Bulman School receives two NIMA nominations for community music videos

Students from a remote school a few hours out of Katherine have been nominated twice for a prestigious music award for their videos. Watch one here.

Music videos created to boost outback students’ connection to language have received two nominations for this year’s National Indigenous Music Awards.

Bulman School’s songs Nidjarra and Malnganarra were both nominated in the prestigious awards’ Community Clip of the Year category.

Principal Adam Cox said the songs were performed in Dalabon, one of Bulman and Weemol’s traditional languages.

Mr Cox said the school and its broader community were “thrilled” to see the videos nominated.

A Bulman School student in the Nidjarra music video. Picture: YouTube

“Elders are using the (Language Through Music program) to assist in keeping the language alive and strong for future generations,” he said.

The music videos were made with the help of Song room teaching Artists Nathaniel Miller – who is also a teacher for the school – and Steve Lane.

Mr Cox said the program had been running since 2023 and added “enormous value” to the students’ learning outcomes.

“We have found that music brings people together, fosters a strong connection to country and allows students to achieve broader curriculum outcomes,” he said.

Bulman School is about four hours east of Katherine.

The students will find out if their flair for music is enough to take out a top gong at the NIMA ceremony on August 10.