Taba Naba is a well-known children’s song from the Eastern Torres Strait, sung in Meriam Mir. While it gained mainstream popularity through The Wiggles, it has long been taught to Torres Strait Islander children as a traditional sit-down dance, passed down for nearly a century. The song sings about going fishing on the reef — a core activity in islander life and custom.

Jessie Lloyd’s arrangement begins with an English translation of the original lyrics, preserving the songs original meaning. Additional verses in this version share cultural practices, such as catching fish for 'aka' (grandmother), who then prepares it traditionally to feed visiting family members. These new verses are written in a simplified form of Yumplatok (Torres Strait Kriol) with linguist Leonora Adidi, the common language spoken across Zenadth Kes.

Interestingly, the melody of Taba Naba was adapted from an American show tune called 'Navajo', written in 1905 for minstrel shows — a genre now recognised as deeply racist, particularly towards African Americans. The original song humorously depicted an African American man falling in love with a Navajo woman, at a time when interracial relationships were socially condemned.

It is thought that Taba Naba emerged when this tune made its way to the Torres Strait, possibly through seafarers or missionaries. Mr Geoffrey Doolah of Erub (Darnley Island) is often credited with adapting the melody into Meriam lyrics to reflect island life, transforming the refrain “Nava, Nava, my Navajo” into “Naba, naba, naba nor em” — making the tune truly his own. As the saying goes, a good melody never goes to waste.

Taba Naba's accompanying sit-down dance draws influence from Polynesian traditions — a legacy of missionary influence, intermarriage, and the popularity of Hollywood hula. Many Torres Strait Islander songs blend musical and cultural elements from across the Pacific and Southeast Asia, echoing the region’s role as a seafaring crossroads between the Indian and Pacific Oceans.