Nonstop nationwide debate on the upcoming Voice referendum has been exhausting, to say the least, for many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Amid the public noise, the Wamburang choir has become a safe place to unwind for some of Canberra's First Nations women, non-binary people, and children.
"For all of us, the choir is one of our only times that we can hang out with each other without having to give our opinions, our ideas and our help to other Australians about matters that include us. We can be comfortable," choir lead and Ngunnawal woman Alinta Barlow said.
The melodious call of wamburang, the yellow-tailed black cockatoo, is often heard around Canberra when spotted flying around together in glossy groups.
"They have this beautiful sound that they make, and for me, it's so appealing. I sort of see us as being like that, a group of women coming together to sing," Ms Barlow said.
The choir's weekly meetings, facilitated by the Australian National University, make a huge difference for its members. They are an opportunity for some to rediscover languages and connect with their culture. It's also a pleasing change from only gathering for tragic events.
"There's a lot of community events or groups where it's all sorry business related, so that means funerals ... whereas we wanted to have something enjoyable, where we can have fun, work together, and learn," Ms Barlow said.
The choir is run as part of ANU School of Music's community outreach program and is funded by artsACT.
Anyone who is identifies as a First Nations woman or non-binary person can join the group. Participants don't need to know music or even how to sing to join the group. Between 11 singers, they speak multiple Indigenous languages, including Wiradjuri and Kamilaroi.
At their first public performance in June, the group serenaded the chorus from Christine Anu's My Island Home in Ngunnawal. They also sang popular lullaby Inanay from The Sapphires film in Yorta Yorta.
Although singers pick and translate songs of their choice, the ultimate goal is to write their own.
Ms Barlow said original music from the choir would educate young people about stories lost in the past, and keep their culture and history "alive".
Her mother Jude Barlow, a fellow choir member and Ngunnawal elder, said this was a "resurgence" of language that was taken from First Nations people.
"Singing in language is another [way] in which we can learn and share our languages," Mrs Barlow said.
She was proud of her daughter for creating an environment for healing and love for culture.
"Sharing our culture with others is so important to understanding the unique position we hold in this country, something all Australians should learn, embrace and come to be proud of," she said.
When the future songwriters put pen to paper, they plan to serenade age-old stories as well as their modern-day experiences.
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