Stephen Pigram and Michael Manolis joined him in songwriting, and in the early 1980s the three of them, along with Garry Gower and Patrick Bin Amat moved to Adelaide, South Australia, to study music at the Centre for Aboriginal Studies in Music (CASM) and the University of Adelaide.
[5] Chi's most acclaimed work is Bran Nue Dae, written in collaboration with his band Kuckles, Scrap Metal, The Pigram Brothers, and friends.
It celebrates family, forgiveness, and reconciliation, and was a hit at the Festival of Perth in 1990 where it was performed by the Black Swan Theatre.
[8] One of the famous verses from a song in the musical sums up Chi's dry humour and sharp political approach: There's nothing I would rather be Than to be an Aborigine and watch you take my precious land away.
[9] It brought acclaim for many Aboriginal artists, including Ernie Dingo, Josie Ningali Lawford, and Leah Purcell, and its success was key in the establishment of the Black Swan Theatre Company.
[7] Chi also wrote the musical Corrugation Road, which was first performed by the Black Swan Theatre at the Fairfax Studio in Melbourne in 1996 before an Australian national tour.
The Deadly Awards were an annual celebration of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander achievement in music, sport, entertainment and community.