Sovereign budyaan flying together: sovereign relationships across the Wiradyuri PhD journey

First Nations sovereignty is core in supporting research experiences of First Nations PhD students. This article is based upon the relationality of three sovereign budyaan (birds), and the sovereign Wiradyuri (sovereign First Nations in so-called New South Wales, Australia; also spelt or referred to as Wiradjuri) cosmology, by exploring a Wiradyuri Wambuul (Macquarie River Clan of the Wiradyuri Nation in so-called New South Wales, Australia) scholar’s experiences with her two sovereign yalmambildhaany (teachers), connect with Wiradyuri concepts of teaching, speaking and Country. Yalmambildhaany guide and support the First Nations researcher to learn from Country, ancestors, buyaa (Wiradyuri cultural law) and songlines to ensure their research embodies sovereignty. This article highlights the importance of sovereign research for First Nations peoples and the need to centre First Nations cosmologies.