Heat Two: Wildcard, Episode 1

Torres Strait Islands, Bamaga

In 1947 saltwater from a tidal surge on Saibai Island contaminated the drinking water supply and flooded gardens on the island. The remaining fresh water could only sustain a small population. This forced some clan leaders to make a difficult decision to relocate their families elsewhere to the mainland. In 1947 and 1947 with the approval of Department of Native Affairs the men worked hard on their pearling and trochus boats, amassed enough money for fuel and supplies, which enabled the families to relocate to Muttee Head, an abandoned World War 2 camp and later established the settlements of Bamaga and Seisia. This made the Saibailgal of Bamaga and Seisia arguably the first environmental refugees in Australia. The rising sea levels brought about by climate change and global warming is very real to us, as the rising sea and its effects on people, land and culture is our heritage. Our Wildcard dance will tell this story the tidal surge and the power of mother nature.

New South Wales, Yango Central Coast

You will have to wait and see, it's a special one.

Northern Territory, Dhalinbuy

Dhalinbhuy is the place I learn the place that gives me the strength of my songs and my dance, because that culture, the language, the painting, the land is important, it is part of us, I respect that land and the land respect us. Our wildcard dance is the story about the river, the fresh water running to meet the salt. It is important to talk about this knowledge. The water is the knowledge and the wisdom to pass it on to generations and it is part of us, it is part of me. It is called Dhalatj it means calm, we not listen like the sea, the noise of saltwater and when the freshwater hits the salt water it makes it calm.

Western Australia, Balgo

Our Communities are known for strong Law and Culture. We all speak our language. We are proud strong, desert people.

New South Wales, Coffs Harbour

Our community works tirelessly to revitalise our language, songs, dance and stories. This has given us the inspiration to form Wajaarr Ngaarlu Dance Troupe. Wajaar Ngaarlu performs traditional dances. Some of our songs/dances are very old. Some are old songs that tell a 'contact' story (Eg, first train arrival). And some are songs that we have created in our language to demand that people do more to care for our country.

Queensland, Mapoon

My community has Elders, and we are a community with respect. The big thing in our community is that we love culture you know.

New South Wales, Blue Mountains

We were rehearsing our dances at the Gully Aboriginal Place in Katoomba. The Gully in Katoomba is the largest Aboriginal Place in NSW. The Aboriginal Place declaration was given in 2002. Before white settlement the traditional owners of the Gully – the Gundungurra and Darug peoples – used the Gully as a summer camp. Settlement at the foot of the mountains forced many Gundungurra and Darug people to resettle permanently in the Gully well before 1950.

Queensland, Injinoo

We have many dances, when we dance for the ceremony we can dance for the daylight, we have so many bow and arrow dances, the star dance, Bamboo rattle makes the noise when you carry one or two.

New South Wales,  Bowraville

Dance Rites gives us the opportunity to celebrate and share our dreaming and showcase our culture. It gives us a platform to engage and connect to our young people to the cultural significance of their communities and environment.

Torres Strait Islands, Saibai Island

We normally tell stories though performances about our island and where we come from.

Queensland, Sunshine Coast

Our dance group has played an instrumental role in the cultural development and growth of our region, and for this we are most proud. We have been involved in some really amazing cultural revitalization works in Language and arts - building Bark Canoes, Traditional Fish Nets and carved Shields.

Northern Territory, Warramungu

Our Dance, it's unique to the Warumungu and has been practiced for thousands of years. When we sing, we are one with the country and with the birds. The elders are now encouraging us young ones to step up and perform the traditional dance in a more spectacular way. Art and culture change with time, our group use the traditional dance as a platform to create a more contemporary representation of the Warumungu culture. We have recently discovered the power and influence that art can bring to politics. The Warumungu language is quite widely spoken, we are quite privileged to not need much reclaiming of language.

Queensland, Boigu Island

Our Elder Uncle Thomas Matthew is the Field Master (Choreographer). His father was also the Field Master (Choreographer) for Kutaw Zoeru and taught Uncle Thomas the traditional dances. The legacy continues with Uncle Thomas teaching his sons and his sons teaching their children - carrying the traditional dance protocols, language and clan responsibilities forward for future generations. Our Wild Card dance is a contemporary and traditional fusion, performed to reggae music in language Kala Kawaw Ya.