Deborah Cheetham Retirement Village

Each Ryman village is named in honour of a Kiwi or Aussie trailblazer: Anthony Wilding, Lady Diana Isaac, Evelyn Page. They pushed further and set the bar high for others to aspire to. In creating communities that challenge the expectations of ageing, Ryman villages are also setting the bar high. They’re demonstrating that a retirement lifestyle brimming with new experiences, connections and fulfilment is something we should aspire to. Our Aussie and Kiwi namesakes represent the measure of inspiration, while Ryman villages represent the measure of retirement living.

Deborah Cheetham, AO (1964)

Deborah Cheetham is a pioneer of the Australian arts. A Yorta Yorta woman, she works tirelessly to lift the profile of Indigenous artists and deliver their talents to the nation.

Her candid nature, commitment, and determination have helped her create a platform that promotes a greater understanding of Aboriginal history in Australia.

A soprano, composer, educator, and artistic director, Deborah is known for innovatively pairing the beauty of our Indigenous languages with the intensity of classical music.

She is the co-founder of Short Black Opera, a not-for-profit Indigenous opera company committed to the development of Indigenous singers. Deborah was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2014.

Well known and highly regarded as a leader in the Australian arts for over 25 years, Deborah is passionate about highlighting the strength and importance of Aboriginal history through her art form.

With music and song, she showcases Aboriginal culture and perspectives for all to enjoy and appreciate.

Deborah is a member of the Stolen Generations. Her personal journey took 30 years. She found her way from her adoptive Sydney childhood back to her grandmother’s Yorta Yorta Country.

Her connection to Aboriginal culture flows through her music and operatic storytelling with determined intent. She is not only sharing her story but the stories and history of Aboriginal Australia.

Having graduated from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music with a Bachelor of Music Education, Deborah went on to study at the Metropolitan Opera and Julliard School of Music in New York.

Her busy career features a critically acclaimed one-woman play White Baptist Abba Fan, establishing the Dhungala Children’s Choir, an Aboriginal-led children’s choral program, and a commission to write and perform an original composition in the language of the Gadigal people.

This was performed as the Welcome to Country for the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. Her achievements have been recognised through many awards.

“Music is my way of knowing the world and giving meaning to everything in it. As a performer, composer, artistic director, producer, and educator I have worked to build pathways for Indigenous artists and new audiences alike.

The work continues while there are still more barriers to breakthrough. I draw on the strength of my ancestors every day and thank them for the song that lives in me.”