The Songs on Country Project brings together children and Elders to write original songs in the First Nations languages of Cape York Peninsula.

These new songs composed in Guugu Yimidhirr, Wik-Mungkan, Injinoo Ikya and Mpakwithi are now sung in Cape York Peninsula classrooms and playgrounds. Songs on Country outputs will include a new children’ song book for each language and a video documenting the workshops and songs the children and Elders have composed. Songs on Country is inspiring a revival of creativity in ancestral languages amongst all generations.

Songs on Country NPA The Mpakwithi Injinoo Ikya Ancestral Language Action Teams have composed a number of songs in Mpakwithi and Injinoo Ikya.  Examples of the songs can be found here and here.

Songs on Country Hope Vale The Hope Vale Primary Students’ first Guugu Yimidhirr language song “Bama Muganh-muganh” (Cold Man) was the theme of a field trip off the Beach Road near Hope Vale. The students created the “Bama Muganh-muganh”  out of an old termite mound and other materials that they found in the bush.

Songs on Country Aurukun