# A Solomon Islands lullaby became a global hit. Its singer's family is still asking who benefited.

> MKNIRALO — Culture — Solomon Islands · Cultural heritage

- Published: 2026-11-07
- Estimated reading time: 7 minutes
- Byline: Anika — Global Heritage & Cultural Traditions Observer
- Byline disclosure: Anika is a house editorial byline maintained by MKNIRALO, not a claim of an independently verified individual. It does not imply field reporting, religious authority, archaeological accreditation or privileged museum access; articles rely on attributed documentation and independent coverage.
- Author profile: https://mkniralo.com/authors/anika/
- Tags: Solomon Islands, Music, Cultural Heritage, Indigenous Communities, Copyright, Pacific Islands, Music Industry
- Cover image: https://mkniralo.com/images/solomon-islands-rorogwela-lullaby-rights-afunakwa-2026.svg

A 1969 field recording from Malaita became the vocal centre of Deep Forest’s 1992 hit, but the singer’s family says it has received no share of the later song’s proceeds. The record trail still leaves permission and payment disputed.

Smithsonian Folkways’ catalogue names Afunakwa as the lead vocalist on Rorogwela, a Baegu lullaby recorded in the Solomon Islands in 1969 and released in a UNESCO collection in 1973. Deep Forest later sampled the recording in Sweet Lullaby, a global hit whose original presentation did not identify the singer or her community. More than three decades on, her daughter and grandsons are asking what happened to the money and who authorised the use. The documents and interviews show why those questions remain unresolved.

## The original record named the singer

The first correction to a familiar version of the story is that Afunakwa was not anonymous on every record. Smithsonian Folkways lists her as the performer and lead vocalist on track eight of Solomon Islands: Fataleka and Baegu Music from Malaita, released in 1973. Its catalogue gives the language as “Baeggu”; the Afunakwa Foundation and local reporting use “Baegu.” The Foundation says Hugo Zemp recorded her in Fulinui, north-east Malaita, in 1969. ABC and Solomon Times independently report the same recording year. One secondary account dates the recording to 1970.

What disappeared was her identity when the sample entered the commercial presentation of Deep Forest’s Sweet Lullaby in 1992. The ABC investigation says the original video depicted an African woman and child and the lullaby was attributed to African tribes; Solomon Times describes the album as presenting its music as African. Neither the hit’s original framing nor its public story named Afunakwa or Malaita. ABC also reports that Afunakwa and her family were never asked for consent. The distinction matters: the earlier ethnographic release credited the singer, while the later hit failed to carry that credit with the voice.

Sources:
- [Rorogwela (Lullaby)](https://folkways.si.edu/afunakwa/rorogwela-lullaby/music/track/smithsonian) — Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
- [Rorogwela, sung by Afunakwa | History, Meaning & Translation](https://afunakwafoundation.org/about-the-song) — The Afunakwa Foundation
- [The 90s anthem by Deep Forest that made millions from a 'stolen' sweet lullaby](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-05/deep-forest-sweet-lullaby-solomon-islands-afunakwa/107324780) — ABC News
- [Malaita woman is the voice of the world hit 'Sweet Lullaby'. A new film finds her family and Deep Forest names her](https://www.solomontimes.com/news/malaita-woman-is-the-voice-of-the-world-hit-sweet-lullaby-a-new-film-finds-her-family-and-deep-forest-names-her/13318) — Solomon Times Online
- [A Sweet Lullaby for World Music](https://www.some.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/12.-Feld-2000-A-sweet-lullaby-for-world-music.pdf) — Public Culture / Duke University Press (PDF hosted by the University of Oxford)

## A lullaby with a specific family story

Rorogwela was not simply a sound without a story. The Foundation’s English translation, prepared by Celsus Talifilu, describes an older child carrying and comforting a younger sibling after both parents have died. Theresa Tafili, whom ABC identifies as a custodian of Baegu lullabies, likewise told the broadcaster that the song concerns an orphaned child and an older sibling’s responsibility. The article does not reproduce the lyrics; the point is the social meaning preserved by the community that has continued to sing the tradition.

The Afunakwa Foundation was formally established in 2023 by the singer’s grandsons and community allies. It is now a vehicle for seeking recognition and a fair accounting, and its timeline is useful evidence of how the family understands the recording’s history. It is also an interested party in the present dispute, not a neutral authority on copyright ownership or legal liability. Renewed attention began with a different musician’s effort to clear a remix: ABC Pacific reported that DJ Matt Singmin and filmmaker Jonathan Jenkins travelled to Malaita in 2018, met Afunakwa’s relatives and later made a documentary about the search. The project took eight years. The community’s account deserves to be heard without turning its claims into a court finding.

