Renowned Indigenous chef Mark Olive, is back in Wollongong this week to host a celebration of culture for Reconciliation Week.
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Merrigong Theatre Company has been gathering stories from local elders and woven them into a theatre experience, “Sharing Stories”, at IPAC on Friday. Olive joins a raft of Illawarra Indigenous groups who will be interpreting traditional Aboriginal tales as they feel best in a 90 minute show.
Merrigong’s community engagement co-ordinator Lillian Pang said the company usually produces a lot of events with Indigenous content but found 2016 was on the low side for productions.
“So we started looking for stories amongst us and honouring our own community,” she said.
It took Ms Pang and Jodi Clark from Wollongong City Council around 12 months collate many stories from around the Illawarra region.
“We’ve got beautiful stories, like how the Red Waratah [bird] came into being,” Ms Pang. “Stories of the Doolagal and the Gang-man-gang and five islands.”
The theatre company is only asking for patrons to “pay as you feel” necessary as they wanted to make is as accessible to as many people as possible.
“It’s about community and sharing, not what you can afford,” said Ms Pang.
On stage will be Aboriginal students from Coomaditchi Homework Group, Helensburgh Public School, Lake Illawarra High School, St Columbkilles,The Flame Tree Dancers (Wollongong), The Little Ngargens (Shellharbour) and Wollongong Performing Arts High School, with digital content from Noogaleek pre school.
For more information visit: www.merrigong.com.au