Anticipation is building as the eagerly awaited world premiere of Gulgi-Barra approaches, a local dance production crafted for Cairns Festival, running from Friday, August 25, until Sunday, September 3.
The performance will lead spectators on an enlightening voyage into the heritage of the ancient sand people.
The production, presented by Miriki Performing Arts, boasts a troupe of 60 dancers and vocalists who recount the narrative of the Yidinji clan, whose ancestral custodians once inhabited the traditional territories encompassing what is now recognised as Trinity Inlet.
Under the guidance of Miriki's Assistant Artistic Director and Lead Choreographer, Balla Neba, Gulgi-Barra unites young, budding Miriki artists ranging from ages seven to 16.
The collaborative endeavour extends to include Uncle David Mundraby's Dabul Dancers from Yarrabah, the voices of the Kingdom Voices Choir, and the NRL Cowboys House Ensemble from Townsville.
Balla Neba said the performance evolved from a series of interpretive workshops that delved into the sand stories and the clan's intricate interactions with it.
"It is a very special story and I am honoured that Uncle David and Aunty Roberta Mundraby have trusted Miriki with this story," Mr Neba said.
"The show starts off with Uncle David and the Dabul dancers, blessing the dance space and audience with a prayer in language - it's beautiful.
"Then the Cowboys Ensemble dancers come out, the Miriki walk out and then the Kingdom Voices choir, with their beautiful soulful harmonies, sing We Are Gathering, a traditional peace song."
Tiffany Beckwith-Skinner, a highly regarded figure in the worlds of fashion, television, and music, boasting thirty years of involvement with talents such as Powderfinger, Russell Crowe, and Usher, has crafted modern ensembles for the show, drawing inspiration from both traditional country aesthetics and the stylish Paris-Milan catwalk scene.
"Seeing all these people come together is quite an emotional experience. I am so proud of our dancers," Mr Neba added.
"A lot of these young people come from different challenges in their homes, schools or families but they are so very consistent and committed and have pushed themselves to learn so much in a short amount of time.
"I know I forget I am working with little people – I see them as artists. Dance is a tool of engagement to connect with each other and audience. It is a medium. There is healing in dance when it is done properly."
Miriki Performing arts chief executive officer and artistic director, Pauline Lampton, said the team first talked about the concept of sand as a theme for a show in 2022 before consulting cultural advisors Uncle David Mundraby and Aunty Roberta Mundraby who shared stories of the sand people.
Gulgi-barra is a new dance work that pays homage to the ancient Gulgi-barra clan of the Yidindji tribe of Far North Queensland. (Image: Cairns Festival)
"I think we have a real knack for story-telling and people enjoy a really good show when we put all the elements together," Ms Lampton said.
Ms Lampton said they had been in rehearsals since February.
"The one thing we want to portray is that we are one, we are altogether, there are differences, but our history is a shared history," she said.
"Even though the Gulgi-Barra people are from a long way back we are all part of that history because we are all sharing the same time and space – don't look at our differences but at our similarities."
Gulgi-Barra is a free performance, opening on Friday, August 25, the first of five shows, including one matinee, over four days.
For the full program of music, theatre, film, dance and events and more information visit the Cairns Festival website.