Sources:
- [Rorogwela, sung by Afunakwa | History, Meaning & Translation](https://afunakwafoundation.org/about-the-song) — The Afunakwa Foundation
- [The 90s anthem by Deep Forest that made millions from a 'stolen' sweet lullaby](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-05/deep-forest-sweet-lullaby-solomon-islands-afunakwa/107324780) — ABC News
- [Malaita woman is the voice of the world hit 'Sweet Lullaby'. A new film finds her family and Deep Forest names her](https://www.solomontimes.com/news/malaita-woman-is-the-voice-of-the-world-hit-sweet-lullaby-a-new-film-finds-her-family-and-deep-forest-names-her/13318) — Solomon Times Online
- [How a remix project led Matt Singmin on an eight-year journey to uncover the voice behind Sweet Lullaby](https://www.abc.net.au/pacific/programs/nesia-daily/matt-singmin-searching-for-afunakwa-documentary/107339930) — ABC Pacific / Nesia Daily

## A permission trail that never settled

The permission question is more complicated than a simple yes-or-no story. In the account reproduced by ethnomusicologist Steven Feld in his 2000 essay, Zemp had been contacted about samples from a different UNESCO recording he had made in West Africa. After initially refusing, he later agreed by telephone to a limited excerpt for an Earth Day-related project, following an approach by Cameroonian composer Francis Bebey. When Zemp eventually heard Deep Forest’s album, he found that it used Afunakwa’s Solomon Islands recording — something he said he had never been asked to authorise.

The 1996 correspondence does not settle the issue. Solomon Times says it saw copies of three letters: Auvidis director Louis Bricard wrote that the label had refused to sign an agreement or accept payment and passed the matter to UNESCO; Deep Forest’s Eric Mouquet and Michel Sanchez wrote that Auvidis had authorised the use and been paid. These accounts cannot both be accurate on those points. Zemp’s own 1996 article set out his objections, while Feld’s later essay recounts the documentary trail. The reports do not establish which party’s account is correct.

The disagreement remains live. Mouquet told Solomon Times that he still believes the necessary permissions had been obtained through the producers. He told ABC that Dan Lacksman was responsible for obtaining permissions; Lacksman disputed that account, saying to ABC that Céline Music handled permissions and administrative tasks. He also told Solomon Times that he did not remember which label had reached an agreement and had no copy of the letter he recalled seeing. These are attributed accounts, not documentary proof of a valid licence.

Sources:
- [The 90s anthem by Deep Forest that made millions from a 'stolen' sweet lullaby](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-05/deep-forest-sweet-lullaby-solomon-islands-afunakwa/107324780) — ABC News
- [The label that sells the recording behind 'Sweet Lullaby' asks to be put in touch with Afunakwa's family](https://www.solomontimes.com/news/the-label-that-sells-the-recording-behind-sweet-lullaby-asks-to-be-put-in-touch-with-afunakwas-family/13328) — Solomon Times Online
- [A Sweet Lullaby for World Music](https://www.some.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/12.-Feld-2000-A-sweet-lullaby-for-world-music.pdf) — Public Culture / Duke University Press (PDF hosted by the University of Oxford)
- [The/an Ethnomusicologist and the Record Business](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/yearbook-for-traditional-music/article/abs/thean-ethnomusicologist-and-the-record-business/1D9ACF1FD524872D4ED5A8BC13BC085D) — Cambridge University Press / Yearbook for Traditional Music

## Where the money can — and cannot — be traced

Following the money is difficult because several different revenue streams and rights can be involved: the original sound recording, the traditional song, the sample, the later arrangement, and any publishing or performance income. The public records described by Solomon Times show Mouquet and Sanchez listed as arrangers, two publishers and Sony Music Publishing France as sub-publisher, but no author or composer entry for Sweet Lullaby. Mouquet said the royalties he and Sanchez receive relate to their composition and arrangement work, separate from rights in Zemp’s recording. This is a reported snapshot, not a full audit of every use or payment.

Afunakwa’s daughter Elen Kasi told ABC that her mother was paid $2 after singing for the field recording. That is a specific account of a payment at the time of recording; it does not answer whether the later sample was licensed, who received any licence fee, or whether the family is entitled to a share of later income. The family says no money from Sweet Lullaby has reached it. Those statements are not contradictory: the original recording payment and any later rights or royalties are different questions.

Sources:
- [The 90s anthem by Deep Forest that made millions from a 'stolen' sweet lullaby](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-05/deep-forest-sweet-lullaby-solomon-islands-afunakwa/107324780) — ABC News
- [The label that sells the recording behind 'Sweet Lullaby' asks to be put in touch with Afunakwa's family](https://www.solomontimes.com/news/the-label-that-sells-the-recording-behind-sweet-lullaby-asks-to-be-put-in-touch-with-afunakwas-family/13328) — Solomon Times Online
- [Malaita woman is the voice of the world hit 'Sweet Lullaby'. A new film finds her family and Deep Forest names her](https://www.solomontimes.com/news/malaita-woman-is-the-voice-of-the-world-hit-sweet-lullaby-a-new-film-finds-her-family-and-deep-forest-names-her/13318) — Solomon Times Online

## Recognition is not a royalty statement

Smithsonian Folkways, which acquired the UNESCO label after the 1992 hit was made and now sells the 1973 recording, told Solomon Times that it keeps royalties in escrow for accounts for which it lacks contact details. Its director asked the newspaper to put her in touch with Afunakwa’s family, and the paper passed the Foundation’s public address. But Folkways said whether any royalties are actually held for this recording would take further research. A general escrow policy is not evidence that a specific sum is waiting for the family.

