Suntrip Records has once again rejected our letter and our call to change the Title and Artwork, showing they do not have any intentions to take proactive steps forward to address the concerns shared by the hundreds of people who have signed this petition.
Due to the nature of Suntrip Records response we have decided to ... temporarily halt our communications with Suntrip and publicise this letter. We suggest Suntrip Records publically releases this letter themselves...
Statement From Zac James from MONGEEYA:The only part of this letter we are going to share for now is a statement from Zac James from the band MONGEEYA [Instagram @mongeeya_bandofficial]
MONGEEYA is a First Nations Indie Rock band based in Boorloo. The band released an EP titled "Tjukurpa" in 2024. You can listen to their EP on Bandcamp here.
Statement from Zac:
"Yuwa, my name is Zac James from the band MONGEEYA. I am a traditional custodian, a Tjupan, Martu as well as a Wajarri Yamaji and Bidjara Murri man. Hailing from the central desert region of Western Australia, the word ‘Tjukurpa’ is a prevalent Lore word used throughout the western desert block, leading into Central Australia with a multitude of Lore people recognising it as representing our Dreaming, Lore and Culture. The word is heavy with meaning and weighted in its importance and significance to we First Nations people. Although we may come from different cultural mobs and nations, within the central desert block and Central Australia areas, Tjukurpa is our way of life and demands and needs respect.
Having become aware of Suntrip Records blatant appropriation and use of ‘Tjukurpa’ to release a trance album, accompanied by various bastardised ‘cultural’ artworks to accompany the record, we at MONGEEYA back the movement to have the record withdrawn until it is renamed and the artwork is withdrawn as well as a formal apology from Suntrip Records and possibly a cultural protocol workshop.
In itself, the usage of Tjukurpa and our artwork is disrespectful enough, when accompanied by the historical relevance of Belgium as a brutal colonial nation with roots still actively draped in racism (ala Sooty Pete, the black faced chimney slave as well as African occupation) and a country struggling internally with national identity and conflicts from refugee in takes and discrimination, we feel there is no place in which Suntrip be allowed to continue distributing the record as it is."
Sincerely,
Zac Mongeeya James
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- You can follow MONGEEYA on Instagram @mongeeya_bandofficial
- You can support MONGEEYA's EP "Tjukurpa" on Bandcamp here.
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What can you do to help?Please continue to show your support by sharing this petition. If you wish to post some content, a social media package of images can be found below:
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/10siQSrRiKzbehpqAzyFzpoEUwEMG-toA?usp=sharing
Please continue to spread the word, let Suntrip know that this is unacceptable.
We hope to provide you with more updates soon. We will continue to post statements from other Artists, Musicians, Bands and More, however for now, we must remain quiet...
With Solidarity and Respect,
-An Australian Electronic Music Committee