The Tubbut neighbourhood (Tubbut, Bonang and Goongerah) celebrated their recovery from the 2014 fires with a weekend workshop of African dance and fire sculptures.
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The workshop followed a wood gathering bee where people got together and gathered wood so everyone left with a load of wood.
One of the organisers Deb Foskey said the event was particularly meaningful to the community which was still recovering from the 2014 fires.
“While playing a symbolic role, fire also played a practical part in keeping us warm as the clear night turned into the biggest frost so far this year,” she said.
The Saturday workshop was spent learning a few basic African dance moves and preparing the ropes for the fire sculptures the next day.
Overseeing the African Dance workshop was Gilbert Douglas who originates from Zimbabwe, but is now living in Australia.
Mr Douglas is one of South Africa’s most respected contemporary dance choreographers and is the outgoing Artistic Director of the Tumbuka Dance Company.
Zian Armstrong of Bendoc and Imogen Camp of Cabanandra helped roll out the hessian strips that were wound around pliable wire to form the basis of the fire sculptures.
Overseeing the fire sculpture project was Margie Mackay, a Melbourne based artist and researcher who specialises in ritual-art practices in communities throughout the world.
Ms Mackay’s work over the last 25 years has been diverse with productions ranging from indoor shows to street theatre at art and community festivals.
The participants designed two fire sculptures – one was of a lyrebird tail and the other was of the tree of life.
The designs were drawn on the floor with chalk. Wire netting is laid over the design and combustible rope traced the design.
After the sculpture frame is completed the netting is transferred outside where kerosene is dripped over the rope outline.
Helping to create the fire sculptures were Zian Armstrong of Bendoc, Imogen Camp of Cabanandra, Sophie Reed from Delegate River and India McConnell from Goongerah.
When it came to light the fire sculptures Lorelee Cockerill, Gilbert Douglas, Shoshanah Keller and Janell Phillips dipped torches in kerosene and lit them up.
The weekend of African dance and fire sculptures was made possible by the East Gippsland Arts Alliance and Shire Council by covering the costs of bringing Margie Mackay and Golbert Douglas to Bonang.
