More than a dance troupe, Wayne ‘Buddi’ Hippi of Winagali Infusion calls his group’s performance an indigenous cultural education service.
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He and his family are keen to pass on the connections and stories taught to them by their Gamilaraay elders, which they will be doing at NAIDOC Week celebrations at The Sir Henry Parkes Memorial Public School on Thursday morning, June 29.
Mr Hippi said the Gamilaraay people are very fortunate to still have some language and stories remaining.
“It’s important for people to learn our culture with so much of it being lost due to colonisation. It’s important to revitalise that culture.”
The family-based Winagali Infusion group do that by visiting schools and performing stories with the students, with the emphasis on interaction. Teachers should also brace themselves.
“We target the teachers first,” Mr Hippi said. “Often they like to sit back but we encourage them to lead by example.”
Mr Hippi and his team then lead the children through rotating sessions on other dances and stories, and on discussions of different geographic boundaries of indigenous tribes.
“Tenterfield sits on a number of boundaries, so the children learn about local tribes and languages,” he said, saying the service helps to break down racial and cultural barriers.
Here’s a taste of what to expect...