Mitch Tambo’s Walanbaa Youth Tour inspires Seymour College students

By Faith Macale

May 28, 2024

Gamilaraay singer and songwriter Mitch Tambo has brought his Walanbaa Youth Tour to Seymour.

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On Monday, May 27, Seymour College students danced, sang and jumped with Mr Tambo’s stage performance.

Mr Tambo said Walanbaa Youth Tour was geared towards giving back to the next generation.

“We’ve got over 100 shows this year across the whole nation and, in between that, our normal runs are festivals and high-end sort of other performances, and it's just all about giving back,” he said.

“(At) the end of last year, I was asked how I feel.

“We’re travelling and I said we’ve achieved some incredible things, we’ve played in front of 80,000 people and many arenas across the country and around the world, but if we’re not giving back to the next generation, are we really fulfilling our purpose?”

Seymour College’s primary multicultural captains Aurora Barnbrook and Jaymz McCann with singer-songwriter Mitch Tambo. Photos: supplied

Mr Tambo self-released his EP Guurrama-Li in 2016 before it was re-released under Songbird Records in July 2018.

In 2019, he auditioned for Australia’s Got Talent with his single Walanbaa. He progressed straight to the semi-finals after receiving the golden buzzer.

“What always inspired me from a young age is my culture and just being really excited and ignited by that to learn as much as I can and share as much as I can and celebrate,” he said.

“I never set out to do music. A good friend of mine seen I had these skills and was, like, ‘you should do it’.

“I ended up doing it and here we are, but it's all geared towards celebrating identity, self and belonging.

“That’s really what it’s about ... it’s not about ego ... we’ve done some amazing things and all that kind of thing, but it’s really just about celebrating culture.”

Mitch Tambo's Walanbaa Youth Tour is geared towards giving back to the next generation and inspiring young people. Photo: supplied

The Walanbaa National Youth Tour aims to help inspire and entertain young people.

“For me, it’s not about trying to be anyone’s idol, even role model, but it’s about just coming back to give back,” Mr Tambo said.

“If out of some of the positive things that I share and bring to the table, kids take that away and they look to me as a role model, I think that that’s amazing, but I’m not coming in to be a superhero.

“I just feel with my journey, it’s about visibility and kids being allowed to see people from different backgrounds out there succeeding and allowing them to have that interaction and that experience and hopefully be inspired to just go out and do and be who they want to be.”

Mr Tambo said people should not have to give up their background or culture in order to be successful.

“You could be a refugee and come over here and you don’t have to give up your native tongue, your cultures, to be successful,” he said.

“You can bring it all to the table, you can start a beautiful life over here and just be all of who you are.

“It’s about sending that message to just be your beautiful, unique self and you can get through things.”