I came to the theatre that night to see magic. I felt the skittering excitement of the audience before the lights dimmed, the restless anticipation of watching a local production 9 months in the making, and our shared connection to this story and the performers. This place, Nala Barnip Mia (Our Story House), was a fitting space to share the Dreaming story of how our river was created, not by the Rainbow Serpent or Waugal, but by the actions of Wooditj – a man of strong magic!
I could only imagine the nervous energy backstage: the cast of the spirit crew, river crew, ocean crew, silks crew and puppeteers; the production team and lead performers all waiting for it to begin. The lights dimmed. We held our breath.
From the first rustle of grass skirts, we were mesmerised by the authenticity of the setting, transported back to a time where Wardandi people went about everyday tasks and followed cultural law. The soundscape was magnificent, the narrator’s voice carrying the story on a level which did not interfere with the action, but seemed to be separate, almost in our minds as we watched the action on stage speak even louder through dancers who swayed and circled as the river or ocean with silken wings of seaweed, or huddled tight as a forest of trees as Noongaroot desperately pursued his daughter Milyan, who was running away with Wooditj. The use of Wardandi language grounded us firmly in the traditional Wardandi timescape, from the choral versions of Nala Boodja to Wooditj singing Noongaroot back to life in the Wardandi dialect of Dordenup. It reminded us that this is a powerful Wardandi Dreaming story that was being shared with us.
The backdrop was an everchanging realistic landscape, grounding us in familiar settings, while the special effects and soundscape created a multi-sensory immersive experience. I jumped at the thunderous roar when Wooditj thrust his magic spear into the ground and created the mighty river, before the explosion of magic dwindled to the familiar sounds of the river as it gushed, burbling and gurgling, splashing its way downstream.
Within that soundscape, the lead characters led us fast-paced through the action from the chase scene to the scene where Milyan screams as she realises the enormity of her actions when her ‘father’ is speared. Noongaroot maintained his dignity and nobly personified duty and keeping cultural law; while Wooditj embodied cultural practices through traditional dance, emu dancing and his prowess with his spear. It’s a powerful story but it’s the magic in it that kept us rivetted to our seats, which developed our empathy with each character and connected us on a deep emotional level.
The puppetry added a further dimension to this performance. The giant Grouper linked worlds as he swam powerfully across the stage as a vision of blue, floating on the surface before diving deeper with his googly trusting eyes, stabbing our hearts as he lay dying, tail and fins flapping forlornly – and we were grateful for Wooditj’s magic which restored him.
As the lights came on and we re-entered reality, we realised that we’d been part of something special – and indeed, magical. The entire performance was a magnificent Welcome to Country, intertwining the timelessness of the Dreaming to the here and now of our Margaret River which winds its way through forest wilderness to wrap itself around our town, providing refuge to wildlife and humans alike. Noongaroot said, “The Wardandi people will care for the river you have created,” and we too feel the connection and accept the responsibility of caring for this precious and magical river. Maybe next time you visit the river, you will lean into the story and as Jansie says, “…listen to the voices of the ancestors whispering in the wind….” and feel the magic.
BEHIND THE SCENES…
At the end of the performance, I caught up with Nan Vivien Brockman Webb and asked her how she felt. She was delighted and impressed by the professional performance, but when asked how she’d felt hearing ‘language’, she put a hand over her heart and said,
“It’s been a hundred, no two hundred years since language has been heard….it really moved me.”
IMAGE OF NAN VIVIEN BROCKMAN WELL, MITCHELLA HUTCHINS AND BARRY McGUIRE.
Before the performance I asked some of the creative team what they were feeling.
Creative duo, Cara and Michelle of Weaving Stories of Boodja (who were putting final touches to the Grouper puppet) said:
Cara – “I’m looking forward to seeing all the elements coming together – lights, costumes, sound, perception and dancers…”
Michelle – “I’m excited to see the Grouper swim on stage and the audience’s reaction to it.”
Drama coach Emma said, “There has been a lot of beautiful creative work by all involved. This feast for the senses and certain moments will give you goosebumps.”
Art teacher Sally said, “There has been so much work and effort by everyone, behind the scenes and by the performers. Everybody should be so proud.”
Choreographer, Dale said, “The curtain’s about to rise! I’m so proud and excited to see our students shine and the choreography come alive on stage.”
Principal, Chris Walker said, “We are really looking forward to today’s Wooditjup Bilya performance. Our staff and students have worked incredibly hard to bring this story to life, and it is a beautiful opportunity to share a story that has been entrusted to us by our Matriarchal Traditional Owner, Nan Vivien Brockman Webb. It is an honour and a privilege to walk alongside Nan Vivien in this way and to share her story with our community.”
It only seems fitting to give Jansie, who dreamed big to bring this performance to life, the final say about the performance, and I know that she is just so proud of everybody involved in this special performance, which will live on as a teaching resource. Special to Jansie is the use of Language in the production and the close collaboration there was with Wardandi elders through cultural consultations.
Written and posted by Dawn Veary; photos by Dawn Veary and Sally Fawcett
