Bluey Dubbed in Yolŋu Matha: A Groundbreaking Initiative for Indigenous Language Preservation
Bluey, the popular Australian children's show, will now be available in an Indigenous language for the first time in Australia. Five episodes, including The Creek, The Beach, Sleepytime, Grandad, and Rug Island, have been dubbed into Yolŋu Matha by residents of north-east Arnhem Land. The episodes were selected for their connections to family and Country, aligning with the community's worldview. Yolŋu leader Sylvia Nulpinditj, a co-director of the project, anticipates that the community will be thrilled to hear Bluey and Bingo speaking in their language.
The project, which has been in the works for years, involved recording the characters in just three weeks. The blue heeler dad, Bandit, is voiced by Dimathaya Burrawanga, a member of Yolŋu surf rock band King Stingray. The grandad is played by respected Elder Andrew Gurruwiwi, and Bluey and Bingo's mother, Chilli, is voiced by Rosie Mununggurr. The team carefully selected local children to voice the main characters, ensuring they had their family's support, and expects that they will soon have new nicknames based on their performances.
Yolŋu Matha encompasses closely linked languages spoken by different clans in north-east Arnhem Land. The team aimed to capture the language spoken in a modern Yolŋu household, which includes a mix of languages. They replaced English words in the original show with Yolŋu concepts, stories, and lullabies to maintain cultural authenticity. The project involved tweaking the script line by line with traditional owners and language holders to ensure that the words retained their meaning while fitting the animation's mouth movements.
Bluey, a global success available in over 140 countries and dubbed in more than 20 languages, is now contributing to language preservation in north-east Arnhem Land. The project aims to showcase a Yolŋu household's sounds to younger Australians and elevate the community's voice on a broader platform. The collaboration between the creators and the community is seen as a groundbreaking initiative that could lead to more partnerships in the future.
The episodes dubbed in Yolŋu Matha will be available on iview and will also be featured at the Garma festival in August. This initiative is a powerful way to bring Indigenous language and culture from north-east Arnhem Land to homes across Australia. The project has received positive feedback from ABC director of First Nations strategy Kelly Williams and Bluey producer Ludo Studio, who see it as a significant step in promoting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages and culture. The confirmed release date has left Sylvia Nulpinditj excited, expressing that she has goosebumps in anticipation of the episodes' launch.