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Gary Lang’s Waŋa dance collaboration explores ancient and modern beliefs about death

The performance of Waŋa — which means spirit — starts behind a thin veil, with a glimpse of the “in-between world” and an ancient Yolŋu funeral ceremony.

Telling the story of a spirit’s journey after death, Larrakia choreographer Gary Lang has worked with Rirratjŋu lore man and ceremonial advisor Banula Marika to create the performance.

“This performance is called Spirit and it’s the spirit of the Dhuwa clans,” Mr Marika said in Yolŋu Matha, with assistance from an interpreter.

“When I pass, my spirit will travel back to my homeland, the homeland that we’re telling this story about.”

A group of dancers surrounded by smoke on stage.
The spirit world is said to be joyful about a spirit’s return after death.(Supplied: Paz Tassone)
Two dancers perform the spirit's journey.
Waŋa is set to music by Darwin Symphony Orchestra.(Supplied: Paz Tassone)

“This is also my other home and place where my spirit comes from and my clan.”

The collaboration between the NT Dance Company, MIKU Performing Arts and Darwin Symphony Orchestra attempts to capture the pain and the relief of a spirit’s passing.

Mr Lang said his late grandmother also taught him about the spirit world.

“She said ‘what happens Gary, in the spirit world, when that spirit has to come to the physical world, there’s tears of sadness there because it’s a loss and there’s tears of joy in the physical world’,” Mr Lang said.

A portrait of two men in front of a stage.
The performance is a collaboration between Gary Lang and Banula Marika.(ABC News: Felicity James)

“and [after death] it works in reverse, there’s tears of sadness because there’s a loss and there’s tears of joy because it’s going back home.”

He said the performance tried to represent the process of passing through a veil from the physical world into an “in-between world”.

“We don’t know that in-between world,” he said.

“Between that veil and before you actually step into the heavens, I think that’s where all the ceremony happens in culture.

Waa 3
Gary Lang describes his works as ‘Indigenous ballet’.(Supplied: Paz Tassone)

“That it helps you to leave all the physical attachments behind and then you step into the world of wonder.”

Funeral ceremonies can last for days, weeks or months in Yolŋu culture, including in Mr Marika’s community of Yirrkala.

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