In Chapter Two of our digital short film series Edinburgh is a Story, didgeridoo player and composer William Barton performs his song 'Kalkadungu Yurdu' atop Salisbury Crags. Read on to discover his thoughts on the composition and read the words in the original language and in translation.

I wrote this song as a dedication to my people of the Kalkadungu nation of far north western Queensland, one of Australia’s most fierce fighting tribes. The song is about the passing down of the culture from one generation to the next.

We watch, listen and learn from our elders around the campfire at night. This is one of many practices of passing on knowledge of the land and cultural identity through our language, art and dance ceremonies. As we sing this song, we connect and pay homage to the ancestors of the land and the spirit that lives – acknowledging elders and custodians; past, present and future.

– William Barton

Kalkadungu Yurdu by William Barton (in Language)

Kalkadungu yurdu

kalkadungu marabi

Guntha multhina billa billa multhina wama eh

Billa Billa intha

Billa Billa milthi
Guntha multhina billa billa
multhina wama eh

Marabi marabi marabi marabi wama
Marabi marabi marabi marabi wondungu
Marabi marabi marabi marabi wodungu
Gunther multhina billa billa multhina wama eh

Kalkadungu yurdu

kalkadungu marabi

Kalkadunga yurdu

kalkadungu marabi

Billa billa intha billa billa milthi eh

billa milthi billa billa wama eh

Kalkadungu Yurdu by William Barton (in translation)

Kalkadoon man Kalkadoon woman teaching young children around the campfire in the night how to dance we listen and watch it learn and we do the process ourselves

Big mob of children learn our dances around the campfire in the night we dance

Marabi the women teaches the billa billa (children)

How to dance around the campfire in the night

© William Barton

Edinburgh is a Story is part of our 2022 At Home programme in partnership with abrdn.