Darug custodian Djurumin Corina gifted a song, Gunyalungalung, to our group of Indigenous Elders, scholars, activists and their collaborators at the Sharing, Strengthening Connections and Continuing Ceremony gathering in Aoteatoa. In addition to this sharing, Corina, who is also from Te Atihaunui a Paparangi te iwi, helped guide our group in respecting Māori protocols on the lands on which we met in Aotearoa.
Along with Darug custodian Uncle Lex Dadd, Corina leads the Yanama Budjari Gumada: Walk with good spirit project where they run Darug culture camps on Darug Country in Western Sydney in collaboration with Marnie Graham and Sandie Suchet-Pearson, Paul Hodge and Paul Glass (Yellomundee Living Culture Camp).
Corina shared Gunyalungalung with us paying acknowledgement and respect to the late Uncle “Guboo” Ted Thomas who wrote the English lyrics and song. It was his wish that his song be passed on and translated into all languages around the world for the purpose of strengthening our communities and our connections with each other. She invited the gathering to translate the words into their own Indigenous languages.
The translation of the song is connected to one of our songlines and creation stories to give more depth and meaning when taught to my little ones, about that big story, our story. So, when you put it into your own language, you can think about standing strong with your story, the love and the peace and remembering your story.
That’s our gift to you.
Corina Norman, Aotearoa, June 2019
Gunyalungalung (Dreaming)
Yanamanyia ngurrawa (All across Country)
Gunyalungalung (Dreaming)
Muruba gili mulumulungga (All across the Universe)
…
Ngalawa (Peace – Sit, look and listen)
Yanamanyia ngurrawa (All across Country)
Ngalawa (Peace – Sit, look and listen)
Muruba gili mulumulungga (All across the Universe)
…
Ngubadi (Love)
Yanamanyia ngurrawa
Ngubadi (Love )
Muruba gili mulumulungga
…
Marri Madung (Great Bravery)
Yanamanyia ngurrawa
Marri Madung (Great Bravery)
Muruba gili mulumulungga
…
Corina is a Dharug/Dharawal woman. She is also from Te-atihaunui a Paparangi te iwi. Corina is a singer/songwriter, dancer, teacher and language consultant. She is the Secretary of Dharug Ngurra Aboriginal Corporation and Director of Dharug Strategic Management Group. Corina is a cultural advisor for Yanama Budyari Gumada – walk/go with good spirit, from which she is part of teaching and supporting the fundamental principles of being one with country and looking after each other. Corina facilitates cultural knowledge and practices, weaving in Traditional culture and protocol into a contemporary framework.
Further learning
Ngurra, Darug, Dadd, Uncle Lex, Norman-Dadd, Aunty Corina, Glass, Paul, Hodge, Paul, Suchet-Pearson, Sandie, Graham, Marnie, Scott, Rebecca, Lemire, Jessica and Harriet Narwal 2020 ‘Case Study 11 Yanama budyari gumada: walking with good spirit at Yarramundi, western Sydney’, in Woodward, E, Hill, R and Archer R (eds) Our Knowledge Our Ways in caring for Country: Guidelines. Northern Australia Environmental Resources Hub, National Environmental Science Programme. NAILSMA and CSIRO, Darwin.
Darug Ngurra including Dadd, L. Glass, P. Norman-Dadd, C. Hodge, P. Suchet-Pearson, S. Graham, M. Judge, S. Scott, R. and Lemire, J. 2020. Yanama Budyari Gumada, Walk with Good Spirit as Method: Co-creating Local Environmental Stewards on/with/as Darug Ngurra. In Campbell, A; Duffy, M and Edmondson, B. (Eds) Located Research: Regional places, transitions, challenges. Palgrave, Singapore.
Darug Ngurra including Dadd, L., Glass, P., Scott, R., Graham, M., Judge, S., Hodge, P. and Suchet-Pearson, S. 2019. Yanama budyari gumada: reframing the urban to care as Darug Country in western Sydney. Australian Geographer. 50(3): 279-293.