Moving with the times

THEY were a huge hit when they made their Hobart debut last year, and now indigenous dance troupe Djuki Mala are heading back to the Spiegeltent next weekend for a joyous celebration 75,000 years in the making.

Originally from Elcho Island in Northern Arnhem Land, Djuki Mala — also known as the “chooky dancers” — have been touring the world for the past decade, thrilling audiences with an explosive live show that fuses traditional Yolngu culture, dance and storytelling with elements of contemporary pop culture.

It all started back in 2007, when teenager Lionel Dulmanawuy organised a group performance of the sirtaki dance from Zorba The Greek on a basketball court. The video went viral — it has had more than 2.8 million views on YouTube — and the rest is history.

Last year was Djuki Mala’s most successful year to date, with sold-out seasons at the Sydney Opera House and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, plus a trip to China.

Offering a rare and insightful view into Aboriginal Australia, Djuki Mala’s latest show is an autobiographical work that recounts the group’s history, sharing with audiences some of the intimate moments and turning points that have shaped their career.

“Our show tells the genesis of Djuki Mala, in a way that challenges the Western anthropological view of First Nations culture,” performer Baykali Ganambarr says. “We do this with our humour, our dance, our story and our culture. It’s alive, it’s living, breathing, ever-changing and evolving.

“We take our culture out of the museum and place it very firmly in the 21st century — with a bit of circus and bling!”

Djuki Mala perform three shows in the Spiegeltent on the Hobart waterfront next week: at 4.30pm next Friday (March 30); and at 2.30pm and 6.30pm next Saturday (March 31). Tickets are $45 (plus booking fee), available from www.spiegeltenthobart.com