Connections

“Singing brings people together.”

Aunty Janice Paulson, Forster NSW

Central Desert Connections

Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir

Members of the Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir were regular participants at Big Sing in the Desert from 2010 to 2023. The choir continues to perform across Australia, after international tours to the USA and Germany, under the musical direction of the wonderful Morris Stuart.

You can hear their story told through the documentary The Songkeepers and on Australian Story – The Choirmaster.

Inama (Titjikala) Choir

The Inama Choir from Titjikala (NT) continues after the passing of MC, who was the leader of the choir for many years, and a regular participant at Big Sing in the Desert. Inama have been mentored by Dr Gabriella Smart, musician and composer, and Adjunct Senior Lecturer from the University of Adelaide.

NSW Mid North Coast Connections

Baraya Wakulda Choir

Worimi Elders and Big Sing participants Aunty Lyn Davis and Aunty Janice Paulson, with the support of Forster Neighbourhood Centre developed this choir in Forster, NSW.
Baraya Wakulda (meaning ‘Singing Together’ in local Gathang language) is a weekly gathering to sing songs in both English and Gathang language. The singing group encourages social participation and connectedness through song and music, providing an opportunity for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal members of the community to develop friendships and a shared understanding of local history and culture.
Baraya Wakulda, supported by a local choir conductor, practice each week as a group of approximately 15-20 and perform their songs at local community events as requested.

More info here: https://fnc.org.au/baraya-wakulda/

Djiyagan Dhanbaan: Strong Sister Movement

Birpai Elder Anjilkurri Rhonda Radley founded this wonderful women’s group in the Port Macquarie region that promotes the revival of culture through language and practices, self-empowerment, leadership and self-care. Members of Djiyagan Dhanbaan attended Big Sing in the Desert in 2019 and 2024 and are regular participants at Big Sing by the Sea in Forster.

The Nyiirun Djiyagan Wakulda Women’s Festival is hosted by Djiyagan Dhanbaan (Strong Sister Movement support group) on Birpai country. This annual Festival creates an opportunity for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal women to come together to celebrate the diversity that lies within the Mid North Coast communities.

Forster Neighbourhood Centre

Forster Neighbourhood Centre continues to run its annual Big Sing by the Sea singing weekend initiated and driven by local Aboriginal community members.

Big Sing by the Sea is an annual event to gather a cross-section of the community to sing together. Participants sing songs that are valued and enjoyed by all singers, including songs written and translated into local Gathang language.

The event involves a series of workshops to learn together and increase mutual understanding, respect and affection between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal members of the community.

Big Sing by the Sea is held on Worimi country each year. To get involved or find out more information visit: https://fnc.org.au/big-sing-by-the-sea/

Blue Mountains and Western Sydney Connections

Dr Jacinta Tobin: Darug Elder, musician and songwriter

Darug Elder Aunty Jacinta Tobin came to Big Sing in the Desert in 2018 and taught at Singing on Dyarubbin shores with Stacy Jane Etal, Rachel Hore and Suze Pratten. Aunty Jacinta continues her wonderful work promoting Darug language and song.

Hear Aunty Jacinta talk about connection through song and her Big Sing in the Desert experience (above).

In May 2023, Aunty Jacinta developed a workshop in the Blue Mountains for Indigenous women to re-connect the seven sisters songlines from Uluru to the East Coast of Australia. Read about it here: midmtnslocalnews.com/reconnecting-the-seven-sisters-songlines-from-uluru-to-the-east-coast-of-australia

Hear Jacinta’s TED talk here (below).

11 Stories from the River Dyarubbin

Composed by Oonagh Sherrard, with Darug songs by Jasmine Seymour and Stacy-Jane Etal, this amazing project is a series of 11 audio walks sharing stories from the River Dyarubbin, where they happened. Stories are streamable from your mobile phone at 11 public locations along Dyarubbin/the Hawkesbury River between Yarramundi and Sackville, or from your favourite place to listen. A collaborative public artwork aiming to inspire, inform and deepen the listener’s experience of the river, 11 Stories from the River Dyarubbin was awarded a 2024 Imagine Award for Community Engagement from Museums and Galleries of NSW.

11 Stories from the River Dyarubbin

Yarramundi and the people of Dyarubbin

NSW South Coast Connections

Four Winds

Four Winds at Barragga Bay, near Bermagui NSW, have a brilliant program of music, workshops, festivals and concerts.

Read about their First Nations Program here: fourwinds.com.au/music/first-nations-program.

An exciting new project is Barragga Yangga – Many Songs, an immersive weekend of song and story-telling curated by Four Winds First Nations Creative Director Cheryl Davison. Held at Four Winds on Djiringanj Country, this project first unfolded as a series of residencies at Four Winds and Bundanon where Community members and artists immersed themselves in storytelling, song learning, and orchestration, producing a cycle of songs to be accompanied by Affinity Quartet and to be premiered on Sunday 21 September 2025.

Djinama Yilaga Choir

The Djinama Yilaga Choir is an intergenerational choir, established in 2019 and led by renowned Walbunga/Ngarigo artist, Cheryl Davison. Djinama Yilaga write and perform songs in Dhurga language.

In April 2023, four members of Djinama Yilaga choir travelled to the Big Sing in the Desert outside Alice Springs, where they met with the Central Australian Aboriginal Women’s Choir. CAAWC director Morris Stuart invited them to return and perform at Desert Song Festival in September 2023.

Since then, Djinama Yilaga have been writing new songs and performing around their community and beyond.

More info here: reconciliation.org.au/we-want-to-sing-like-our-ancestors-the-story-of-djinama-yilaga