ECHO OF TRADITIONS SOUND WITH POWERFUL PERFORMANCE

As a young girl growing up in the Torres Strait, acclaimed dancer and choreographer, Rita Pryce often wondered how her grandfather knew his way home through the rough seas when all she could see was darkness.

This connection the people of the Torres Strait have to nature, and their respect for its purposeful and powerful presence, is explored in Pryce’s Baiwa Dance Company’s, latest production, Warupaw Uu | Echo of Drums.

Described by audiences as “beautiful, powerful and energising” and choreographed by Pryce in collaboration with the dancers, Warupaw Uu | Echo of Drums has its mainland premiere at the Centre of Contemporary Arts (CoCA) in Cairns on August 16-17 as part of Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair (CIAF) Presents.

Pryce says its name - Echo of Drums – pays homage to the traditions passed down through the generations.

“My late Uncle Ephraim Bani, who was a cultural ambassador for the Torres Strait and respected widely around the world, was my main inspiration for this work.

“One of my favourite quotes of his is was ‘life without culture is a life without life. Past must exist for present to create the future’.”

Pryce created this work to share the traditions of the ancestors but in a contemporary way. “I wanted it to reflect the Torres Strait Islander culture as an ever-evolving one but to also keep these stories echoing through time for generations to come.”

She believes the power of Baiwa Dance Company performances comes from its dancers who embody these traditions and living culture and share them so openly with audiences.

Warupaw Uu | Echo of Drums celebrates the rituals and stories that surround the changing of the seasons, which are uniquely governed by the winds Naigai, Zei, Sager and Kuki.

Audiences will witness the beautiful sharing of important events such as Tagai’s journey, a Torres Strait Constellation, across the sky beginning with the northeast wind (Naigai) then the southwest wind (Zei) where the dancers pay their respects to their seafaring forefathers who continually risked their lives crossing treacherous waters to provide for their families.

Artwork by the late Billy Missi, a mesmerising blend of contemporary and traditional dance, traditional props built by Torres Strait Island master craftsmen and music that is original are just some of the other highlights of the show.

“This combination is at the heart of Torres Strait conception of culture – it is never just one of these aspects, but all these put together. Baiwa wants audiences to feel like they are on the Island with us,” Pryce adds.

For more information or to book your tickets, visit www.artscairns.com.au or www.facebook.com/artscairns.

Details

Warupaw Uu | Echo of Drums
When: Friday, August 16 (CIAF Presents), Saturday, August 17 (Island & Murri Night)
Venue: The Theatre, The Centre of Contemporary Arts
Cost: $10-$20
Contact: 4050 9400 or visit www.artscairns.com.au

An excerpt of Warupaw Uu | Echo of Drums was presented as part of CIAF (2010), the Dreaming Festival (2010), BlakDance (2012) and a full-length showing was performed at the tribute to the late Uncle Ephraim Bani in the Torres Strait (2011). The season in Cairns will be the main land premiere.