NAISDA was privileged to welcome Cultural Tutors, Heather Mitjaŋba Burarrwanga, Tony Ganambarr and Marcus Lacey recently for our on-site Cultural Residency program. They joined us from their remote homelands in North East Arnhem Land to share Yolngu culture.
As part of the residency experience, students and staff gathered on Umina Beach for a special sunrise Bungul guided by the Cultural Tutors to celebrate and connect to beautiful Darkinjung Country.
NAISDA’s Cultural Dance Coordinator Jo Clancy explained the importance of the immersive cultural residency program which grounds and deepens students’ understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
“Students are immersed in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural learning throughout their training at NAISDA. The sunrise dance celebrated connection to Darkinjung Country, as well as our students’ home Countrys and the Yolngu kinship they are adopted into by our Cultural Tutors from Nyinyikay.”
For many of the students new to NAISDA this year, this meaningful opportunity was the first experience of dancing on Country.
“Dancing barefoot on the ground, or sand, helps students understand and feel their connection to the earth, skies, waters, stars, sunrise and how this interaction transforms the dance,” Jo continued.
Dancing on soft sand can be difficult, but the experience also helped students develop understanding and technique of how the dances are practised in North East Arnhem Land.
Following a beautiful week of sharing, learning and dancing, the Cultural Residency concluded with a final Bungul at Nhangara Barayi, NAISDA’s Dancing Ground.
“We are extremely grateful to our Cultural Tutors for the generous sharing of their knowledge, culture and energy this week. Welcoming them back to the NAISDA family has been particularly special, as this is the first time they’ve been able to return to Darkinjung Country since 2020 because of COVID-19,” Jo explained.
NAISDA’s Cultural Residency partnership with the Cultural Tutors will see a unique return visit by the full NAISDA cohort later in the year to the homeland of Nyinyikay where the students will continue the gift of sharing and learning Yolngu songs and dances on the Country where they were created.
Photography by Lisa Haymes.