Community & Business
5 November, 2021
Indigenous dancing troupe celebrate big year
AN Australian Indigenous dance troupe has celebrated its busiest year to date, nearly quadrupling their monthly bookings.
Naygayiw Gigi (Northern Thunder) is a Bamaga cultural dance troupe that was formed in 2015. They aim to preserve and spread the Bamaga and Saibailgaw cultures while nurturing a new generation of performances through dances, stories and songs.
With the help of Cape York Peninsula Lodge, Naygayiw Gigi was introduced to tour operator Outback Spirit which started the sudden explosion of bookings.
Naygayiw Gigi Dance Troupe Leader Leonora Adidi said they have seen a massive increase in bookings since the new partnership.
“After an introduction from Cape York Peninsula Lodge, we now deal directly with the tour groups and they reach out when they want to book us, which has been amazing,” she said.
“Before, we might be lucky to dance four or five times a month during the tourist season; now it’s often four times a week.
“I remember when I first looked at the booking schedule after teaming up with Outback Spirit and couldn’t believe what I saw.”
Since forming, the dance group has travelled across Australia and overseas, while also performing locally to tourists during the Far North Queensland peak season.
