Celebrating the culture, identity, and enduring strength of the Bunuba, Gooniyandi and Walmajarri people of the central Kimberley region, Tura is proud to present Buga Yanu Junba (Songs for Young Children) in partnership with Marninwarntikura Women's Resource Centre (MWRC) and their early childhood and family centre, Baya Gawiy Buga yani Jandu yani u (Baya Gawiy).
Comprised of a songbook and album created by Fitzroy Valley educators writing and singing in the languages of Bunuba, Gooniyandi, Walmajarri, Kimberley Kriol and English, it has been created as part of Tura's long-running Sound FX program – an award-winning intercultural program exploring music, storytelling, cultural knowledge and language through long-term collaborations in Fitzroy Crossing, WA.
“I’m very proud to see the vision that was created by my Elders all those years ago still being carried on today. Those Elders have left us, but their dreams are coming true.”
Patsy Ngalu Bedford (Senior Language Custodian, Special Advisor to the KImberley Language Resource Centre, songwriter)
“If my Old People were here now and listened to these recordings, they’d be so proud to see the little ones grow and to carry it on and carry the knowledge from them in their hearts.”
June Nixon, educator, songwriter, co-researcher
A COLLABORATION YEARS IN THE MAKING
Led by musician and researcher Dr Gillian Howell, the project evolved over four years of deep collaboration between MWRC, Baya Gawiy, Tura and the University of Melbourne.
Initiated as an action research project called New Songs at Baya Gawiy, songwriting in local languages was explored as a way to support language learning and wellbeing for early childhood educators and the children in their care. With support from Tura and a wider team of cultural and language advisors, the educators’ wrote, recorded and illustrated their songs, resulting in a 22 track album with accompanying songbook published by Indigenous Literacy Foundation.
Buga Yanu Junba, meaning songs for young children in Bunuba language, is both a celebration of local language and a practical tool for learning. Intended for an early childhood audience but adaptable for all ages, the songs teach important cultural knowledges alongside the languages themselves.
The songbook includes lyrics, chords and notation, in-depth translations, introductions from each songwriter and a QR code linking to the full album, recorded and produced by Tura. There’s even ‘karaoke’ versions of each song, a valuable tool for educators or families singing along at home.
A SONGBOOK ROOTED IN COMMUNITY
Between the years of 2021–2024, 12 new songs were composed, recorded, and embedded into the daily learning programs at Baya Gawiy. Some older language songs were also revived and re-recorded with permission from the original songwriters, often with new actions and musical accompaniments.
Songs have been written by educators and community members including Patsy Ngalu Bedford, Irene Bent (dec.), Patricia Cox, Samantha Frank, Jayedene Green, Maria Marmingee Hand, Susan Hoad, Robyn Long, Eva Nargoodah, June Nixon, Cissy Nugget, Amarillo Oscar, June Oscar AO, David ‘Bullen’ Rogers, Delphine Shandley and Brenda Shaw.
These songs are powerful sources of local wisdom, carrying stories, language, and cultural knowledge. They are central to the care and nurturing of Baya Gawiy’s children and their families.
UPCOMING PERFORMANCES, TOUR AND LAUNCH
The Buga Yanu Junba album and songbook will be launched across several key events in the Fitzroy Valley:
• KLRC AGM Presentation (11 - 15 Aug): Dr Gillian Howell and Annika Moses along with two MWRC songwriters will present the New Songs at Baya Gawiy research report and the Buga Yanu Junba songbook at the Kimberley Language Resource Centre AGM and meetings with peak bodies at Ngumpan.
• Roadshow Tour (31 Aug - 12 Sep): A seven-day community tour will visit early childhood centres and schools across Bayulu, Joy Springs, Muludja, Yiramalay, Wangkatjungka, Noonkanbah, Yungngora, and more. The tour includes performances and workshops by songwriter-educators, Tura facilitators, students, and Fitzroy Valley District High School staff.
• Launch Celebration Week (13 - 23 Sep): A week of events led by MWRC and the Indigenous Literacy Foundation with music and engagement supported by Tura and the University of Melbourne. Events include: • 16 Sep: Songsharing and craft at Yakanarra Community Hall (9–11am) • 17 Sep: Women's Singing Group at Baya Gawiy (1:30pm) • 19 Sep: Official Launch Celebration – Buga Yanu Junba: Songs for Children (2–5pm) at Baya Gawiy. This community event includes a smoking ceremony, children’s performances, book display, food and conversation.
ABOUT SOUND FX
Now in its ninth year, Tura's Sound FX program explores music, story, cultural knowledge, and language through long-term collaborations in the Fitzroy Valley. Facilitated by Dr Gillian Howell and Annika Moses, the program champions new music-making that is locally led, culturally grounded, and grounded in trust, mutual learning and cultural exchange.
Sound FX creates opportunities for Aboriginal educators and young people to engage in creative collaborations that support language revitalisation, develop new cultural works for performance and education, and foster community music-making in many forms.
LEARN MORE
The Buga Yanu Junba songbook and album will be available as a free download from 19 September 2025 via MWRC and Tura. Streaming platforms including IndigiTube, Spotify, and iTunes.
The songbook is published by Indigenous Literacy Foundation and is available for pre-order on booktopia.
The Buga Yanu Junba songbook, album and celebration tour was composed and takes place on the traditional lands of the Bunuba and Gooniyandi people of the central Kimberley region. We pay our respects to the Traditional Owners, and their Elders past, present and emerging.
Tura acknowledges and thanks partners Marninwarntikura Women’s Resource Centre, Baya Gawiy Children and Family Centre, University of Melbourne, Indigenous Literacy Foundation, and our funders the Australian Government through the Indigenous Languages and Arts program and Creative Australia.
Tura acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the First Australians and Traditional Custodians of the lands where we live, learn and create. We pay our respects to Elders past and present. With solidarity and friendship we say thank you.
