New Busking For Change song co-written by Brewarrina students, First Nations artists DOBBY and Kelsey Iris will be performed by schools across Australia in 2026.
Children from the remote New South Wales Community of Brewarrina will help teach Aboriginal language to thousands of students across Australia through the Indigenous Literacy Foundation's (ILF) 2026 Busking For Change campaign.
The official Busking For Change 2026 song, MINYAN NGABANGKA (What's in the Water), was co-written by ILF Ambassador DOBBY, First Nations artist Kelsey Iris and children from Brewarrina. Through the national program, students across Australia will learn and perform the song while raising funds to help kids in remote Communities, access books in language.
Featuring Murrawarri language and inspired by Brewarrina's deep connection to the Baawan/Bama River, the song invites students nationwide to engage with one of the world's oldest living cultures through music.
For ILF Ambassador DOBBY, whose family connections run deep in Brewarrina and Weilmoringle, bringing Busking For Change to the Community is especially meaningful.
"It's a great honour to host Busking For Change 2026 in Brewarrina. It's an honour for me as my family's from here, but I am also really excited for all the schools to be learning one of the languages from here in Brewarrina NSW," DOBBY said.
"I hope all the schools around Australia enjoy and sing along with us to MINYAN NGABANGKA – What's in the Water."
The title MINYAN NGABANGKA translates to ‘What's in the Water’, with Minyan meaning ‘what’ and Ngabangka meaning ‘in the water’ in Murrawarri language.
The phrase was inspired by the talent, energy and spirit of Brewarrina's young people.
"The song is MINYAN NGABANGKA because this Community and these kids are so deadly we were like, 'What's in the water?'," Kelsey Iris said.
"And then it's all connected. Our water is life, and it just means so much to us mob here that are from the rivers."
The song was developed in collaboration with Elders and Knowledge Holders, including Aunty Missy, ensuring local language, culture and stories remained at the heart of the project.
Kelsey said the project highlights the important role Aboriginal languages play in literacy, identity and cultural continuity.
"We know that literacy is a really fundamental and important part of all of our lives, especially for children. Language has to be a part of that."
"Language is so critical and important to our young people, to our kids, and it's so important that children are speaking and celebrating language every day."
"We hope that we can continue to do this for our future generations and that we revitalise language so that it is fluent in our Communities."
Brewarrina, in north-west New South Wales, is home to the Ngemba people and renowned for Baiame's Ngunnhu (Fish Traps), believed to be among the oldest human-made structures in the world.
As students across Australia prepare to busk, sing and fundraise in 2026, Brewarrina's young people will be sharing more than a song, they will be helping a new generation connect with the stories, language and cultural knowledge of Brewarrina.
ILF Lifetime Ambassador Josh Pyke, who founded Busking For Change, has seen the program evolve into a nationwide educational initiative.
"Busking For Change started as a way to raise funds for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation at my own gigs, but I always felt it had the potential to be something much bigger than that," said Josh Pyke.
“When my own kids started school I saw an amazing opportunity to raise awareness and funds for the ILF by turning Busking For Change into an annual event where kids could learn a song. It shows how powerful music can be in bringing people together around a shared purpose.”
ILF Lifetime Ambassador Justine Clarke said music creates a unique opportunity for learning and connection said, "When children learn through singing, they build confidence, creativity and a deeper connection to the stories and languages they are sharing. Busking For Change is such a fun and accessible way for teachers, students and communities to get involved, while helping to support literacy programs for children in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities."
Schools, early learning centres, workplaces and community groups are encouraged to register and take part in Busking For Change 2026.
Now in its fourth year, the program reaches schools nationwide. The 2026 goal is to recruit 100 schools and raise funds to deliver culturally relevant books to remote Communities around Australia.
Register now to be part of this vital initiative and help us reach more Communities! www.buskingforchange.org.au
Watch the 2026 reel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vPyogiqG1qI
Editors Notes:
Teachers, librarians and education professionals can also find other ways to engage with ILF through the new Education Hub, a dedicated online space to support them to confidently teach and celebrate First Nations stories in their school or library. The Hub features a 2026 Education calendar, Teacher Resources and Advocacy Program fundraisers and campaigns. https://www.ilf.org.au/education
About us:
ABOUT: Busking For Change is the Indigenous Literacy Foundation's national music fundraising program. Participants learn and perform a song featuring Aboriginal language and English, while raising funds to support ILF's work in remote First Nations Communities.
Each year, a new song is created in partnership with a remote Community, celebrating culture, language, storytelling and connection to Country while sharing local knowledge with audiences across Australia. Busking For Change also supports the UN’s Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032) and highlights the importance of language preservation.
The Indigenous Literacy Foundation is a national charity working with remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities to support language, literacy and publishing programs. ILF receives no government funding and is Community led.
Contact details:
Jackie Evans Mobile: 0407 776 222 | E: [email protected]
