Gomeroi Culture Academy welcomes fourth cohort of Tamworth students

Academy director Marc Sutherland said it was an "exciting moment".

The institution now has three years of graduated students who form an alumni cohort of 30 people.

Mr Sutherland said they would be returning to tutor the new cohort.

"Gomeroi Cultural Academy is built off the back of the Aboriginal community here in Tamworth," he said.

MORE NEWS:

"Without the love and support and relationships that we've been able to grow, we wouldn't be able to deliver a program like this."

Student Talan Oliver told the Leader he hoped to be able to improve his Gomeroi. It's currently "not good" - but he has an uncle who can speak the local region's Indigenous language quite fluently.

"I want to be ... able to understand if someone talks to me," Mr Oliver said.

Uche Anyanwu hopes to learn the didgeridoo.

His biggest hurdle will be learning circular breathing - breathing through your nose while blowing through your mouth. It's an essential part of didgeridoo playing.

Mr Sutherland said learning Gomeroi to a conversational level is a reasonable aspiration, and a popular one.

"Language definitely comes up," he said.

"We strongly believe that everything has story and through story we're taught language.

"Throughout the year they'll have a number of different experiences and learning opportunities that will embrace language.

"As a result they'll finish the year a lot more comfortable speaking Gomeroi than what they started the year."

The academy moved into the Youthie at the end of last year. The Tamworth Regional Youth Centre hub will allow the institution to centralise programs, he said.

Want more local news? Subscribe to the Leader to read it here first