WOMAD

Mornington Island Dancers

From Australia

The homeland of the Lardil people, Mornington Island is situated in the southern corner of Queensland’s Gulf of Carpentaria. Covered by low scrub vegetation - with tea-tree and swamp flats providing habitat for many species of wildlife - the surrounding sea is abundant with fish, turtle and dugong, the traditional foods of the Lardil people. Local legend states that the first three people on Mornington Island were Marnbil, Dhual-dhual and Ghingin, who arrived 10,000 years ago and named all of the places. Laws and ceremonies came from the Dreamtime ancestors Tuwartu (Rainbow Serpent) and Nyaranbi (Dingo), who formed the landscape. In 1973 Lardil elders established this special touring company of traditional songmen and dancers. Their aim is to preserve and share the Lardil people’s history and inheritance by not forgetting the things that took thousands of years to learn. Known for their powerful theatrical performance, the Mornington Island Dancers maintain the stories and dances of their unique region, while showcasing the vibrant arts of the world’s oldest living culture to audiences throughout Australia, Europe and the United States. At 6pm on Saturday 10 March, the Mornington Island Dancers will also open an exhibition of paintings by Mornington Island artists at Marshall Arts, Aboriginal Fine Art, 1A Park Street, Hyde Park (see www.marshallart.com.au)