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Ratjpa Dancers at the Telstra
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Art Awards - Manymak
Richard Dhaymutha Gurruwiwi & Gali Yalkarriwuy Gurruwiwi
Richard Dhaymutha Gurruwiwi
Peter Datjin
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Galiwin’ku Ratjpa
Dancers
The Ratjpa Dancers have traveled and performed
extensively in Australia as well as in the USA and Japan.
They are known for their expressive performances which may
involve as few as three and up to 12 dancers including:
•
Gali Yalkarriwuy
Gurruwiwi
• Peter Datjin Burarrwanga
• Charlie Matjuwi Burarrwanga
• Mickey Durrng
• James Dulkay
• Johnny Burarrwanga
• Richard Dhaymutha Gurruwiwi
• Jason Burarrwanga
• Paul Gurruwiwi
• Tom Burarrwanga
• Wilson Ganambarr
The two main singers are Charlie Matjuwi
and Wilson Ganambarr.
Charlie represents the Yirritja Moiety and the song cycle
is first about the crocodile; then fire; the white cockatoo;
the ibis and the Macassan story (Trepang). Wilson represents
the Dhuwa Moiety and the song cycle used is the smoking song
first, followed by the brolga; the morning star and finally a song for the spirit
(mokuy) of the person who has died.
The performers paint their body with a
line which travels up each arm, across the shoulders and
meets
in the center of the chest. This represents the spirit
of the Dhuwa/Yirritja moieties. If the dancer is Dhuwa, this line will be red
and if he is Yirritja, it will
be yellow.
Mickey Durrng and Charlie Matjuwi do not dance but are rather are there as a
presence which represents the ancestors.
Some of the performances staged are as
follows:
• 1997 Gumatj Rom. 1997 Kimberley Art Gallery, Melbourne.
• 1998 The Adelaide Fringe Festival.
• 1999 Various venues in the USA and Canada.
• 2002 Banumbirr Exhibition – Sydney.
• 2003 Telstra Art Award - Darwin.
• 2003 Tokyo, Japan. |
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