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Clancestry, a platform for celebration of country
By Callum Clayton-Dixon Nganyaywana Hundreds flocked to the inaugural Clancestry festival in Brisbane earlier this month, celebrating the arts and culture of First Nations people across six days of workshops, performances and ‘conversations’.
The closing corroboree brought together a range of dance troupes from around the country. IMAGE: Callum Clayton-Dixon
“If we look at Clancestry, it’s about gathering, it’s about celebrating country. It shows that as First Nations peoples, that we are the oldest living culture on the planet, and that is extraordinary.”
“We need support for all sectors,” she said. “To me, our artists are knowledge keepers, and it is absolutely essential that we continue to support the arts.”
Clancestry’s headlining act was Ms Roberts believes culture and ‘dirtsong’ performed on the Saturday The celebrations at South Bank the arts are extremely important in night by the renowned Black Arm featured performances from a variety ‘closing the gap’. Band group. Held at the Queensland of prominent First Nations artists “We can look at closing the gap, Performing Arts Centre (QPAC), the including Troy Cassar-Daley, Archie and we can send our kids to school, concert was $70, with all other events Roach, the Chooky Dancers, Black which is absolutely essential as being free of cost. Arm Band and Impossible Odds. education is important, but if we don’t Country musician Troy Cassarhave our artists continuing the songs, Kicking off with the opening the dances and the stories, in 30 years Daley, who performed at the opening ceremony (March 1) on the banks we won’t have the oldest culture.” ceremony with Archie Roach, thinks of the Maiwar (Brisbane River), the “celebration of culture is something While many First Nations people we don’t do enough of”. weekend began with a stirring blend of contemporary and traditional dance. are prepared to pay for and attend “All my uncles and aunties say football matches, Ms Roberts Distinguished artistic director and claimed “very few people from our it’s such a shame that we only really Bundjalung woman Rhoda Roberts communities are buying tickets to get......to catch up at funerals, and this [Clancestry] is another excuse to... support our artists”. curated the opening ceremony.
www.firstnationstelegraph.com ...get together and celebrate culture people would bring axe heads and without having to be a sad event.” things like that to certain places Mr Cassar-Daley said Clancestry where you just didn’t have access was an excellent platform for reviving to them, brought people together for ceremony. We should use this traditional ceremony. [Clancestry] as ceremony.” “It’s great that we all get a chance to The closing corroboree, curated come together and meet on common by Impossible Odds front man Fred ground. The old trading trails, where
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Leone, brought together a range of dance troupes from around the country. Mr Leone (Butchulla, Waanyi & Garawa) said the most important aspect of the festival was being able to “hand some pride and inspiration to our younger kids who are disengaged”.
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