Overview
- The ABC will premiere five Yolŋu Matha‑dubbed episodes of Bluey on ABC iview on July 5 for NAIDOC Week, with a public big‑screen screening planned at the Garma Festival in August.
- Producers selected The Beach, The Creek, Sleepytime, Grandad and Rug Island for their family and Country themes and adapted scripts line‑by‑line with traditional owners to keep meaning and lip sync.
- The local cast includes Dimathaya Burrawanga as Bandit, Rosie Mununggurr as Chilli and Elder Andrew Gurruwiwi as Grandad, with local children cast as Bluey and Bingo.
- Recording was produced at Yolŋu Radio in north‑east Arnhem Land, took about three weeks to complete, and involved translators swapping English references for Yolŋu stories and naming practices such as Ŋamini Baŋ'baŋ' and skin names.
- Project leaders say the release documents and normalises Yolŋu language in mainstream media, raises national visibility for northeast Arnhem Land culture and could spur further First Nations language dubbing and resources.