How long to Freedom?  A visual interpretation by Dinaz Stafford of the Machinedrum remix of Papua Merdeka that tells the story of Indonesia's genocidal takeover of West Papua to extract gold and timber and the Papuan people's resistance through the eyes of one man and his wife.  Support the Freedom for Papua campaign: https://www.freewestpapua.org/

Keleketla! have also announced a collection of remixes of their celebrated global album project, to be released to coincide with the 59th anniversary of the declaration of West Papua’s short-lived independence as a nation on December 1st. 

What emerged from the initial Keleketla! sessions in South Africa was music as an activist response, and this became a key theme for the “Keleketla!” album. Beginning as a musical meeting ground between Ninja Tune cofounders Coldcut and a cadre of South African musicians (introduced by the charity In Place Of War) Keleketla! soon branched outward from Johannesburg to London, Lagos and L.A, with Coldcut— who are friends of the Wenda family and long term supporters of the Free West Papua campaign—inviting West Papuan independence leader Benny Wenda to contribute to the record. 

The resulting track, ‘Papua Merdeka’, remixed here by Machinedrum and Floyd Lavine, produced by Coldcut and featuring the late Tony Allen, centres around a heartfelt political invocation led by Wenda. It’s a call for freedom for the nation of West Papua from Indonesia, from which Wenda fled in 2004 after being persecuted by the Indonesian military. He now leads a campaign from his home in Oxford, where the vocals from Benny, wife Maria, and daughter Koteka for the track were recorded. 

The story of Indonesia’s genocidal takeover of Papua to extract gold and timber, and the brave resistance by the Papua people is shown in a compelling  music video ‘How Long to Freedom?’ by filmmaker Dinaz Stafford 

Benny Wenda’s words from ‘Papua Merdeka’:

When I was a child my village was bombed by Indonesian military and many of my family were killed. Later I began to campaign peacefully to free my country from Indonesian occupation. For this I was arrested, tortured and threatened with death. I managed to escape to the UK. 

My people are still suffering. Hundreds of thousands have been killed. All we want is to live without fear, and for West Papua to become a free and independent country. Please hear my peoples’ cry for help.

Free West Papua!

“Keleketla! Remixes” will be released digitally on Ninja Tune sublabel Ahead Of Our Time on 1st December.  The album includes remixes from some of the best underground producers, leading with Machinedrum’s inspiring banner remix of ‘Papua Merdeka’, plus mixes from DJ Stingray, Skee Mask, Esa, Ehua, Project Pablo, Henrik Schwarz, On-U Sound, Mr Raoul K, J Saul Kane, Dom Valentino and Floyd Lavine.

Proceeds from the release will go to the Free West Papua Campaign. 

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