Bangarra Dance Theatre’s phenomenon entitled Mathinna entails the awe-spiring, yet historically enlightening journey of an Aboriginal girl who was taken from her home and forced to conform to the westernised norms of the 1800’s. In an era plagued by racism and prejudice, Mathinna emanates the themes of colonialism, and cultural intolerance. Following the viewing of this scintillating production, it is undeniably clear that the architect of Mathinna, Stephen Page, has deliberately intended to shed light on the immoral practice of social and cultural erosion to emotionally move those of modern audiences. This essay serves to further elaborate on the cultural undertones of Mathinna displayed through a vast array of movement components which highlight
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The diverse selection of visual settings such as lighting assists in portraying a mood which describes the solitude and hardship faced by Mathinna. For example, in the scene “First Contact,” commences with an overwhelmingly dark ambience, followed by a centred light interpreting the moon. This coincides with the quickness of the music to symbolise eeriness and isolation. Following this section, a dimming of the lights reoccurs, to signify the Aboriginal’s realisation that the colonialists are near, which they then blend into the back of the stage as if they were rushing for shelter, as if they were being forgotten. As the colonists make their appearance, a strip of bright white light takes place at the front of the stage – representing the purity and authoritarianism of the colonists; as opposed to the Aboriginal people cowering in the shadows which connotes primitiveness. Conversely, costumes play an instrumental role in the depiction of the story; signifying the historical point in time, as well as the cultural differentiation between colonialists and the Indigenous people. The colonialist’s attire consists of crisp white clothing, neat and pressed. While not explicitly signified, the undertone is that they are more refined; proud of their supremacy over those who don’t adhere to their attire. Comparatively, the Aboriginals clothing are worn, rugged and seen as indecent to colonial eyes – their absence of neat clothing implies that they are an underprivileged class. Visual scenery, through the use of props, is also a pivotal part to the success of this production; it assists in setting the scene, time and place. Through the “First Contact” scene the only props present on stage is a clump of sticks in the centre towards the back, where Aboriginals danced around – an indication of their culture.
The diverse selection of visual settings such as lighting assists in portraying a mood which describes the solitude and hardship faced by Mathinna. For example, in the scene “First Contact,” commences with an overwhelmingly dark ambience, followed by a centred light interpreting the moon. This coincides with the quickness of the music to symbolise eeriness and isolation. Following this section, a dimming of the lights reoccurs, to signify the Aboriginal’s realisation that the colonialists are near, which they then blend into the back of the stage as if they were rushing for shelter, as if they were being forgotten. As the colonists make their appearance, a strip of bright white light takes place at the front of the stage – representing the purity and authoritarianism of the colonists; as opposed to the Aboriginal people cowering in the shadows which connotes primitiveness. Conversely, costumes play an instrumental role in the depiction of the story; signifying the historical point in time, as well as the cultural differentiation between colonialists and the Indigenous people. The colonialist’s attire consists of crisp white clothing, neat and pressed. While not explicitly signified, the undertone is that they are more refined; proud of their supremacy over those who don’t adhere to their attire. Comparatively, the Aboriginals clothing are worn, rugged and seen as indecent to colonial eyes – their absence of neat clothing implies that they are an underprivileged class. Visual scenery, through the use of props, is also a pivotal part to the success of this production; it assists in setting the scene, time and place. Through the “First Contact” scene the only props present on stage is a clump of sticks in the centre towards the back, where Aboriginals danced around – an indication of their culture.