The label also said it has a practice of updating catalogue information as research becomes available and that it could do so with this album. That could improve the record and make the original singer easier to find. It cannot by itself resolve the contested 1992 authorisation or establish a payment entitlement. Credit is a necessary correction; it is not a royalty statement.

Sources:
- [Rorogwela (Lullaby)](https://folkways.si.edu/afunakwa/rorogwela-lullaby/music/track/smithsonian) — Smithsonian Folkways Recordings
- [The label that sells the recording behind 'Sweet Lullaby' asks to be put in touch with Afunakwa's family](https://www.solomontimes.com/news/the-label-that-sells-the-recording-behind-sweet-lullaby-asks-to-be-put-in-touch-with-afunakwas-family/13328) — Solomon Times Online

## What a fair accounting would still require

Mouquet has expressed regret that the source was not properly identified and told ABC he was open to dialogue; in Solomon Times he described a possible tribute project. Such an offer may create a route for discussion, but it is not a settlement, a compensation agreement or an accounting of past income. No court judgment or completed compensation agreement is identified in the reporting reviewed for this article.

A credible resolution would need records that are still missing: the full 1992 licensing correspondence, any contract or payment receipt, the identity of any rights holder paid, the relevant sales and licensing statements, and a clear process for the family and Baegu community to decide how recognition or any benefit should be handled. The Smithsonian archive reportedly holds a folder concerning the case that has not been digitised; Smithsonian Folkways told Solomon Times it had consulted archivists and needed time to research it.

The story therefore remains open on two different levels. The historical record establishes who sang Rorogwela and where it came from. The commercial record has not yet established who authorised the sample, who was paid for it, or whether any later income is due to the singer’s family or community. A name in the catalogue can correct a public omission. Only documents, transparent accounting and an agreement with the people concerned can answer the financial question.

Sources:
- [Rorogwela, sung by Afunakwa | History, Meaning & Translation](https://afunakwafoundation.org/about-the-song) — The Afunakwa Foundation
- [The label that sells the recording behind 'Sweet Lullaby' asks to be put in touch with Afunakwa's family](https://www.solomontimes.com/news/the-label-that-sells-the-recording-behind-sweet-lullaby-asks-to-be-put-in-touch-with-afunakwas-family/13328) — Solomon Times Online
- [A Sweet Lullaby for World Music](https://www.some.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/12.-Feld-2000-A-sweet-lullaby-for-world-music.pdf) — Public Culture / Duke University Press (PDF hosted by the University of Oxford)

## About this article

This article reflects the public sources available on the publication and update dates shown above. For developing stories, follow the linked source pages for subsequent statements or decisions.

## Sources and further reading

- [Rorogwela (Lullaby)](https://folkways.si.edu/afunakwa/rorogwela-lullaby/music/track/smithsonian) — Smithsonian Folkways Recordings (published 1973) (accessed 2026-11-07)
- [Rorogwela, sung by Afunakwa | History, Meaning & Translation](https://afunakwafoundation.org/about-the-song) — The Afunakwa Foundation (accessed 2026-11-07)
- [The 90s anthem by Deep Forest that made millions from a 'stolen' sweet lullaby](https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-11-05/deep-forest-sweet-lullaby-solomon-islands-afunakwa/107324780) — ABC News (published 2026-11-05) (accessed 2026-11-07)
- [The label that sells the recording behind 'Sweet Lullaby' asks to be put in touch with Afunakwa's family](https://www.solomontimes.com/news/the-label-that-sells-the-recording-behind-sweet-lullaby-asks-to-be-put-in-touch-with-afunakwas-family/13328) — Solomon Times Online (published 2026-10-23) (accessed 2026-11-07)
- [Malaita woman is the voice of the world hit 'Sweet Lullaby'. A new film finds her family and Deep Forest names her](https://www.solomontimes.com/news/malaita-woman-is-the-voice-of-the-world-hit-sweet-lullaby-a-new-film-finds-her-family-and-deep-forest-names-her/13318) — Solomon Times Online (published 2026-10-20) (accessed 2026-11-07)
- [A Sweet Lullaby for World Music](https://www.some.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/12.-Feld-2000-A-sweet-lullaby-for-world-music.pdf) — Public Culture / Duke University Press (PDF hosted by the University of Oxford) (published 2000) (accessed 2026-11-07)
- [How a remix project led Matt Singmin on an eight-year journey to uncover the voice behind Sweet Lullaby](https://www.abc.net.au/pacific/programs/nesia-daily/matt-singmin-searching-for-afunakwa-documentary/107339930) — ABC Pacific / Nesia Daily (published 2026-11-03) (accessed 2026-11-07)
- [The/an Ethnomusicologist and the Record Business](https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/yearbook-for-traditional-music/article/abs/thean-ethnomusicologist-and-the-record-business/1D9ACF1FD524872D4ED5A8BC13BC085D) — Cambridge University Press / Yearbook for Traditional Music (published 1996) (accessed 2026-11-07)