occupation studies: ngayanhurra bayarral Birrarung (2026)

This piece boldly connects genocide and ecocide, revealing the colonial mindset of "taming" that underpins European interference. Layered video and field recordings from the Birrarung are woven with torn fragments of an 1800s composition inspired by the river. In stark contrast, the soundscape carries the voice of Jasper Cohen-Hunter, sharing the Birrarung’s Creation Story as passed down by Beruk (William Barak, 1823-1903), the revered Ngurungaeta of the Wurundjeri-balluk.