How this Yuin woman calls whales with song, and teaches others about culture

Dr Jodi Edwards' skills in calling the giants to her are put on display during an educational Indigenous whale watching cruise.

The importance of the connection between First Nations people and sea country has been shared on an Indigenous whale watching cruise.

Dr Jodi Edwards comes from a long line of whale singers.

The senior Indigenous research fellow at University of Wollongong says her great-great-grandmother used to sing to whales.

The Yuin woman's skills were put on display for a group of tourists, scientists and local First Nations people recently during a whale watching tour by Gumaraa Aboriginal Experience.

“It's to share our culture with everyday people, so they have an understanding that we have a relational kinship obligation to look after the whales and look after sea country," Dr Edwards said of the tour at Shellharbour, two hours south of Sydney.

Humpback whale Source: Pixabay

While Dr Edwards sang to the whales, Richard Campbell, director of Gumaraa Aboriginal Experience, played clapsticks.

Participants were treated to a whale breach. It still excites the Djiringanj man of the Yuin Nation.

"That was deadly," he said.

"When I started clapping and Jodi started singing, that one breached straight up.

"That just goes to show our connection with them big animals, so they our mothers.”

Numbers of Southern Right Whale calves have decreased from 222 in 2016 to 200 in 2024. Credit: Richard Twist, Current Environmental Australian Right Whale Research @southernrightwhales. Permit Number M26085-13.

Dr Edwards says it’s important to educate non-Indigenous Australians about her culture.

"For instance there’s people out there who call this the 'humpback highway'," she said.

"But it’s actually a Songline and a story line and that’s been handed down from generation to generation, the connection between whale and people.

"So when you’re out on the water ... people can see it and feel it, and it helps them understand where we’re coming from.”

Gumaraa Aboriginal Experience held a smoking ceremony as passengers boarded the Shellharbour wild cruise, while Dr. Edwards painted faces and hands with ochre.

Dr Jodi Edwards is an academic at the University of Wollongong and a whale expert.

Some of the tourists on board travelled more than an hour to hear Dr Jodi Edwards speak.

Passenger Helen Saville came to celebrate her 80^th birthday.

“I heard about this particular tour and I thought wow I would really like to do that and get the Indigenous perspective.”

Her husband James Saville says he was impressed with Dr Edwards “knowledge, spontaneity and her enjoyment of being here.”

“I’ve really learnt that our First Nations people are our original scientists and are a wealth of knowledge," said passenger Laura Wells.

"Coming from a science background myself there is so much we can learn and integrate ... with modern day science.”