Janet Munyarryun

Guypunura "Janet" Munyarryun (born c.1960s) is an Aboriginal dancer, choreographer and tutor.[1][2] She was a founding member of the Bangarra Dance Theatre.[3]

Biography

Munyarryun was born in Yirrkala, a community in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory.[4] She grew up in the Garthalala homeland, and as a young girl she travelled with her family across country to establish the community of Dhalinybuy.[5] She is a Yolngu woman of the Wangnurri clan.

In 1984, she started working at National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA) Dance College in Sydney,[6] and started cultural workshops to bring traditional dance practices to urban students.[7] She also helped establish the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Dance Theatre (AIDT), contributing as a choreographer and tutor.[5][2]

In 1989, Bangarra Dance Theatre was formed after NAISDA director Carole Johnson left the organisation, and Munyarryun contributed as a founding member.

She had two children, Rarriwuy and Guruguru, to Paul Hick, an English-born dancer.[5] They separated when Rarriwuy was young.[8]

Rarriwuy remarked of her mother: "[she] was dancing at Bangarra when she was pregnant with me and she took me to all the rehearsals and performances after I was born".[9]

Munyarryun has continued as the cultural advisor for Bangarra, ensuring that their "performances adhere to the traditional stories and songs of her people".[10] She has also worked as an advisor to the Australian Ballet.[10]

In May 2012, Munyarryun performed with an Aboriginal dance troupe at Windsor Castle, England, for celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.[10] She also worked to establish the Bunggul Djama Arts Alliance, a community-driven initiative to foster Yolngu performance arts and mixed-media projects.[4]

In 2013, Munyarryun worked on and performed in the dance production The Morning Star.[11][12] The production travelled between Arnhem Land and Mirramu Creative Arts Centre near Lake George in Bungendore, NSW.[13]

Theatre

Awards

Personal life

She has a younger brother Djakapurra Munyarryun, a performance artist and dancer, and who was also a founding member of the Bangarra Dance Theatre.[12]

Her children are Rarriwuy Hick,[18] an actress and dancer, and Guruguru Hick, rap artist.[5]

References

  1. Sykes, Jill (14 July 1989). "Arts News: Story on Aboriginal Islander Dance". The Sydney Morning Herald. John Fairfax Group Pty Ltd.
  2. "Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre. (1976-1998) - People and organisations". Trove. National Library of Australia. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  3. Verghis, Sharon (18 June 2011). "Bangarra's main man Stephen Page celebrates 20 year at helm". The Australian. News Limited. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  4. "BJAA HOMELANDS". bungguldjama.com. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  5. "Media release: Deadliest Dancer of the Year". Bunggul Djama Arts Alliance. AAP Medianet. 28 September 2012.
  6. Randall, Margaret Mona Mariaa (2014). Half – Living between two worlds (PDF). Melbourne, Australia: Faculty of the Victorian College of the Arts and Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, The University of Melbourne.
  7. Condie, Todd (30 May 2001). "Successful graduates tell their story" (PDF). Koori Mail. No. 252. p. 13. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  8. Prendergast, Samantha (2 February 2015). "Home is home" (PDF). Frankie. No. 64. Morrison Media. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  9. Smallhorn, Tamara (23 September 2010). "Promising pathway ahead for local | Altmedia". AltMedia. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  10. Hallowell, Marjo, ed. (25–31 July 2012). "Dancers celebrate Queen's Jubilee". Arafura Times. No. 899. Regional and Remote Newspapers. p. 13. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  11. Kingma, Jennifer (31 August 2012). "Reach for the star". The Canberra Times.
  12. Kingma, Jennifer (23 February 2013). "As the spirit moves them". The Canberra Times.
  13. Musa, Helen (11 February 2013). "'Morning Star' set to rise". Canberra CityNews. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  14. Fish: an unborn soul. FrontRow Video Distribution. 1998. OCLC 223886811 via WorldCat.
  15. Anderson, Doug (18 January 1999). "Masterpiece: Fish (Bangarra Dance Theatre)". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  16. "DANCER OF THE YEAR - Deadly Vibe". Deadly Vibe. Vibe Australia. 30 August 2012. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
  17. "Deadly Awards celebrate Indigenous achievers". SBS World News. 26 September 2012.
  18. Molloy, Shannon (27 August 2017). "Rarriwuy Hick on identity, her Cleverman role and 'escaping' to Arnhem Land roots". Stellar. News Limited. Retrieved 25 March 2018.
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