28	Eustace Tipiloura, Sorrow for wife
29	Tractor Joe and wife, Sister
30	Tungutalum, Train
31	Stephen-Paul Kantilla, Sorrow for wife
32	Tungutalum, Boat
33	Unidentified man, Sorrow for wife
34	Mrs. Duke?, Mopaditi
35	Mariano?, Sorrow for father
36	Unidentified woman, For son
37	Foxy Tipungwuti / Dorothy Tipungwuti, Pangityiarri man
38	Foxy Tipungwuti, Honey
39	Foxy Tipungwuti, Rainbow Serpent
40	Unidentified woman, Tractor
41	Daniel Paujimi, God in the Bush
42	Foxy Tipungwuti, Pearling Boat
43	Schoolboys, Army Tent
44	Schoolchildren, Yinjula, Dugong
45	Leonie Tipiloura, Yinjula
46	Women's group, Kupunyi
47	Long Stephen, Yamparriparri
48	Eustace Tipiloura, Brolga
49	Women's group, Wrangku
50	Women's group, Football
51	Women's group, Wellbeing Centre
52	Women's group, Murli la
53	Francis Orsto and group, Murli la
54	Women's group, Murrntawarrapijimi
55	Eustace Tipiloura, Country calls/Parakajiyali
56	Enrail Munkara, Nyingawi
57	Casmira Munkara and women’s group, Nyingawi
58	Ngarukuruwala, Ngariwanajirri
59	Allie Miller, Mary Elizabeth
60	Unidentified man, Name giving
61	Unidentified man and woman, Sorrow
62	Mariano, Sorrow
63	Foxy Tipungwuti, Sorrow
64	Mary Curry, Jealous women
65	Francis Orsto, Yirrikapayi
66	John Louis Munkara, Jikilaru
67	Women’s group, Yirrikapayi
68	Women/band, Yirrikapayi
69	Long Stephen, Silent land
70	Jimalipuwa, Cotton Tree
71	Unidentified group, Tatuwali (Shark)
72	Tungutalum, Gramophone
73	Women’s Group, Tikilaru
74	Unidentified group, Yoi, Jingalini, end cues
75	Unidentified woman, Waiting All Night
76	Ngarukuruwala, Ngariwanajirri Dance Mix
77	Clementine Puruntatameri, Purrukapali
78	Eustace Tipiloura, Going to Canberra