Synopsis

The Yolngu leaders asked for this DVD to be made. Through song, dance, art and ritual, the Yolngu people of northeast Arnhem Land pass on and preserve their sacred knowledge. The Djungguwan is one of their most important ceremonies.

This two-DVD set brings together three rare films of the Djungguwan from 1966, 1976 and 2002 -- including, for the first time, secret and sacred scenes -- plus an introductory film and five mini-documentaries. It explores the role of ceremony in Indigenous Australia and provides an extraordinary cultural record for future generations.

DVD One

• Introduction to the Djungguwan (6 mins)
• Understanding the Ceremony: This Is My Land (11 mins), The Meaning of the Ceremony (10 mins), The Wawilak Narratives (7 mins), The Instruments of Ceremony (11 mins), A Cinematic Record (18 mins)
• Films of the Ceremony: Djungguwan - Speaking to the Future (2002, 87 mins), The Djunguan of Yirrkala (1966, 17 mins, unrestricted scenes only)
• Extras: Photo Gallery, Maps, Credits
• Teachers Notes and Background Material (You'll need a computer to access these text files)

DVD Two

• Films of the Ceremony: Djungguwan at Gurka'wuy (1976, 199 mins, edited version)