Actor Derek Lynch in a production of Namatjira at the Belvoir St Theatre in 2010 (photography by Brett Boardman, courtesy Belvoir St Theatre)
bayumi – music – a tune / yabun – instrumental music made by singers dancing or beating on two clubs / dangura – dance / garabara – dance, a method of dancing
Music, dance and theatre are an important means of cultural, political and spiritual expression for urban Aboriginal people. Many artists and performers have been supported and encouraged by Aboriginal organisations including the Black Theatre, Aboriginal Dance Theatre Redfern, and Bangarra Dance Theatre.
Aboriginal organisations in Sydney
Author: Anita Heiss Aborigines Progressive Association (APA) The Australian Aborigines Progressive Association (AAPA), led by Fred Maynard, operated in Sydney from 1924 to 1927 when it was disbanded due to police harassment. In 1932 in Victoria, William Cooper, Bill Onus Read More
Aboriginal Dance Theatre Redfern
Aboriginal Dance Theatre Redfern (ADTR) was founded in 1979, occupying part of the old Black Theatre building before moving to Renwick Street. It offered accredited courses in Aboriginal dance and theatre skills, and provided a dance outreach program for children Read More
Bangarra Dance Theatre
Bangarra Dance Theatre is a dance company formed in 1989 by staff and students of National Aboriginal Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA), including Carole Johnson who had been involved with the Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre since the 1970s. Bangarra Dance Read More
Gadigal Information Service
When Radio Redfern stopped broadcasting in the early 1990s, the gap was quickly filled. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander owned and operated organisation Gadigal Information Service was founded in 1993. It broadcasts a full-time radio station, Koori Radio (93.7FM 2LND), Read More
Radio Redfern
Maureen Watson and her son Tiga Bayles laid the foundations for Radio Redfern in 1981, when they started broadcasting for 10 minutes each week on community radio station 2SER 107.3 FM. When Radio Skid Row (2RSR 88.9 FM) was allocated Read More
Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre
The Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre was established in 1975 as a full-time training program to encourage Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to take up professional dance. It launched the careers of many dancers and performers, and raised the profile Read More
Black Theatre
Black Theatre was an Aboriginal-run theatre company established in 1972 in response to the emerging land rights movement. It started on Regent Street in Redfern but later moved to Cope Street, next door to Radio Redfern. Black Theatre offered workshops Read More
