After a four-year pause, DanceRites, the country's only national Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance competition, took place over the weekend.
Held over two jam-packed days at the Sydney Opera House, the competition saw 300 performers compete in the Sand Circle for Cultural Dance and Song Cycles.
Eighteen dance groups that represented over 30 nations and clans also competed in the Wild Card dance category.
Each group performed, showcasing their own unique storytelling and Traditional languages.
2023 winners
Lots of cheer as the winner of the WildCard category is announced. Credit: Wayne Qulliam Credit: WAYNE_QUILLIAM_
The runner-up was AFL Cape York Aboriginal Cultural Dance group from Cairns and Cape York who took home a five thousand dollar prize.
The winner of Best Wild Card Dance went to Yangkay Cultural Connect from Ngemba New South Wales.
The Rite of Passage Award, an award that acknowledges outstanding contributions to cultural revitalisation, went to the Deaf Indigenous Dance Group Cairns in Queensland and Eip Karem Beizam from Meriam in the Torres Strait Islands.
A weekend of culture and pride. Pictured: A performance by Jannawi Dance Clan. Credit: Wayne Qulliam Credit: Daniel Boud
“DanceRites has given us a weekend of joy, celebration, and community..."
"It was a privilege to welcome mob back to the site, to continue the traditions of Tubowgule as a meeting place where storytelling and dance has been shared for tens of thousands of years," he said.
"This opportunity for cross-cultural and cross-generational gathering was truly unforgettable, and a testament to our enduring culture and customs."
