Augustus Rumwaropen, lead singer, lyricist and guitarist of pioneering West Papuan rock outfit the Black Brothers died of a heart attack in Canberra, aged 52. The internationally acclaimed Black Brothers were forced to live in exile from their native West Papua due to their outspoken stance in their songs against Indonesian occupation of their homeland.
The band lived a merry-go-round existence, exiled to Papua New Guinea, then Vanuatu and finally Canberra, where they have been living since 1989. From their beginnings in the late 1970s, the Black Brothers released more than a dozen top-selling rock and reggae albums and were a major influence on younger bands throughout the Pacific region.
From Suva to Noumea to Vila and Port Moresby, they were arguably the most important band in this region. The Black Brothers performed a sold-out show at Melbourne University in 1991 and returned last year to play at the Morning Star Concert alongside compatriots Black Paradise, as well as Alex Lloyd, Paul Mac and the Dili All Stars. The Black Brothers headlined Fes Napuan, a major Melanesian music festival, in Vanuatu in 2002.
Rumwaropen was a dynamic personality and an outspoken human-rights advocate for his people.
From Green Left Weekly, June 1, 2005.
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