Last Thiinma Speaker's Music Revives Language

0:00It's April 19th, Sydney News, today starts now, AI-powered and ready. A 92-year-old stockman named Peter Sammon is the last living speaker of the First Nations language, Theonma, from Western Australia. After three years of searching, linguist Rosie Satoris finally tracked him down through his grandkids at a Perth Shopping Center parking lot. The two hit it off right away, with Peter sharing his words and Rosie bringing her music skills to create songs and Theonma together. Peter grew up barefoot on the land, hurting cattle without any schooling, learning the language from his mom before she passed. He'd mostly forgotten it, with no one else to speak it with, except to sister far away. But Rosie's persistence brought it all back during long drives and adventures, rounding up horses on rough country tracks. They formed a band called Warro Gurnia, meaning singing, and took their music to AVC TV's The Piano. The performance wowed crowds at Sydney Airports Community Piano, earning a spot in the final

1:00concert at City Recital Hall, alongside stars like Guy. Sebastian and Didgerie Doo, Master William Barton. The song they shared highlighted how no rain, means no water, no grass, no life on the land. A deep message from Peter's people. His grandson Mitch joined on stage, promising to carry the language forward, leaving everyone emotional and inspired by this rare tongue, reaching a national stage. Now they've recorded three more songs, with Peter already pitching two new ones, feeling proud to pass his knowledge to the young ones. Through music and trust, an old language locked in one man is flowing free again for generations.