YARTA WANDATHA

STORY TELLS OF LAND

The Yarta Wandahta project; Focusing on our surround language groups, Karuna, Ngarrindjeri, Adnyamathanha and Anangu. This production explores connection to land through the elements and the celestial constellations stories from Aboriginal communities. Our vision is to present at the renowned Tarnanthi Festival in 2023 at Tandanya Gallery, a musical, dance projection art experience.

With recent support from Arts SA. Tjarutja has had two Creative Developments for Yarta which involved a series of worshops with dancers who researched story from their own communities and elders some of which you can hear and see on this page. Our partners include Sam Wark, Tandanya, Trevor Jaimison, and Tarnanthi Festival 2023.

Developed through the Dana Waranara Digital program and created by Reality Dreaming’s, Simon O’Toole, this project supported and resourced Artistic Director, Gina Rings to develop her digital skills and knowledge, and strengthen their networks to assist in realising their market development goals.

Yarta wandatha means story tells the land, and this is true. The land and the story come together, hand in hand. You can’t have the creek with out the story and you can’t have the story with out the creek. The whole of my yarta (land) is like a picture book for my muda (stories). The land holds traditional knowledge and stories like creation story’s but it also holds the stories from 90,000 years ago to now. My land holds the stories of how my ancestors lived where they walked and the ceremonies they held. Now it also holds the stories of when I was young, when I went out bush with poppa kelvin and nana Judy to listen and learn, and when my dad would take me to cultural places and tell me the importance, significance and the muda (story) of the place. Knowing these cultural stories empowers connects and energises you. Knowing that you walk along the same tracks your ancestors walked, sit and learn in the same cultural places your ancestors did and are on the country your ancestors were on many thousands of years earlier connects you. It connects you to your spirit, culture, land, stories and family. You can feel yourself connect to the land, you can feel your body, mind and spirit heal while your on country. For me being on country is being completely immersed in culture everywhere I look I see culture. I see a creek, mountain or waterhole and I know it was created by the Akkurra (rainbow serpent) from our creation. I see where my ancestors walked, and where they camped and left behind stone tools and the outline of a campfire. I see the evidence of thousands of years of my people being connected and embedded in our yarta (land).

Iteka Sansbury

In January 2024 Tjarutja had the privilege of showcasing a segment from the Ngarrindjeri stories led by Mell Koolmatrie and Kenny Johnson. The event was hosted by the APY Gallery Adelaide and supported through Tarnanthi Festival 2023 program.

Ngarrindjeri Ruwi

Ngarrindjeri Ruwi

Choreographed by Kenny Johnson & Melanie Koolmatrie, this piece is about Ngurunderi chasing his wives .

Kaurna Yerta

Kaurna Yerta

Karrawirra Parri

Red Gum Forest

Karrawirra Parri the story of the Red Gum Forrest on the banks of the Torrens on Kaurna country. Story was told to Caleena Sansbury by Uncle Frank Wanganeen, speaks about the reflection of the Milkyway and the campfires along the river. Chorography Caleena Sansbury & Adrianne Semmens.

Karrawirraparri Red gum forest river is the main river on the Adelaide Plains. It flows from the Mount Lofty Ranges in Peramangk Country to Witongga, the freshwater wetlands near the coast, and is fed by several creeks and springs along its 80 km journey. The river is also known as Tarndaparri Red kangaroo river.

In summer the river was a series of large waterholes with a trickle of water, which sometimes disappeared under sections of gravel and sandy bed. In winter it was full of water. The river was known as Yertalla everywhere when in flood. Yertalla has been translated as ‘water running by the side of a river/inundation’ and has survived in the suburb name Yatala.