Gotta Go!

Getting children to school is the Australian Government’s number one priority for Indigenous people.

That’s because going to school and being at school every day gives every child the best chance for a good start in life.

Through the Remote Schools Attendance Strategy (RSAS), the Australian Government is engaging local people in 40 priority communities to make sure every child goes to school, every day.

Over the years, communities have found unique and interesting ways to encourage Indigenous kids to attend school, including using art, graphic design, dance, comedy, and music and culture.

One such example is Legendary frontman of the Warumpi Band, George Rrurrambu Burrarawanga, a Yolngu man from Elcho Island in Arnhem Land. George has left a lasting legacy for kids in the Northern Territory through an animation and music video called Gotta Go.

Gotta Go was produced to encourage school attendance among local youth and get them excited about going to school.

It was written by George, an icon of Aboriginal rock music who passed away in 2007, and his colleague Michael Hohnen.  

The project was produced in 2006 by Skinnyfish Music, who are based in Darwin. Gotta Go is still being used today.

Mark Grose is the managing director at Skinnyfish.

“Gotta Go is a music animation that puts the call out to everyone that school is very important, school is how people in remote communities can get ahead,” Mark said.

“It’s a call from a very well know Aboriginal person who has now passed away that life can only be better with a good education.

“Without a good education people in the bush will be left behind.”

Growing up in Arnhem Land, George understood the benefits of getting a good education and always encouraged children to make sure they went to school regularly.

“He was passionate about education, he was in that generation where everyone attended school and came out with a pretty good education,” Mark said.

“He used to get really cranky when he saw kids running around and not going to school, you know not having the benefits that he knew that school would deliver. The benefits that he got out of school.

“So he was very passionate about education and essentially he and Michael sat down and wrote the text and the song to the animation and they are his very strong ideas that are in the song.”

Mark says that Gotta Go is played at many festivals and community events throughout the Northern Territory and always gets the kids up dancing.

“We have spread it as far and wide as we can. We do a lot of work in remote communities, we run a few festivals and we play it all the time and it has an instant impact,” Mark said.

“Where we have spread it and the public performances that we always play it at, it gets instant attention particularly from kids, they absolutely love it.

“At Galiwinku we play it all the time, Barunga, Ngukurr Festival.

“People in the bush understand the message is their message, it’s written by people who have experienced remote community life.

“That’s what makes them effective, there not messages written in Melbourne or Sydney and then directed at the bush.

“George knew that Gotta Go would have an impact, he knew what would engage young people in the bush," Mark said.