Synopsis

Put on your virtual reality headset and let David Gulpilil and Jack Charles guide you on a journey of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander song and dance.

An exhilarating and visceral film that tells the expansive story of Carriberrie: Aboriginal Australian song and dance. Carriberrie is a Sydney Aboriginal language word for “corroboree”.

Beginning with a stunning passage from the highly acclaimed Sydney Opera House performance, Bennelong, by Australia's premier Aboriginal dance theatre group Bangarra, actor and performer David Gulpilil welcomes us on a concentric, snake-like journey through time and space.

We travel from traditional ceremonial dance and song, towards intrinsically contemporary and modern expressions.

Intimate, immersive and breath-taking, this documentary showcases a stunning range of Australian locations and performances from iconic ceremonial traditional dance in Uluru, through to food gathering dances in the rain forrest, war songs on the most northern tip of Australia and funeral songs in the Arnhem wetlands before culminating with a highly charged hunting track in the central desert.

Carriberrie introduces viewers to the stories, songs and people from different First Nations communities:

• Inma (Uluru, NT) – traditional creation dances performed by senior Anangu men and women of the Mutitjulu community.
• Kun-borrk Karrbarda (Oenpelli, NT) – a traditional funeral song and dance performed by artist Joey Nganjmirra in Gunbalanya, West Arnhem Land.
• Inur Ulaike E (Moa, Torres Strait) – a traditional Torres Strait song performed by Moa Is-land locals.
• Koey Thithui (Thursday Island, Torres Strait) – contemporary dancer Hans Ahwang per-forms a traditional work about stars.
• Mayi Wunba (Karunda, QLD) – a Kuku-Yalanji ceremony performed in the Kuranda rain-forest depicting the process of honey cultivation and its vital role in the region’s ecosystem.
• Guguwa Mabayg (Bamaga, QLD) – dance troupe Naygayiw Gigi, or Northern Thunder, present two pieces on the most northern tip of Australia, highlighting their work preserving and revitalising the culture of the Saibai people of the Cape York Peninsula.
• Dubay Dancers (Byron Bay, NSW) – four female members of the Arakwal people of Byron Bay perform a traditional women’s dance about collecting yuggari (pippi) and jalum (fish) as well as a dance about wetlands bird Ngoombil.
• The Hunter (Darwin, NT) – an upbeat, chart topping track performed by Lonely Boys, a six-piece hard rock band from the remote Arnhem land community of Ngukurr.
• Bennelong (Sydney Opera House, NSW) – contemporary indigenous dance company Bangarra perform vignettes from their celebrated work Bennelong, complete with immersive soundscapes, exquisite design and incredible dance performances.

Dance is the first language of our people.

— David Gulpilil

Trailer

Behind the scenes