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Tennant Creek Sacred Dances: Strong spirit
Title:
Tennant Creek Sacred Dances: Strong spirit
Year
1999
Warnings
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that the following program may contain images and/or audio of deceased persons
Over shots of landscape, an elder named Napanangka tells us about Moonga Moonga, a strong spirit who makes children from other cultures sick, and that 'he is bad and cheeky to people from other countries’. In order to sing these songs, the elders tell us that they must be good. Summary by Romaine Moreton.
Elder Napanangka tells us about the songs and dances of this particular country. We begin to get an understanding that this land is alive and requires management through dances and songs. When Napanangka tells us that people from ‘other countries’ might get sick, she is referring to anyone who is not from this place.
Tennant Creek Sacred Dances synopsis
We are introduced to Tennant Creek through the eyes of the Moonga Moonga dancers (lady dancers), and the women’s dances belonging to this area.
Tennant Creek Sacred Dances curator's notes
An observational style documentary with the Wari Manga talking to camera about the country of the Warumunga tribe, and the spirit named Moonga Moonga, who 'is cheeky’ to people from other countries and cultures.Tennant Creek – Sacred Dances is about the role and responsibility of the women in this country and how the land is considered as a living entity around which these cultural practices originate.
Notes by Romaine Moreton
Production company
CAAMA Productions
Series Producer
Jacqueline Bethel (AKA Jacqui Bethel)
Director
Beck Cole
The National Film and Sound Archive of Australia acknowledges Australia’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the land on which we work and live and gives respect to their Elders both past and present.