Jungaji

Jungaji (formerly Troy Brady) is a First Nations Gu Gu Yalanji songman, visual artist, playwright and activist hailing from Australia. He has embarked on a new creative path, fusing RnB/Soul to create a unique and authentic sound that showcases his cultural roots.

Jungaji is one of only a small group of Australian First Nations fluent Gu Gu Yalanji speakers and songmen left in the world today, maintaining his ancient Song lines & stories is of utmost importance in terms of co-existence between 2 sovereignties. After undergoing a deep cultural transformation, Jungaji is totally invested in sharing his passionate voice and artistic testimony with the world.

Jungaji (pronounced Jun-gah-jee) has recently performed at prestigious events such as the St Kilda Festival 2023, Adelaide Fringe Festival 2023 (Award for Best Music Performance) and the Yonder Festival 2022, where he wowed audiences with his dynamic performances.

“It honestly feels like a 30 year apprenticeship. It’s a rebirth, I really feel like a musical chameleon within the many creative changes and more lows then highs but the ancient fires within were always burning strong and to be still standing is nothing short of a miracle. I’m grateful and humbled and to empower others within the musical and broader communities is truly a blessing.” (JUNGAJI)

Jungaji has immersed himself and lived within the boundaries of these traditional teachings over the past 20 years from his elders past and present in particular his last ancient connection to a 106-year-old Gugu Yalanji bush man, with whom Jungaji had a life-changing spiritual initiation in 1991. Jungaji is passionate about preserving these traditions for future generations and is in the process of making new recordings, songs, and film clips available digitally to ensure the ceremonies live on.

In addition to his cultural work, Jungaji is also an advocate for those living with Lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease that he has battled for 23 years. “Living with LUPUS is like going 10 rounds with Mike Tyson” he said, having survived two strokes, two heart attacks, and multiple open-heart surgeries. Jungaji’s holistic and therapeutic approach to his art, music, theatre, cultural workshops, and social activism is his spiritual medicine and he hopes to inspire others to live a full and purposeful life despite the setbacks. Jungaji also passionately speaks to the mental health space, with personal experience of impacts on his own family.

Further to his cultural and personal pursuits, Jungaji is also the Chair of the Dhadjowa Foundation, a national grassroots organisation that provides support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families whose loved ones have died in custody, to which he represents his beloved “Aunty Sherry” lost in 2020 at the Brisbane Watch house. The Dhadjowa Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation that is independent from government funding and relies on donations, fundraising, and philanthropy. It offers peer support, financial assistance, and campaign capacity building, all of which are family-led and based on self-determination.

After undergoing a deep cultural transformation, Jungaji has rebirthed into his new creative skin and is now dedicated to sharing his passionate voice and artistry with the world. New music from his forthcoming album is available on all streaming platforms with tour dates around Australia