Renowned intercultural and trans-Indigenous dance theatre company Marrugeku will open its Pacific tour of Burrbgaja Yalirra 2 Triple Bill at the Te Rerenga o Tere | Tempo Dance Festival in Auckland, Aotearoa (New Zealand) this Thursday.

The tour will then continue to Nadi, Fiji, in partnership with Vou Fiji, and Port Vila, Vanuatu at Wan SmolBag Theatre.

The production, which premiered at Carriageworks in April 2023, brings together diverse artists from northern Australia, Southeast Asia, and Melanesia, with a particular focus on New Caledonia and Vanuatu.

Yawuru/Bardi woman and Marrugeku's Co-Artistic Director, Dalisa Pigram, explained the Burrbgaja Yalirra program allows lead artists to explore and expand their connections to ancestors.

Through old and new dance forms, artists uncover stories that reflect their contemporary identities and ancestral ties.

"The artists have uncovered unique stories of their connections to their ancestors through who they are today," said Ms Pigram.

"Exploring old and new dance, they embody places and rhythms that are never forgotten."

The Burrbgaja Yalirra 2 triple bill includes three works tracing Australia's rich histories of migration, cultural adaptation, and survival.

Artistic Co-Director Rachael Swain highlighted the power of dance in reflecting new ways of belonging in a rapidly changing world.

"The works reflect the power and possibilities of dance to share new ways to belong in a changing world."

"The dancers have woven stories of relocation, cultural adaption, and survival," she said.

The Pacific tour strengthens Marrugeku's long-standing commitment to intercultural dialogue.

Although the original plan was to begin rehearsals in New Caledonia in collaboration with Centre Culturel Tjibaou, the political situation there made this impossible.

The tour instead aims to deepen connections between Australia and the Pacific, offering a pathway for future cultural exchanges.

Supported by Creative Australia and the Australian Cultural Diplomacy Grants Program, the tour includes performances and tailored workshops designed to foster collaboration with local artists and communities.

Tour dates include: 17–18 October at Q Theatre, Tempo Dance Festival, Auckland; 25–26 October at Vou Hub, Nadi, Fiji; and 31 October–1 November at Wan SmolBag Theatre, Port Vila, Vanuatu.

The production features No New Gods by Bhenji Ra, Bloodlines by Czack (Ses) Bero and Stanley Nalo, and Nyuju by Emmanuel James Brown, each piece exploring themes of ancestry, cultural memory, and the future through dynamic storytelling and movement.