Recognise

Recognise was commissioned for the 130th Anniversary of the St Andrew’s Cathedral School in Sydney by music specialist Kate Robertson.

The school maintains strong ties to Indigenous communities and engages Aboriginal teachers to educate Indigenous students in language and culture.  During this time, Australia is on the eve of a constitutional change, the “Recognise Campaign” and now the Voice to Parliament.

The recognition of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in our Constitution would acknowledge the longer span of history in our country, which extends back tens of thousands of years through the oldest living cultures on the planet. It would recognise what is the truth of our history. That achievement can inspire every Australian today and it’s the rightful opening chapter of our nation’s shared story. RECOGNISE acknowledges the Traditional Owners across the nation. We honour them as the custodians of the lands and waters and Australia’s ancient cultural knowledge. 

“We are the first Australians. It’s up to all of us to come together and acknowledge and recognise this. We have the longest continuing culture in the world. Aboriginal culture doesn’t just belong to Aboriginal Australians. It belongs to all of us.”

Millie Ingram, Wiradjuri Elder

Themes

Sing a Finale Sing a message Sing an Australian story
Duration 3:10
Key F Major
Range Bb for altos up to D for Sops
More info Also available with strings. Contact Paul for parts & scores.
Price AU$3.00 per copy

Lyrics

R E C O G N I S E                        
                           
By Bonnie Nilsson & Paul Jarman with traditional Wiradjuri words

The passing of knowledge, the sharing of song
Side by side we will travel strong
Crossing boundaries we can see the change
Sharing the past with the future is the way 

We recognise we can be the change
We recognise our history and our first people’s ways

Out along the road there are many paths to choose
If you take the time to listen, the earth will give to you
Many lessons, many answers beneath your feet and in the stars
In the rivers, rocks and oceans, so listen
Yes listen to the stories from our past

We can recognise we can be the change
We recognise our history and our first people’s ways

It’s all here for us to learn, our culture so rich and deep
Forty thousand years or more, listen as it speaks
Ngadhi Ngurambang, Ngaliguna Garray
Nginhu Ngurambang, Ngaliguna Garray
My country, your country, our country
It speaks the truth
Listen as it speaks to you

We recognise we can be the change
We recognise our history and our first people’s ways
My country, your country, our country, traveling with change
As we recognise our first people’s ways

©Nilsson/Jarman 2015