Garma Opening
Galarrwuy Yunupingu formally
opened Garma this afternoon and introduced Clare
Martin (Chief Minister of the Northern Territory),
who launched the NT Indigenous Arts Policy, the
first of its kind in Australia.
Clare's speech was translated
into Yolngu Matha by Raymattja Marika, a senior
woman from the Rirratjingu clan.
Galarrwuy also presented the
local mining company executiove (Alcan) with a
Larrakitj (hollow log coffin) painted in clan
designs. He then invited dancers in to perform
an opening dance
Photo Stephen Cherry
Friday
Night bunggul
(Notes from the commentary by Mandawuy)
The evening bunggul on the ceremonial ground begins
with a performance from the Galpu mother clan
of the Gumatj landholders here at Gulkula. They
perform a continuation of the journey of the rainbow
serpent. Two women, the ancestral Wagilak sisters,
danced at the welcome ceremony amongst the larraktij
(ceremonial hollow log coffins).
This is followed by barra, the
west wind and gurrumattji, the magpie goose. The
dancers portray the birds moving along and collecting
their tucker. The morning star pole from banumbirr,
the morning star, is sung. At the top of the pole
is a flower. Rain clouds form. It is raining.
Rain is sung.
Now we wait for the people from Yalila, the Nunhdhirribala
clan, mother's mother for Gumatj people. They
come holding the red flag. They come home from
the Gulf. They have a history of connections with
the Macassan people from Indonesia. This was the
first time indigenous people made contact with
foreigners. Every detail of that contact is recorded
in the songs and dances. This is a celebration
of contemporary Yolngu life. This is how indigenous
Australians move in a modern way.
They are dancing the prau, the
vessel of the Macassans, and they sing about the
anchor, the chain, the flag, telescope and knife.
The dancers portray card playing, drinking alcohol,
fighting and the mirror - all aspects of Macassan
contact.
Yirrkala CEC open day
Open day was held at the Yirrkala
Community Education Centre. Classrooms are split
into age groups from five-year-old children to
post-primary. The first room I visited was the
Damala (sea eagle) room which caters for the ten,
eleven and twelve-year-old children. The Damala
classroom teaches a ratio of eighty percent Yolngu
Matha and twenty percent English to the children.
In the years approaching Damala class, children
pass through Mutjalanydjal (dolphin), which teaches
equal quantities of Yolngu Matha and English.
The youngest children are taught at Bulpul (young
shoots). The Bulpul class of six to seven year-olds
are taught a high ratio of Yolngu Matha, (80%).
All classrooms at Yirrkala Education
Centre employ bi-lingual teaching as part of the
set curriculum. The bi-lingual curriculum is designed
and managed by the Literary Resource Unit.
Children had decorated the library
at the Education Centre with art works displaying
local animals, birds, fish and landscapes from
the Yirrkala area. Also on display were projects
completed by children from recent school excursions.
One project told through photographs and text
of a field trip to a local beach where the children
hunted Yimanhdhi (green turtle). The project explained
how the children had speared the turtle, gutted
the animal and cooked the meat traditionally in
paperbark leaves before enjoying eating the delicacy.
Other projects told of music students performing
in Melbourne and others being taken around Yirrkala
by their elders following the traditional ancestral
path of Wuyal (sugar-bag man).
Thank-you to my wonderful and
obliging guides Balupalu and Wayilu.
Matthew Hubber,
Northern Territory University |
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Yidaki Masterclass
Djalu Gurruwiwi and Milkay Mununggurr
began another Yidaki Masterclass this afternoon.
Once again players from all over the world have
come to learn the traditional playing styles from
north east Arnhem Land. The group were sung to
by Djalu's brother Gurritjirri.
The class started with lessons
in pronouncing the vowels and consonants of Yolngu
language needed for traditional style playing
techniques. Djalu also spoke about the relationship
between the body and spirit when playing. At one
stage Djalu and Milkay played the same song but
in their different styles which provided an insight
into older and newer styles of playing.
The first collecting trip was
organised and some great new Yidaki were cut by
Djalu, Milkay and the group.
Aboriginal Artists converge
on Garma
Aboriginal Artists from across
the topend of Australia have been arriving at
Garma to attend the Forum on Indigenous Art and
Culture. Sponsored by the Australia Council and
ANKAAA (Association of Northern, Kimberly and
Aboriginal Artists) the forum will be dealing
with issues relevant to these artists such as
marketing and intellectual property.
Exhibition Opening
An exhibition of fine art screen
prints. Gaymala Yunupingu gave a speech in Yolngu
Matha about the artists and their work. This was
translated into English. The Yidaki was blown
in the four compass directions and then the lights
were switched on. The women then sang and invited
the guests to look at the work.
Music Performances
Young Aboriginal
bands from the region who have been attending
the Music Workshops had an opportunity to perform
for the Garma crowd.
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