Two Brothers at Galarra
The world's first Aboriginal Historical-Musical-Action-Docu-Drama? In the tropical wilderness of Arnhem Land of the 1940s, two Aboriginal brothers living according to traditional law journey to inescapable conflict at the ritual spearing ground of Galarra. This is the true story of infamous Yolngu warrior 'Slippery' Binydjarrpuma and his brother Nyepaynga. In 1952, an American ethnomusicologist recorded Binydjarrpuma and his nephew Mathulu singing the tale in symbolic poetry. More than half a century later, Mathulu introduces a re-enactment using those songs and newly recorded song and dance as narration. The result is an original form of Australian indigenous filmmaking featuring four generations of the Wangurri clan and bringing the ancient oral tradition of storytelling through song and dance into the new medium of film.
- Runtime
- 22m
- Released
- 2008
Details
Release year: 2008
Storyline
The world's first Aboriginal Historical-Musical-Action-Docu-Drama? In the tropical wilderness of Arnhem Land of the 1940s, two Aboriginal brothers living according to traditional law journey to inescapable conflict at the ritual spearing ground of Galarra. This is the true story of infamous Yolngu warrior 'Slippery' Binydjarrpuma and his brother Nyepaynga. In 1952, an American ethnomusicologist recorded Binydjarrpuma and his nephew Mathulu singing the tale in symbolic poetry. More than half a century later, Mathulu introduces a re-enactment using those songs and newly recorded song and dance as narration. The result is an original form of Australian indigenous filmmaking featuring four generations of the Wangurri clan and bringing the ancient oral tradition of storytelling through song and dance into the new medium of film.
Top credits
- Bandamul Munyarryun — Binydjarrpuma
- Malalakpuy Munyarryun — Nyepaynga
- Mathulu Munyarryun — Narrator
- Djakapurra Munyarryun — Dancer