Parabulā Paramā Maŋınıwā Yenbōŋı ,
Parabulā Paramā Berıaŋgalaŋdā
Toindınmā Maŋınıwā Yenbōŋı⁵⁵⁰

Governor Phillip’s aide and secretary, Judge Advocate David Collins, reversed the words of the song in An Account of the English Colony in New South Wales, published in London in 1798. Collins wrote:

mang-en-ny-wau-yengo-nah,
bar-ri-boo-lah, bar-re-mah.

This they begin at the top of their voices, and continue as long as they can in one breath, sinking to the lowest note, and then rising again to the highest. The words are the names of deceased persons.⁵⁵¹

Muruwari Aboriginal musician Matthew Doyle has performed the song on previous occasions from the colony texts. Matt Doyle claims to have dreamt how the chant sounded. When Matt came into the Conservatorium for the fist time to see the actual manuscript of the Edward Jones’ transcription, he felt he had heard it before!

Kevin Hunt had the adventurous task of vocally recording the chant as a guide for the Aboriginal voices to learn the chant. The experience of tentatively and then eventually confidently singing the chant through for the guide recording was like walking into another world, so significant to our history. Kevin Hunt has had many great experiences with Aboriginal people in Redfern and as a travelling musician, but had have never felt such humility and privilege as a musician when making the simple guide recording of this historic chant .

Keith Vincent Smith and Kevin Hunt holding the manuscript of ‘Barbul-laa’ mounted for Keith’s exhibition and book launch Mari Nawi , Sept 2010 Mitchell Library Sydney.

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⁵⁵¹Smith, Keith.V. (2011) 1793: A Song of the Natives of New South Wales British Library Journal eBLJ, 2011, Article 14 http://www.bl.uk/eblj/2011articles/article14.html ; original source 5Collins, 394.