Australian Museum premieres ‘Carriberrie’

The Australian Museum (AM) will present the groundbreaking virtual reality (VR) film Carriberrie in March, celebrating the depth and diversity of Indigenous dance, music and song. The world premiere of the 360° live-action documentary takes viewers on an exhilarating 3D journey across Australia, from Uluru to Sydney Harbour. 

Narrated by award-winning actor and dancer David Gulpilil, Carriberrie guides audiences across a stunning array of iconic Australian locations and performances, from the traditional to contemporary. From ceremonial creation dances in the heart of the Outback, to honey gathering songs in the rainforest, bush-punk band The Lonely Boys performing in Alice Springs and a finale featuring Bangarra Dance Theatre by Sydney Harbour, Carriberrie brings together art, technology and Indigenous performance in inspired new ways.

Carriberrie – the Sydney language word for “corroboree” – will screen through March as part of WEAVE, the AM’s inaugural month-long Festival of First Nations and Pacific Cultures.

AM Director & CEO Kim McKay said the nation’s first museum was proud to support such an innovative exploration of Indigenous culture, dance and song.

“Audiences will be immersed for the first time, through the use of 360° VR, in ancient and modern expressions of Indigenous dance and music, set amid the backdrop of stunning locations across the country,” she said. “Carriberrie and WEAVE celebrate the strength, beauty and diversity of Australia’s First Peoples and their stories in innovative and extraordinary ways, offering visitors an entirely new experience of Indigenous culture and museums.”

Carriberrie’s award-winning director and producer Dominic Allen said the use of VR technology for the two-year project helped bridge geographical and cultural divides, while celebrating the robust knowledge and practices of Indigenous culture. 

“The film takes viewers on a journey through traditional ceremonial dance and song, towards intrinsically contemporary and modern expressions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait culture in an intimate and breathtaking way,” he said. “The Australian Museum has been a great supporter of the project and I’m thrilled to present the world premiere of the work here, where I feel a kindred passion for exploring, understanding and helping to preserve First Nations cultures.”

Carriberrie was created by Reddogs VR in partnership with Isobar and global VR giant Jaunt. The creative team included the community cultural advisors Marilyn Miller, director of the Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival and former Bangarra choreographer/dancer, and senior Kimberley Walmajarri woman Annette Kogolo. The film’s script was written by Wiradjuri woman and acclaimed Indigenous author Tara June Winch.

Shot using the Jaunt ONE, the first professional-grade camera system specifically designed for capturing the highest quality 360° VR experiences, Carriberrie is a cinematic experience that immerses viewers in the stories, songs and people from different First Nations communities:

– “Inma” (Uluru, NT) – traditional creation dances performed by senior Anangu men and women of the Mutitjulu community.

– “Kun-borrk Karrbarda” (Oenpelli, NT) – a traditional funeral song and dance performed by artist Joey Nganjmirra in Gunbalanya, West Arnhem Land.

– “Inur Ulaike E” (Moa, Torres Strait) – a traditional Torres Strait song performed by Moa Island locals.

– “Koey Thithui” (Thursday Island, Torres Strait) – contemporary dancer Hans Ahwang performs a traditional work about stars.

– “Mayi Wunba” (Karunda, QLD) – a Kuku-Yalanji ceremony performed in the Kuranda rainforest depicting the process of honey cultivation and its vital role in the region’s ecosystem.

– “Guguwa Mabayg” (Bamaga, QLD) – dance troupe Naygayiw Gigi, or Northern Thunder, present two pieces on the most northern tip of Australia, highlighting their work preserving and revitalising the culture of the Saibai people of the Cape York Peninsula.

– “Dubay Dancers” (Byron Bay, NSW) – four female members of the Arakwal people of Byron Bay perform a traditional women’s dance about collecting yuggari (pippi) and jalum (fish) as well as a dance about wetlands bird Ngoombil.

– “The Hunter” (Darwin, NT) – an upbeat, chart topping track performed by Lonely Boys, a six-piece hard rock band from the remote Arnhem land community of Ngukurr.

– “Bennelong” (Sydney Opera House, NSW) – contemporary indigenous dance company Bangarra perform vignettes from their celebrated work Bennelong, complete with immersive soundscapes, exquisite design and incredible dance performances.

Specifically, Carriberrie can be seen at AM between March 2 and 27, with screenings on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays at 2 and 3 p.m. Also, screenings will be presented at 6 and 7 p.m. on Tuesday, March 6; Thursday, March 22; and Tuesday, March 27. Tickets are $20 for adults, $18 for concession and $16 for AM Members. Book at www.australianmuseum.net.au.

Photo: Contemporary dancer Hans Ahwang in Carriberrie. Photo courtesy of Dominic Allen and Hans Ahwang.