Past Events

“Everybody wants to sing.
And we teach our language, and they teach us.”

Daphne Puntjina, Areyonga NT

Big Sing Community’s unique singing camps and workshops provided opportunities for musical and cultural sharing and connection between First Nations and non-Indigenous singers.

Big Sing in the Desert

Big Sing in the Desert was an annual four-day singing camp welcoming singers from across Australia at Ross River Resort, an original homestead near Alice Springs. More than 130 singers would attend each year from every State in Australia, including up to 50 singers from Central Desert Aboriginal communities.

Tutors, Rachel Hore and Morris Stuart, shared with participants their passion for valuing and preserving the unique sound and style of Central Desert choral singing. Leaders from Central Desert choirs generously shared their precious songs, culture and language.

Inspired by Big Sing in the Desert, and initiated and driven by local Aboriginal communities, two additional sister events were created in New South Wales: Big Sing by the Sea (Forster, NSW), and Singing on Dyarubbin Shores (Richmond, NSW).

Big Sing by the Sea – Baraya-djukal Garuwa-ga

Created by local Worimi Elders, Big Sing by the Sea – Baraya Djukal Garuwaga (Forster, NSW), is a musical Worimi cultural experience where Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people sing and learn together. This event continues to be run, as it has since its inception, under the auspices of the Forster Neighbourhood Centre.

Guided by Sandra Kwa, Conductor of Wingsong and Baraya Wakulda choirs, participants learn new songs, including some in Worimi language, Gathang. All the while forming a new singing community!

See Great Lakes Advocate article where Worimi Elder, Aunty Janice Paulson, talks about how the Aboriginal choir, Baraya Wakulda started in 2019 in Forster – here.

Singing on Dyarrubin Shores

At the Singing on Dyarubbin Shores (Richmond, NSW) workshop participants were invited to learn songs in both Darug language and English and to sing them together in harmony. “Dyarubbin” is the local Darug word for the Hawkesbury River.

This workshop was a unique opportunity to celebrate Darug language and culture on Darug country. Singing facilitators Aunty Jacinta Tobin, a Darug elder from the Hawkesbury region, and Stacy Jane Etal, a local Darug woman who is well known for her contributions to the Hawkesbury community, taught participants songs written or translated by them into Darug language, creating works of art honouring a culture which is both ancient and local.

Pictured above: Rachel, Jacinta Tobin, Stacy-Jane Etal and Suze Pratten.