Powerful moment two Indigenous women holding an Aboriginal flag perform a ‘cleansing’ dance on the top sail of the Sydney Opera House
- Women Abigail Delaney and Dubs Yunupingu performed traditional dance on Sydney Opera House
- The dancers were filmed holding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags as part of their performance
- Dance was part of the Dance Rites festival which featured hundreds of performers from across Australia
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Stunning footage has emerged of Indigenous women holding an Aboriginal flag while performing a traditional dance on top of the Sydney Opera House.
Dancers Abigail Delaney and Dubs Yunupingu, from Jannawi Dance Clan, climbed to the top of the iconic building over the weekend as part of the Dance Rites festival.
The event saw hundreds of performers from across Australia gather in Sydney for an explosion of colour and culture.
Stunning footage has emerged of Indigenous women holding an Aboriginal flag as they performed a traditional dance on top of the Sydney Opera House
Dancers Abigail Delaney and Dubs Yunupingu (pictured), from Jannawi Dance Clan, climbed to the top of the iconic building over the weekend as part of the Dance Rites festival
Ms Delaney and Ms Yunupingu were the picture of elegance as they performed their routine while the city came to life below.
They finished the dance by holding an Aboriginal flag atop the structure. The dance they showcased is known as a cleansing dance using healing properties from gum leaves.
Footage of the dance has been shared on social media, leaving many lost for words.
‘Beautiful..inspiring,’ one person wrote.
‘What a magnificent and moving declaration of sovereignty,’ wrote another.
Gracies Grannies (pictured) performers pose at Sydney Opera House on November 24, 2019 in Sydney, Australia
Meuram Murray Island Dancers (pictured) in the Dance circle at Sydney Opera House on November 24
Ms Yunupingu, 22, told the Sydney Morning Herald she was proud to be able to share her culture with others.
‘It’s so special to be able to witness dances and songs that have been passed down for a very long time,’ she said.
‘I feel really tall you know, just really strong and grounded when I dance and ochre up and I just feel so connected to mother earth, my ancestors.’
About 300 performers from across Australia took part in the competition over the weekend with the hope of walking away with the $20,000 grand prize.
The festival is also a platform for sharing knowledge and culture with international First Nations communities, such as Native American collective Indigenous Enterprise who also performed.
Dance Rites is Australia’s ground-breaking national First Nations dance competition and this weekend completed its fifth year. It is a free, cross-generational celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance, language and culture, taking place on the Opera House Forecourt.
ancers from Miku perform at Sydney Opera House on November 24, 2019 in Sydney
Performers from Miku and Meuram Murray Island Dancers in the Dance Circle at Sydney Opera House on November 24