Choir teaches locals to sing in ancient Indigenous language Gumbaynggirr

Every week, Wiradjuri woman Monique Hill drives two hours to the mid-north coast of New South Wales to attend rehearsals for a special choir. The choir, called "Girrwaa Duguula," meaning "People United," invites both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people to learn traditional and contemporary songs, all in the local Aboriginal language.

Ms. Hill, a former singer, said she joined the choir to connect with other Aboriginal people and learn about the Gumbaynggirr area, which stretches from South Nambucca Heads to Grafton in New South Wales. “It’s given me the confidence to be a part of the Gumbaynggirr community,” she stated. She also shared, "I recently did my first solo performance in 24 years…it’s given me confidence and strength back in my voice." She added, "I love it here; it’s healing."

Gumbaynggirr elder Michael "Micklo" Jarrett founded Girrwaa Duguula last January to teach language through the unique medium of song. Mr. Jarrett, who is also an Aboriginal language and culture training officer for the NSW Department of Education, says Girrwaa Duguula has become a novel way to teach language to newcomers. "Everyone loves music," he emphasized. He added, "We have high school students, mothers with children, and elders here. I love hearing all the different voices come together; it’s amazing."

The choir meets weekly at a community hall in Talarm, about 60km southwest of Coffs Harbour. Mr. Jarrett leads them in a language lesson before they sing contemporary and traditional songs in the Gumbaynggirr language. The contemporary songs include "Yil Lull" by Murri musician Joe Geia (formerly of "No Fixed Address"), and "Giingan Gundi" by local Gumbaynggirr artist Sha Smith. Choir director Ruth Kennedy said that 80 percent of the choir's 30 members had no prior singing experience. "I see the confidence of the group members growing and the connections between them getting stronger," she said. "I think it's fantastic, I love it here. We've really created a community."

Girrwaa Duguula employs Aboriginal artists and musicians to perform with the choir, and their fees are supported by grants from the not-for-profit organization Creative Australia. Didgeridoo player Isaiah Kelly was recently invited to accompany Girrwaa Duguula at the Dorrigo Bluegrass Festival and at a Coffs Harbour City Council citizenship ceremony. Ms. Kennedy said that the addition of Mr. Kelly and other artists has been a great asset to the choir. "I really want to use the choir to support Aboriginal artists, whether that’s having Aboriginal musicians work with the choir or supporting Aboriginal people within the choir," she said. "I want the choir to break down barriers between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people."

Of the 250 Aboriginal languages in Australia, Gumbaynggirr is one of 123 still in use. Recent efforts, including the establishment of the first Aboriginal bilingual school in New South Wales, have seen a significant increase in Gumbaynggirr speakers. Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows that the number of active Gumbaynggirr speakers increased to 289 in the 2021 census, up from just 79 in 2016. Mr. Jarrett says the current state of the Gumbaynggirr language is largely thanks to the efforts of a group of elders in the early 1980s. "In the '80s, they realized that their language wasn’t being passed on to the younger generation through stories and songs, and they were worried it was going to die out," he said. "So they formed a language club, and that was the start of the Gumbaynggirr language revival."

Mr. Jarrett plans to expand the Girrwaa Duguula choir in 2025, and he hopes the choir can strengthen the use of Gumbaynggirr in everyday life. "In New Zealand, you don't just hear it [the language] at a welcome ceremony, you hear it every day," he said. "That's what I want here: everyday language." For choir member Sue Leahy, a non-Aboriginal Australian, participating in the choir is a gentle way to acknowledge Aboriginal culture. "It’s a personal reconciliation," she said. "It’s about immersing yourself in respect for the local Aboriginal culture…and then you get to sing, it's just so much fun."