QILAC is delighted to announce the public release of our documentary, Yamani – Voices of an Ancient Land.

The 12-minute film has been playing as in-flight entertainment on QANTAS since December and will be able to be viewed on Queensland Rail’s long distance trains in the coming months.

Many thanks to First Languages Australia for documenting our journey. We trust you will enjoy the film.
Download the tracks here: https://wantokmusik.bandcamp.com/album/yamani-voices-of-an-ancient-land

For tens of thousands of years, the rich and beautiful sounds of thousands of languages washed across this earth.

Over all of Australia it is believed there were more than five hundred at one time. Around two hundred years ago, a new language began to replace them, sweeping across Australia with such force that some parts of it could no longer hear the voices that told its stories and held its secrets.

A deep silence seemed to be looming.

Then, finally, a change began. As the volume of the old words faded to a whisper in some places, the people who are their custodians began to take action, calling for respect, for the rights to speak and be heard in their traditional tongues, while stirring everyone to appreciate the treasury of knowledge held in their languages.

The Queensland Indigenous Languages Advisory Committee was formed in 2005 in recognition of the need for a state body to advocate for Indigenous languages. Over the years we found a collective passion for music and song. Some of us just loved to sing and others want to see their songs passed on the younger women. It was decided that for one meeting we would each bring a song in our language to share with the others.

This contemporary musical gathering seeded the realisation singing in this way gives new life to the ancient process of sharing music between communities, and empowers the participants to share their languages.

Join with us, by listening or singing along, to let our ancient lands once again – and in ever louder volume – hear the voices that hold and tell its stories.