National anthem

Learn to sing ‘Advance Australia Fair’ in Eora

Unity and community spirit

A shared Australian history recognises First Nations Australians as the original inhabitants of this country. An excellent starting point for acknowledging and connecting with this shared history is through language.

In Australia there are more than 250 First Nations’ languages, including 800 dialects. Each language is specific to a particular place and people.

This 2021 Australia Day program proudly showcases First Nations culture — the oldest living culture in the world. The First Nations inhabitants of the place we now call Sydney identify themselves as Eora (pronounced ‘iyora’), meaning simply ‘the people’. The many clans of the Eora nation were united by a common language, while records indicate that there were at least two dialects.

This version of the national anthem is sung at the WugulOra Morning Ceremony and Salute to Australia. It begins with a verse that is based on a long-extinct Aboriginal language of the Sydney district referred to as ‘the Sydney Language’.

The Sydney Language is endorsed by the Metropolitan Local Aboriginal Land Council as a contemporary interpretation of the first conversation and words recorded by Lieutenant William Dawes, an Englishman and naval officer with the First Fleet, with Patyegarang (pronounced Pa-te-ga-rang) a young female of the Gadigal people.

While the language we use may be Eora, this is about representing all Aboriginal culture, people and nations. And importantly, showing our commitment to working together as one community. This is why the Sydney Language version of the national anthem is being sung throughout Australia day events — so we can honour our First Nations Australians, who have always been here and will continue to be here.

We sincerely hope that raising awareness of the diversity of First Nations’ languages will help to highlight the way cultures have blended and how our lives can be enriched by all.

Learn how to pronounce the words and what they mean

Clarence Slockee teaching how to sing the national anthem in Eora — Clarence Slockee, TV presenter and proud Bundjalung man, teaches us some of the beautiful interpretations and pronunciations of the national anthem, Advance Australia Fair, performed in Eora.

Watch

Read the transcript of the 'Learn how to pronounce the words and what they mean' video

Let’s start with the first line. Australians let us all rejoice.

In this instance, Australiagal ya’nga yabun.

In many Aboriginal languages, you’ll see ng written. It’s like a neyah sound.

So Ya’nga is do. Just do it.

Yabun - sing.

Australiagal - All Australians. All of us together. Let’s just sing.

Let’s be proud of who we are.

Let’s embrace our First Nations Culture.

Let’s just embrace who we are as a people.

Australiagal ya’nga yabun.

Too easy.

Now we probably won’t have time to go through each and every line or every word, but again that ng gives us the neyah sound. And a U is often a ooh like cool or hook.

So Ngurra is a camp. And garrigarrang or garrigarrang, is the sea. The ocean. And we are girt by sea, when girt is surrounded by the ocean. But it’s much easier to say Ngurra garrigarrang. A camp by the sea.

Now with a lot of songs, to translate them or to move them into a different language, we often have to find syllables, similar words but at least the syllables that will fit with the melody line. We go towards the end of the song, Garraburra ngayiri yabun.

Garraburra is to dance or to gather for ceremony.

Ngayiri.

Yabun - to sing.

The line is a falling cadence. Ga-rra-burra nga-yi-ri ya-bun. Very easy to break it down. It keeps falling. It’s so beautiful.

Lyrics

Australiagal ya’nga yabun
Eora budgeri
Yarragal Bamal Yarrabuni
Ngurra garrigarrang
Nura mari guwing bayabuba
Diara-murrahmah-coing
Guwugu yago ngabay burrabagur
Yirribana Australiagal
Garraburra ngayiri yabun
Yirribana Australiagal

Translation

The lyrics in Eora are not a direct translation of the English words, but rather substitute meanings that reveal the Eora’s deep connection to the land. We hope you feel inspired to sign along.

1.	Australiagal	ya’nga	yabun
	Australian(s)	do	sing
	Australians all	let us	rejoice
2.	Eora	budgeri
	People	Good
	For we are	one and free
3.	Yarragal	Bamal	Yarrabuni (ya – ra – boo – nee)
	Yellow	Earth (ground)	do not fatigue yourself
	With golden	soil and	weath for toil
4.	Ngurra	garrigarrang
	Camp	sea
	Our home	is girt by sea
5.	Nura	mari (mur-ray)	guwing bayabuba (by-boo-bar)
	Country	many (a very large number)	sunrise
	Our land	abounds	in nature's gifts
6.	Diara-murrahmah-coing
	The sun setting red
	Of beauty rich and rare
7.	Guwugu (gua-go)	yago	ngabay	burrabagur
	Presently	today	future event	tomorrow
	in his	trees page	Let ev	re stage
8.	Yirribana	Australiagal
	This way	Australian(s)
	Advance	Australia Fair
10.	Garraburra	ngayiri	yabun
	To dance	bring	sing
	In joy	ful strains then let	us sing
11.	Yirribana	Australiagal
	This way	Australian(s)
	Advance	Australia Fair

Local languages

Find the First Nations' language for your local area.

'Advance Australia Fair' in English

Australian national anthem 'Advance Australia Fair' was created by Scottish-born composer Peter Dodds McCormick. It was first performed in 1878, and replaced 'God Save the Queen' as the official national anthem in 1984.

Lyrics

Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are one and free,
We've golden soil and wealth for toil;
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare,
In history's page, let every stage
Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
We'll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share:
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.