Five years after his death, a new version of Gurrumul's Bayini shines light on Indigenous Australia's pre-colonial ties with Indonesia

If you've ever visited the coastal regions of northern Australia, you've probably come across a djilawurr — an orange-footed scrubfowl. South-East Asian fishers frequently visited sites across Australia's north as early as 1700 — decades before European settlement — forging ties with Indigenous Australian groups, influencing their language and establishing international trade. And now thanks to a new release of Rraywun Maymuru's song Bayini performed by Gurrumul Yunupingu, the little-known relationship between Australia's First Nations people and the Makassar of the Indonesian archipelago is back in the spotlight. Indonesian singer and journalist Dian sung in Makassar for a new version of Gurrumul Yunupingu's song Bayini. Releasing a new version that incorporates the Makassan language, Michael says, opens Gurrumul's music up to a new international audience and continues his legacy.