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Who Born You recounts the personal Kokoda Trail adventures of mixed-race modern women. Women born from Indigenous cultures impacted upon by Christian Missionaries and Western Lifestyle. It impels audiences to question depictions of Pacific women as not unlike traditional idols now seen as objects of art in a museum or gallery.Intimate and thought provoking, it challenges the stereotype of the Pacific Woman with flowers in her hair and a beckoning smile. Delving into the contemporary world of rhythmic hips, shoe boxes, shared space andgrounded feet. Who Born You will rock your heart and weave the tracks of the modern day Pacific Woman.Directed by Julia Gray, it incorporates contemporary Pacific Dance, film and photography with original music composed and arranged by James Mangohig. In Sunameke Mangohig brings his experience from his bands Kahibaloo and Sietta with his love of electronic, soul and hip-hop. This he combines with Sunamekes vocal powerhouses in creating music combining traditional sounds with what he terms as his TRIBAL BOOM. In addition Sunameke collaborates with well known Darwin Dancer and long time Sunameke Member Julia Quinn. In utilising a variety of dance styles: Modern Dance and several Dance styles from the Islands of the Pacific, Sunameke delivers a distinctive dance performance that will hearten discerning audiences.In the development of Who Born You?, Julia Gray has created a seamless show that brings together two dance pieces Weaving the Map 2004 and the most recent solo development project funded by ArtsNT The Centipede and her Odd Shoe. Mentored by well-known and respected Filipina Film maker and Local Performance Artist Betchay Mondragon, brings her immeasurable knowledge and experience to the mix that makes Sunameke.
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Performed by: Julia Gray, Yolanda Gray, Julia Quinn, Justine Maxwell, Kathryn Lawrence, Trudi Goodworth.Music: James Mangohig (Kahibaloo / Sietta) Director: Julia Mageau GrayBorn of Papua New Guinea/Australian heritage and raised in both Australia and Papua New Guinea I have been exposed all of my life to the impact of two very separate and distinctive cultures. After graduating with a BA in Dance(Hons) from Adelaide University, I have spent my professional life as a freelance dancer and choreographer in finding ways to express my Papua New Guinea heritage. I have been privileged to work in numerous projects in collaborative and directing capacities. Career highlights have been working with Tracks Dance Theatre, DrumDrum, Sunameke and touring the Pacific Islands courtesy of the Cultural Linguistics Award from the Office of Multi-Cultural Affairs.
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Reviews
Who Born You
Who Born You
Who Born You?
Review - Natalie Richards'Who Born You?' December 10th 2010 _ Darwin Entertainment Centre.We all relish in modern day conveniences; driving our Japanese cars, sipping on European beers and wines, eating ethnic foods, leaving our dishes to the dishwasherGlobalisation has seeped through the cracks of our everyday lives and is now an inescapable part of living in a 'developed' nation. Admittedly, there are a number of advantages stemming from Globalisation - I wouldn't be planning my holiday to Switzerland if it weren't for the Boeing Jet obliterating the distance! Within the realm of culture, however, globalisation has not only developed the concept of cultural diversity, but posed a number of difficult questions for many of the worlds cultures, especially those of mixed-cultural heritage:Who Born You?Through the thought-provoking production of Who Born You?, Julia Gray and Sunameke depict the struggle and growth of the mixed race woman's existence in a globalised world where she is torn between two lives. How does she maintain her heritage but conform to her life in Australia? Does she abandon one part of her and embrace the other? I really felt like asking, 'who is this woman'? How can she identify herself? Here is a woman of rich cultural heritage, thrust into a globalised and homogenised society, and searching frantically for a space to ground her bare feet. She is desperately clinging to her cultural roots, refusing to be washed away by a global and homogenised culture, but her identity is blurred and hazy.The deep beats and echoes of harmonies evoke mystery and past tragedies of burden and sadness, perhaps carried by the woman depicted.The dancing portrays beautifully the questions of identity this Pacific mixed-race woman faces. The choreography is packed full of symbolisation and metaphors to enhance the experience. The theme of new and old worlds colliding reverberates throughout the work - traditional music intertwined with glitch beats and bass, traditional rhythmic hips combined with contemporary movements, as well as the use of video and visual accompaniments. The costumes are very much Pacific styled and the simplicity of them drew my attention more to the movements of the dancing.The story flows seamlessly, with a comical duo creating ripples of giggles throughout the audience. The culmination of the journey ends with a magnificent final 'unravelling', a scene of final discovery, revelation, and realisation. The entire work brought to mind the words of the wise Mahatma Gandhi, "No culture can live if it wants to be exclusive." The modern mixed-race Pacific woman perhaps needs to embrace both of her cultural parentages so that she may form her own unique identity.
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Who Born You Rehearsal 2010
Dec 10th Performance Footage
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Intro
sunameke
Darwinspasifika
Chauka Calling
Dear Aunty
