The ocean opens its embrace like an old friend
nowey
gunya
marrang
time and place transcend

~ from 'YILAALU –BU-GADI (once upon a time in the bay of Gadi)' by Lorna Munro

Celebrating the NAIDOC Week 2017 theme 'Our Languages Matter', Yala Gari street banners flew poems in first languages by Wiradjuri/Gamilaroi poet Lorna Munro, and Yilia, a Year 6 student at Alexandria Park Community School who participated in the Yala Gari program. 

In collaboration with City of Sydney, Red Room Poetry's Poetic Moments project published the poems on street banners throughout Redfern. The banners were designed by Yuwaalaraay visual artist Lucy Simpson (Gaawaa Miyay). 

About Yala Gari

Created by poet Lorna Munro, Yala Gari (Speak the Truth) is a language program that empowers students from inner Sydney communities to create, perform and publish poetry that celebrates First Nation cultures and languages. Yala Gari is now a 10- week program in partnership with NASCA that involves Wiradjuri, Gamilaroi, Ngiyampaa, Yuin, and Sydney Languages and runs at Alexandria Park Community. Read more »