The globally loved children's show Bluey is set to make history by becoming the first animated series to be broadcast in an Australian Indigenous language. Five episodes from seasons one and two have been dubbed into Yolŋu Matha, the Australian First Nations language of North-east Arnhem Land, as part of an initiative for National Aboriginal and Islanders Day Observance Committee (Naidoc) Week.
The dubbed episodes, which include 'The Beach', 'The Creek', 'Sleepytime', 'Grandad', and 'Rug Island', feature local children from North-east Arnhem Land voicing Bluey and Bingo, while Dimathaya Burrawanga from the band King Stingray voices Bandit. The project was developed with Yolŋu Radio and the Aboriginal Resource and Development Services (ARDS), in collaboration with Bluey creators Ludo Studio and the ABC.
This milestone is a significant step towards promoting cultural diversity and language preservation in Australia. The Indigenous language episodes will be broadcast and streamed for the first time on Sunday 5 July, coinciding with Naidoc Week. The week's theme, '50 Years of Deadly', honours the strength, leadership, and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and communities.
The ABC's director of First Nations strategy, Kelly Williams, said the Indigenous language episodes will 'bring the North-east Arnhem Land language and culture into homes across the country'. The project's co-chief executive officers at ARDS, Julia Wormer and Sylvia Nulpinditj, hope it will contribute to a future where First Nations languages are increasingly heard, celebrated, and recognised as a vital part of Australia's story.
Bluey has been streamed into millions of homes since its launch in 2018 and is available in more than 140 countries, topping the US streaming charts for the past two years. The show's creators and partners hope that making the show available in an Australian Indigenous language will help to promote cultural exchange and understanding between communities.