General News
25 May, 2026
Tambo shares culture through music
Yarriambiack Libraries hosted celebrated First Nations entertainer Mitch Tambo at the Warracknabeal Anglican Hall on Monday, May 18, as part of his I Am Me tour.
Tambo, a proud Gamilaraay man, shared music, dance, language, and storytelling with nearly 50 people, including children, families, and adult fans of his music.
The performance made a strong impression on young audience members, with Louise McDermott saying her daughter continued talking about the event after she returned home.
“My daughter couldn’t stop talking about it, and she loved the story and the music,” she said.
“We played Mitch’s music when we got home.
She even said some of the kids in her group were going to try to leave the spots on their faces.
“It was impactful, and I’m glad she had a chance to go,” Ms McDermott said.
Tambo opened the session with a warm-up dance, then led an interactive reading of his picture book, I Am Me, which encourages children to celebrate who they are and discover the richness of First Nations culture.
Children joined discussions about traditions they follow, how to say hello in different languages, and their favourite clothes.
Families also praised the opportunity to have the event available locally, with Hayley McGrath saying her children thoroughly enjoyed the morning.
“The girls had an absolute ball, and thank you to those in the Shire who made this event available to Warracknabeal,” Ms McGrath said.
Tambo shared a strong message about being true to yourself, celebrating your passion, and not being afraid to show people what you love.
He also spoke about his Gamilaraay culture and explained the meaning of the Dhinawan, or emu, feather he wears.
He told the audience that, because emus cannot walk backwards, the Dhinawan teaches people to keep moving forward and never give up, even when times are tough.
Kathryn Jackson said the performance gave children a meaningful reminder to celebrate themselves and follow their dreams.
“We loved seeing Mitch perform, so we are very grateful we could experience this,” she said.
“My kids thoroughly enjoyed listening to Mitch’s story.
“A great reminder to love who we are, follow our dreams.”
Tambo finished the morning with traditional face painting and a dance party to his version of Funky Town, performed in both Gamilaraay and English.
Tambo blends Gamilaraay language and English in his original and cover songs.
He was a finalist on Australia’s Got Talent in 2019, received two Golden Guitar nominations, and performed You’re the Voice with John Farnham, Olivia Newton-John and Queen’s Brian May at the historic Fire Fight Australia concert.
