THE Barkindji Baaka Dance Group is currently fundraising to buy a new bus, with big plans to take the Wilcannia-based troupe on tour.
The group was founded 20 years ago by Barkandji/Malyangapa man Uncle Owen Whyman, who grew up on the banks of the Baaka (Darling River).
Whyman said the group was created after he had a dream.
“In my dreaming I knew how to do dances and I played the didgeridoo, so in the morning I went out back on the verandah and I played the didgeridoo fluently – it was the first time I picked one up,” he said.
Members of the group range from seven upwards, with some dancers attending for over a decade.
“It’s a gift that was given to me and I could not stay away from it – when you get that dreaming, that’s your ancestors calling out to you, saying ‘this is what you have to do, this is your calling’”, Whyman said
“Everywhere we go and perform, there’s always that feeling in your heart.
“We go to different towns and communities and some of the dancers might be the same, but each time it’s different when they perform because you feel it within your heart.”
A unique aspect to the group is also the inclusion of both genders, which Whyman said is not traditional practice.
“Every now and then, the girls perform for us,” he said.
“It’s been really well received in the community.”
Currently the group does not have any way to transport dancers, with Whyman using his car to transport dancers to performances.
“It’s very hard to get a bus in our community, and the surrounding communities, because they charge a fee, and we can’t afford that fee,” he said.
“By the time we pay for the dance groups and travel, food and accommodation, it’s very hard for us to hire a bus.
“So that’s why we’re putting a call out there for a bus to be able to take these boys on trips.”
The call out is on the platform Chuffed and has so far raised over $4000 through word-of-mouth and social media.
“We want to go up to the Northern Territory and perform at other festivals,” Whyman said.
“It’s there in our bloodline that we must travel around and show our performances too.”
The troupe has been offered a bus valued at $27,000, setting a new target for the fundraising.
To donate or find out more, search for the event The Barkindji Baaka Dance Group needs a Bus! on chuffed.org.
