"Sweet Lullaby" by Deep Forest is based on a traditional Baegu lullaby from the Solomon Islands called "Rorogwela," which was first recorded in 1969 by ethnomusicologist Hugo Zemp. The lullaby features a vocal sample of Afunakwa, a Northern Malaita, Solomon Islands woman, and was later released by UNESCO in 1973 as part of the Collection of Traditional Music of the World. The song, which tells the story of an orphan comforted by an older brother after their parents' death, gained international popularity when Deep Forest released a techno-dance version in 1992. However, its commercial success sparked controversy for several reasons: 1. Deep Forest appropriated the song out of its original cultural context, 2. misattributed its origin to African Pygmies instead of the Baegu and Fateleka ethnic groups of the Solomon Islands, 3. and failed to credit or compensate Afunakwa or her community. While the remix brought the lullaby to a global audience, it did so without Afunakwa's consent, and she and her family received neither recognition nor benefit from its success. Afunkawa passed away in the 1990s. In 2007, after learning about the controversy, Matt Harding, an American internet traveler and entertainer, sought out Afunakwa’s family and produced a video (Where the Hell is Afunakwa?) where he met with David Solo, Afunakwa's cousin, who helped translate the lyrics and shared that many of the words were no longer known by younger generations of their tribe, meaning that the language died with her. Despite the changes in context, Harding's video allowed for a renewed connection to the song, preserving its cultural significance and shedding light on its origins. #solomonislands #malaitaprovince #deepforest #solomonislandstiktok🇸🇧 #fyp - @nesian677