The Deadly Dancers:
School meets the Community
A community man, Dhinawan teaches the Indigenous Youth, the beauty of their Culture.
It all started at Brunswick Heads Public School when Dhinawan met the school staff and Principal Mr Channels to discuss a Coroboree Program for all the Indigenous students. There, were born the Deadly Dancers! For 2 hours/week during a five week period, Dhinawan trained all these beautiful students to dance, sings and play the didgeridoo.
The parents came to watch their children at practice and the Mums got really close and so did some of the Dads. And soon with the involvement of families, school staff and community workers, out of schools camps and afternoon by the river were organised.
The women and Girls making feather belts while the Men and Boys would cut spears and learn to throw them Proper Way with Dhinawan and the Uncles.
These children have grown up and most of them are now at Mullumbimby High School and Shearwater Steiner School, and are still dancing! Just taking the Coroboree Program with them in their new school!
The project didnt stop there and the word got around all the way to Lismore and Goodooga! Invited to Lismore Heights and Jarjum Pre school, Dhinawan got to teach Coroboree to all the Indigenous Students there and are now often invited to perform at local events as well as Southern Cross University!
This so beautiful to see these children teaching their Culture at such a young age. So now, they all mix it up! The dancers from Brunswick and Mullumbimby corboree with the Lismore Kids! Too Deadly! Many of these children had the shame factor or some learning difficulties and in just a short time had come out of their shells and learnt how to stand up and be proud and… Deadly! Making strong bonds with the other Koori kids is how to get the best of our Kids! The Deadly Dancers are now often invited to perform at local events in local schools. This has truly created a cultural awareness in our community and most of the Indigenous Families are now participating. Dhinawan is now often accompanied by the seniors of the Deadly dancers and few of them have been dancing at events such as The Blues Fest, Splendour in the Grass, Quiksilver Pro opening and much more.