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Jandamarra
It was way back in 1984 that the Bunuba people of Fitzroy Crossing began the long quest to bring the story of their legendary hero, Jandamarra, to the world.
Jandamarra led a prolonged guerrilla war in the 1890s, resisting the intrusion of the pastoralists into Bunuba country for three years, until his death in 1897 at the tender age of 24. But before this he had worked on the stations, served time in gaol, and worked as a police tracker, bringing his own people to Derby in chains. He was a complex and controversial figure, known at the time as the black Ned Kelly, and revered by his people as a Jalgangurru – a man with magic powers.
Over two decades attempts to make a feature film about Jandamarra came close to realisation on many occasions, without ever quite getting over the line. Then in 2005 Bunuba Films joined forces with WA’s flagship theatre company, Black Swan to collaborate on the Jandamarra play which will premier at the Perth International Arts Festival in February 2008.
Ground breaking
The play is set to break new ground in more than one way. It will be an ambitious, large scale production with an Aboriginal company as a co-production partner. It will be staged in three languages, using Bunuba and Kriol as well as English.
The production aims to maximise the involvement of Bunuba people, and wherever possible, to provide employment and training opportunities. After conducting a highly successful workshop in Fitzroy Crossing in March, an ambitious workshop program was devised in the remote Kimberley’s to ensure community involvement would be retained throughout the development of the production. This program imposed costs well in excess of a normal theatre production and as such Bunuba Films approached Lotterywest, the Fitzroy Futures Forum and the Kimberley Development Commission for support to ensure the full participation of Bunuba people in the Jandamarra production.
Training and realising a community dream
Lotterywest provided a grant for $117,634 to support the initiatives that offered community development opportunities for the Bunuba people including:
- Employment of young artist Kaylene Marr as an assistant designer and animation artist;
- Training for three first time actors from Fitzroy Crossing and cast members of the play;
- A language coaching and cultural immersion workshop for Indigenous actors from southern WA and Victoria to learn Bunuba at Fitzroy Crossing;
- Employment for Bunuba translators as language coaches and cultural consultants through the development and production period;
- Recording of a Junba – a traditional song and dance cycle – to be used in the play, and potentially released on CD.
Throughout the seven week rehearsal and production period a strong contingent of Fitzroy Crossing people will be in Perth, including a group of singers and dancers who will perform two performances of the Yilimbirri Junba outside the Kimberley for the first time.
Whilst Jandamarra is geared to deliver a successful and ground breaking performance at the 2008 Perth International Arts Festival, the support of Lotterywest and others has made the process of getting the story to the stage exciting and positive for the Bunuba people. The production has not only offered opportunities and new experiences for the people of Fitzroy Crossing, it will allow the elders who embarked on this journey almost a quarter of a century ago, to realise their dreams.
Jandamarra will be performed from 12 -23 February at the Perth Convention Centre.