Australian Music Centre | Breaking sound barriers

'I'd like to share with you a story from our family. Mum' s oldest sister Aunty Fif and cousin Wendy shared this beautiful story with me on country (Jaara Jharr), and in turn I created a song so Jaara Nyilamum's story would be forever sung, told and learnt by future generations of Jaara.

A hundred years ago a young farmer was felling trees on Jaara Jharr. He noticed a bundle in a hollow log that came from high up in the trees. On closer inspection he found wrapped in a Djukum Djukum (possum skin cloak), a baby girl, deceased. He took the bundle to the police and after asserting this was not a homicide the police handed the bundle to the state museum and there, she stayed for 99 years in a cold steel drawer, alone. Until our family found her and repatriated her remains back to Jaara Jharr to rest amongst the treetops.

You see, our Jaara family, are born at the base, in the cavity of a tree. Not just any tree- these are birthing trees. Through our lives we have close relationships with the trees. These are our family and they do as family does; nurture, protect and comfort us. The word for bones in Dja Dja Wurrung is galk. It's the same word for stick, branch and a general term for tree. They are us and we are them. When we die, we are placed among the treetops, we are wrapped in our Djukum Djukum and nestled safely in a hollow to gumbila (to sleep), nyernila (to listen deeply) to Djuandak Balag (our Ancestors) singing and talking in the wind. I invite you now to sit and listen to Jaara Nyilamum' -- Dr Lou Bennett AM.