WHEN THE GROUND IS HARD, YINDJIBARNDI DANCE!
A CELEBRATION FOR NED MAYARINGBUNGU CHEEDY

In September 2011 Juluwarlu, Ngarliyarndu Bindirri, Cheeditha and Yindjibarndi Aboriginal Corporations invited people from Roebourne and surrounds to Cheeditha Community for a performance of traditional Yindjibarndi Jalurra and Ngurnda to celebrate the National NAIDOC Lifetime Achievement Award to Mayaringbungu, and to thank Mayaringbungu for his wisdom and leadership in driving Yindjibarndi cultural recording and archiving.

Jalurra songs and Ngurnda (dances) were passed to Yindjibarndi people by the Wandangali — spirits who visit a sleeping man and sing the songs to his dreams. On waking the chosen man can pick up his boomerangs and sing a given song straight out, without rehearsal, complete in words and melody. These Jalurra travel Yindjibarndi country and speak about the actions of creation spirits. Every time we perform Jalurra we renew the physical and spiritual connection of today’s generation with our Yindjibarndi country and all previous generations.

We dance to respect the old people who give us strength, and ngurra that gives us hope.

This DVD was produced by
Juluwarlu Group Aboriginal Corporation

For the past twelve years Mayaringbungu and many fellow elders have led the cultural mapping program at Juluwarlu, recording every sacred site, our Yindjibarndi history, language, stories, and songs.

A EULOGY & COMMEMORATION—a collection of songs, stories and country featuring Ned Mayaringbungu Cheedy, drawn from the archives of Juluwarlu Aboriginal Corporation as tribute to the life and work of Mayaringbungu, elder of the Yindjibarndi people, Western Australia, 1906-2012.

Pansy Cheedy, a member of the Yindjibarndi aboriginal people of North-Western Australia comments on why, after many years of quiet living, she has become motivated to speak out on issues which cause her concern.

Wanggangarra is a film about family histories, relationship & respect amongst the Yindjibarndi and Ngarluma people of the west Pilbara, Western Australia. It tells the story of families and their origins in country; describes the concept of home or ngurra; and explains traditions of skin relationship and respect within extended families and the traditional life of the community. The film celebrates the richness and complexity of family life with an attention to detail not documented before for the Yindjibarndi.