Indigenous national anthem moves NRL players and fans at Leichhardt Oval

IN a fitting start to the NRL indigenous round, a year 12 student has delivered a stirring indigenous rendition of the national anthem at Leichhardt Oval.

IN a fitting start to the NRL indigenous round, a year 12 student has delivered a stirring indigenous rendition of the national anthem at Leichhardt Oval.

Rebecca Hatch, an HSC student from Campbelltown Performing Arts High School, received praise for her unique performance that used traditional indigenous words and instruments to the tune of the national anthem.

Hatch then continued with the English verse - much like the New Zealand anthem that mixes Maori and English.

Debate has raged for years about incorporating indigenous words into the national anthem. If we anything as good as Rebecca Hatch’s version we could finally compete with our rivals across The Ditch for world’s best anthem.

Congratulations to Year 12 student, Rebecca Hatch. A beautiful rendition of the National Anthem for the NRL 2018 Indigenous round. https://t.co/IsnQbSKJ9A

— CampbelltownPAHS (@CampbelltownPAH) May 10, 2018

I am ABSOLUTELY about this! Make the Australian national anthem like New Zealand, Indigenous than english. 🇦🇺❤️💛🖤 #NRLIndigenous #NRLTigersCowboys

— Louise Fernance (@weezie_13) May 10, 2018

#NRLIndigenous Australian anthem is giving me chills...

Most beautiful and soulful rendition I’ve heard since before the Sydney Olympics backing tape started popping up everywhere.

Awesome stuff, @NRL

— Mat Jessep (@MatJessep) May 10, 2018

Goosebumps again watching this.
This needs to be the way our anthem is performed every time.
I've loved watching the Kiwis do their anthem this way for years - it's time for Australia to, again, catch up!#NRLTigersCowboys #NRLIndigenous https://t.co/PF7SZTBGvA

— Mitch Lewis (@Mitch_Lewis) May 10, 2018

What a rendition of the National Anthem!!! #Respect #Amazing #NRL #NRLTigersCowboys Well done @NRL for embracing this with open arms. https://t.co/c4kSAN0zRI

— Jono R (@JonathonRogers2) May 10, 2018

Get around this! 🇦🇺🖤💛❤️💚💙 #NRLIndigenous https://t.co/qGdjhcb8Mc

— Louise Fernance (@weezie_13) May 10, 2018

#NRLIndigenous Round at Leichhardt!#NRLTigersCowboys pic.twitter.com/9q7pd2a002

— Wests Tigers (@WestsTigers) May 10, 2018

Woah! That Australian national Anthem sung in an Aboriginal dialect and English was pure gold! That’s how it should always be done 🙌🏽 #NRLIndigenous #NRLTigersCowboys

— John Krishna (@ChubbsViewfj) May 10, 2018

Originally published as Indigenous national anthem moves NRL players and fans at Leichhardt Oval