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Kai Jawa

Intercultural Collaboration Through Song and Story

Kai Jawa brings together First Nations Australian and Indonesian artists to explore deep-rooted cultural ties through music, story and ceremony.

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Centuries before colonisation, Makassan traders sailed between Indonesia and northern Australia, sharing language, knowledge, and cultural practices with First Nations communities. The Kimberley region was once known as “Kai Jawa” by these early visitors. This project reawakens that legacy, using music as a bridge between past and future.

The Collaboration

In December 2025, four leading artists – Chris Griffiths, Mark Atkins (Yamatji), Ubiet (Indonesia), and Septina Layan (Papua) – will gather in Yogyakarta for a one-week residency at SaRang Art Centre. Together, they will create new contemporary intercultural music that blends ancestral songlines, Indonesian traditions, and bold experimentation. Work-in-progress performances will offer Indonesian audiences an early glimpse of the collaboration in motion

Artistic and Cultural Exchange

Kai Jawa is a renewal of ancient connections. Led by First Nations artists, the project is rooted in respect, reciprocity, and cultural sovereignty. It also marks the first time Miriwoong songman Chris Griffiths will bring Wanga, the traditional songs of Law and Country, onto the international stage.

Future Vision

The music created will form the foundation of a touring intercultural repertoire, with plans to present the work across Australia, Indonesia, and internationally over five years. Alongside performances, the project will generate archival documentation and spark wider conversations through symposia, collaborative research, and knowledge exchange.

The Kai Jawa project unites an extraordinary group of artists and professionals from Australia and Indonesia, combining rich cultural traditions and contemporary artistic innovation.

Chris Griffiths
Miriwoong Songman and Composer
Chris Griffiths is a senior Mirriwoong custodian. Drawing on his deep connection to Country, Chris brings ancestral songlines into the composition, ensuring the project honours Indigenous storytelling while exploring new creative directions.

Nyak Ina Raseuki (Ubiet)
Composer, Songwriter, and Singer
An Indonesian composer and singer, Nyak Ina Raseuki contributes her rich cultural heritage and melodic voice. Her songwriting weaves traditional Indonesian music with modern influences, enriching the intercultural dialogue central to Kai Jawa.

Septina Layan
Composer, Songwriter and Singer
Septina Layan complements the team with her Indonesian musical background. As a composer and singer, her work adds harmonic depth and vibrant storytelling, strengthening the cross-cultural

Mark Atkins
Yamatji Composer, Songman and Didgeridoo Artist
Mark Atkins is an internationally acclaimed didgeridoo artist and composer who brings powerful Indigenous soundscapes and spiritual depth to his performances. His innovative blending of ancient traditions with contemporary music is vital to the project’s sonic identity.

Kate Ben Tovim
International Producer
Kate Ben Tovim manages the international production, overseeing coordination, partnerships, and logistics. Her expertise ensures smooth collaboration across borders and supports the project’s ambitious vision.

Related Pages

Sound Connections

The Kimberley Indonesia Project

This project has been made possible with the support of the Australian Government through Music Australia and Creative Australia, its principal arts investment and advisory body, and the Western Australian State Government.