'Songs from Yuin Country' is the outstanding, much lauded musical collaboration between the Four Winds Djinama Yilaga Choir and musicians and artists from surrounding areas.
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The show of singing, music and spoken word received a standing ovation at its debut performance at the Four Winds Festival at Easter, and again when the show was presented at the 2021 Candelo Village Festival in April.
It is therefore no surprise that Songs from Yuin Country has taken on a life of its own and will be giving performances in Canberra's National Museum of Australia during Reconciliation Week.
"It is so encouraging and heart-warming that this show, our Dhurga language and our culture is being so fully embraced by audiences," said Four Winds Aboriginal creative producer Cheryl Davison, who established and led the choir through bushfires, COVID and its fledgling year.
"In the beginning we were singing old hymns like 'Old Rugged Cross' and while our mob love singing, it just didn't feel right, and we weren't getting the community buy-in that we needed."
Davison enlisted the support of Westpac research fellow Dr Lou Bennett and "with her help and guidance songs in our own language just came pouring out, from all the choir members".
Throughout the 75-minute show, the choir's songs in language are woven in and around the songs and stories from Candelo musicians and poets. These words sit beside the poignant rapping of Yuin hip hop artist Gabadu.
What transpired was a show that truly resonated with people, connecting with audiences and with community.
Djinama Yilaga choir is revitalising the Dhurga language through song, making it accessible and easy to share, not only among the Yuin community, but with non-Indigenous artists and audiences across the region.
The choir sings of things that are important to them - maintaining their cultural skills, knowing how to hunt and gather, and live from "your place" on this earth. Through songs in Dhurga language, the choir members are honouring their creator beings and their ancient stories.
PHOTOS: Four Winds Festival 2021
In Songs from Yuin Country, Candelo artists The New Graces, Raechelle Kennedy, Sam Martin, Heath Cullen, David Ross Macdonald (The Waifs), Pete Wild, and Tamlyn Magee (Anactoria) also sing and speak of their lives, of their ancestors and their life experiences, relationships and connections that have led them here, to now, to Yuin Country. Together the ensemble sings about the things they want to see changed.
The message from Songs from Yuin Country is that together, our community can connect, share and support each other in facing a wide range of 21st Century challenges.
For more details on the performances at the National Museum of Australia, click here.
