WYKIM Productions
Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander performance
Dance, song, didgeridoo and smoking ceremony, brought into primary and high schools across Australia. Students don't watch from their seats — they get up and join in.
WYKIM Productions in association with Troubie
Acknowledgement of Country. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live, work and perform, and pay our respects to Elders past and present. Ryka Ali is a Wuthathi man from Shelburne Bay, Cape York, and a Torres Strait Islander.
The performer
Ryka's heritage stems from the Wuthathi tribe of Shelburne Bay, Cape York, and from the Torres Strait Islands. He won the Young, Black and Deadly Talent Quest in 2003 and is a proud ambassador for Australia's Indigenous youth.
He has performed at festivals and cultural showcases around the world, and has worked alongside his grandmother Cindy presenting Indigenous workshops in schools throughout Australia. He's also released a self-titled CD combining hip-hop and urban sounds with the didgeridoo.
Teachers regularly single out the same thing: Ryka applies his ochre in front of the students and explains what he's doing as he goes, so the culture is being shown rather than just described.
What we bring
Every session is pitched to the age group in front of him. Numbers, running time and what's included can all be shaped around your timetable — talk to Scott and he'll put a quote together.
Songs and dances drawn from both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, including animal dances and Torres Strait play-dances, with the didgeridoo through the middle of it. Built for participation — students learn movements and join the dances rather than sitting and watching.
The same cultural material carried at a level that holds a secondary audience — dance, song and didgeridoo, with more room for Ryka to talk through the meaning behind what students are seeing and take questions.
For the littlies, Ryka tailors a program of songs and dances focusing on Australian animals such as the kangaroo and emu, along with Torres Strait play-dances and the didgeridoo. Entertaining, educational, and participation is greatly encouraged.
A ceremony to open your assembly, NAIDOC event or presentation night, with the option to add a didgeridoo set or bring in additional dancers for a longer ceremony.
How it works
Ryka carries a basket of smouldering leaves. As he moves through the crowd he encourages people to use their hands to brush the smoke over and around themselves. The purpose is to cleanse the event of negative thoughts and feelings, which are brushed away as the smoke curls and disperses.
A didgeridoo presentation of about twenty minutes can run before or after the ceremony. Bringing in two additional dancers makes a longer ceremony of roughly an hour, with a full dance presentation — for that version you'll need to provide microphones and speakers.
Feedback
Excellent — engaged and included all the children. The music stories and humour were fantastic.
Kirinari Early Childhood Centre
Great. The children smiled, participated and laughed throughout.
KU Bradfield Park Child Care Centre
I particularly liked the way Ryka applied the ochre to his face and arms in front of the children — it was very child appropriate. It reinforced what the children had been learning about Indigenous culture. They learnt a lot of new words, songs and dances.
Rainbow Cottage Early Childhood Centre
The children loved this performance. All were completely engrossed for the entire show. Content and props were excellent. The performers spoke to the children in a way that involved them immediately and held their attention.
Narrabeen Community Kindy
They loved it, and they learned. Best Aboriginal performance we've ever had!
Sylvania Public School
Students were engaged and enthusiastic! The performers had a lovely way of creating energy within the students. Loved the interactive dancing! Students learnt things they didn't know.
St Francis Xavier High School
On the ground
Photographs by Amanda Gunston and others.
Bookings
Ryka is managed by Troubie, and all bookings go through them. Tell us the year groups, roughly how many students, and the date you're working towards. Scott will come back to you with a quote and a brochure for the right program.
Opens your mail app with those prompts already filled in. Or just write to office@troubie.com.au.