Artist Feature:
Q & A with Mariaa Randall,
Artistic Director, DubaiKungkaMiyalk
Mariaa Randall belongs to the Bundjalung and Yaegl people of the Far North Coast of New South Wales, Australia. She is a Victorian College of the Arts graduate obtaining a Graduate Certificate in Indigenous Arts Management, Graduate Diploma in Performance Creation and a Master in Animateuring by Research in Melbourne. She recently premiered her solo performance, “Footwork/ Technique” at the Performance Space New York and then developed this for an ensemble work which premiered at the 2019 Dance Massive. Her solo, “Painting the Dance” was presented by O.Dela Arts as part of Matriarchs Uprising in June 2019. As an independent artist, Mariaa continues to teach, dance and make movement with others. Mariaa created DUBAIKUNGKAMIYALK as a platform to share her practice and philosophy when creating movement with others. This practice focuses on the female indigenous perspective when creating works; to bring to the forefront that experience and inject it into the creative process and to inform, inspire and generate diversity through movement. www.dubaikungkamiyalk.com.au
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What are the points of interest that drive your creative practices?
I am driven by a desire to represent indigenous women in a way that reflects us.That this is not something that is created from the outside but that the words, intentions, images, representation methodologies and processes empower us in all that we do.
What’s the inspiration for I, Dentity, the piece you bring to Matriarchs Uprising?
My work within Matriarchs Uprising is titled I, Dentity. Within this work there are three segments that draw from my other works. One is I, Dentity which speaks of the labels placed upon Aboriginal people regarding their skin colour. The second, another work called Jinung (foot) gives examples of the sounds and styles of Aboriginal footwork in Australia. The third segment, draws from my work Divercity, a work that asks how do we keep country with us when we are living in the city, away from home? Each give an insight into my dance practice.
How did you meet your collaborators? Tell us about your collaborative process.
Choreographically, Henrietta and I met six years ago at the Indigenous Choreographic Lab where I co-facilitated the lab with Jacob Boehme at Arts House, North Melbourne as part of the Dance Massive 2015. But have known each other for over 10 years. It was at this choreographic lab that I was exposed to Henrietta’s practice and found that both of our approaches aligned using visual art as a means to generate choreographic scores to create our movement. When we collaborate because of this there is a shorthand of information and knowledge that allows for the process to move forward quickly while still ensuring that cultural integrity and artistic exploration are present when we create.
What do you want to communicate or offer to audiences through your work?
I want to communicate the strength of the individual that has been created through their lived and living experience. And most importantly all perspectives of First Nations women to continue the process of placing our movement alongside each other but also to teach each other about our practices and processes.
Who is an Indigenous role model of yours? How do they inspire you?
From a very young age I always looked up to my grandmothers, who I am named after. To me, they stood strong in times of government policies that they had no control over. They protected their families in times of hardship but remained the heart of the families. Their strong leadership and humble resilience remains with me.
Is there a traditional teaching that you most identify with?
The most important is deep listening and being ready to follow through with the information you are given.
What is coming up next for you?
DubaikKungkaMiyalk will be presenting Divercity as part of the Rubaboo Arts Festival in Edmonton in April this year. I am also developing a new dance work called SiStem, that turns words and poems of protest into movement sequences with bold statements.
Is there anything else you’d like to share?
I would like to acknowledge the programming of Matriarch’s Uprising as a platform of strength and empowerment and education through exposure. That by being programmed alongside other first nations women gives a glimpse into global practices that build my knowledge and grow my personal dance practice.
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Don’t miss the chance to see Mariaa’s work, I, Dentity in Matriarchs Uprising: Program 1 on Friday, February 21st 730pm at The Cultch.
Mariaa will teach Training Society of Vancouver’s Working Class on Wednesday, February 19th 10am-11:30am at The Dance Centre.
Mariaa will also lead a by donation Community Dance Class on Sunday, February 23rd 4:30pm-6pm at The Dance Centre.
All Matriarchs Uprising guest artists will be in dialogue at Talking Truths: A Circle Conversation hosted by Raven Spirit Dance on Saturday, February 22nd 1pm-2pm at Skwachays Lodge.