Weir State School wins National Wakakirri Dance Competition
Students at a local primary school have taken out national honours with a spectacular indigenous dance that is captivating viewers all around Australia. WATCH THE PERFORMANCE
Townsville
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STUDENTS at a Townsville primary school have taken out national honours with a spectacular dance that is captivating viewers all around Australia.
Weir State School won the Indigenous Reconciliation Award at the National Wakakirri Dance Competition, standing out from 300 other schools from across Australia that also entered.
The school performed a dance belonging to the local Wulgurukaba people titled Gabul Wudhabagu – translated to carpet snake journey – which tells the creation story of the Townsville area and Magnetic Island.
Weir StateSchool teacher Julie Wilson helped co-ordinate the project and said the school was in raptures over the win.
“It’s an incredible achievement for the school and it was a wonderful moment when the school started celebrating,” she said.
“It’s an important achievement because over 43 per cent of our students at Weir are Indigenous, so this is a story for them and they can be really proud about it.”
The winning dance has caused such an impact on social media that broadcasters and national artists such as Katie Noonan have contacted the school wanting to know more.
Ms Wilson said the dance group of 40 students had practised the dance twice a week for two terms.
Before that, the school sought the permission of Wulgurukaba elders to use the dance.
“Once we got permission from the elders we got a choreographer involved and also a filmmaker,” Ms Wilson said.
“It was exciting on the day when we filmed it. They all took the bus to Pallarenda and it was all shot there.
“They did an amazing job and the students felt privileged to be part of it. They took it very seriously.”
The school held a screening of the dance last week that included the presence of local elders.
“We got tremendous feedback from the elders, they were very happy with it,” Ms Wilson said.
Originally published as Weir State School wins National Wakakirri Dance Competition
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