Alarms were set early on Monday morning, March 27, as students and staff from the Central Coast’s NAISDA Dance College headed to Umina Beach for a special sunrise bungul on the sand to celebrate and connect to beautiful Darkinjung Country.
The experience was guided by NAISDA’s Cultural Tutors including Heather Mitjaŋba Burarrwanga, Tony Ganambarr and Marcus Lacey, who have travelled from their remote homelands in North East Arnhem Land to share their Yolngu culture as part of the college’s week-long on-site Cultural Residency.
NAISDA’s Cultural Dance Co-ordinator Jo Clancy said the immersive program grounded and deepened 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,” Clancy said.
“The sunrise dance celebrated connection to Darkinjung Country, as well as our students’ home Country and the Yolngu kinship they are adopted into by our cultural tutors from Nyinyikay.”
For many of the students new to NAISDA this year, the event marked their 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,” Clancy said.
Dancing on soft sand can be difficult, but the experience also helps students develop understanding and technique of how the dances are practiced in North East Arnhem Land.
“We are extremely grateful to our cultural tutors for the generous sharing of their knowledge, culture and energy this week,” Clancy said.
“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.”
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.
Source:
Media release, Mar 27
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