Come and enjoy one of Australia's foremost Indigenous Dance groups!
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The Doonooch Dancers is the dynamic result of the Doonooch Aboriginal Self-healing Program and is one of the most prolific dance troupes in Australia, performing worldwide.
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The Doonooch Dancers performed as part of the Taste of Falls Creek Festival on Saturday January 19, 2008. The weekend included dance, storytelling and interactive musical performances.
As an added treat, Bobby Mcleod performed in with his engaging style of Australian reggae with country rock and even a love song or two thrown in.
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 During the 1970s Bobby McLeod had a reputation as a hard-living man and was regarded as a radical. He was passionately involved in such early struggles as the Aboriginal Tent Embassy, the political push for changes to legislation and the establishment of legal organisations for Aboriginal people.
He also travelled extensively during this time. In fact, it was on a trip to Canada that he saw young Indian men and women gathering for powwow celebrations. Through their Sundance laws, young Indigenous people were beginning to connect with their ancient culture rather than feel intimidated by the ceremonies of their ancestors. Culture was becoming something to celebrate and be proud of rather than belittled, avoided or denied.
Bobby hoped that by rediscovering culture, young Aboriginal men and women would develop a sense of pride and learn to value and respect ancient traditions. It was the memory of his experiences in Canada that led him to set up the Doonooch Aboriginal Healing and Cultural Centre in 1990 at Wreck Bay, southern New South Wales.
The initial aim of this self-funded organisation was to address the inordinately high levels of violence found in Aboriginal communities. ATSIC stepped in three years later with funding. But after having taken so many of the local youth through the program and improved their approach to life, Bobby realised there was still no employment for them in the area. So the Doonooch Dancers was born.
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 "When I started to teach the kids it was pretty heavy stuff," he says. "It took about nine months, but in the end I respected them because they gave respect to their family and to the mother, our creation. Doonooch is my family - my sons, my nephews. If they don't respect the culture and muck up, then we drop them from the group."
'Doonooch' refers to the owl Dreaming and members of this dance company perform traditional dances both in Australia and overseas. Starting out as 10 year olds, in some cases, these dancers are now seasoned professionals.
Their most prestigious gig so far has probably been the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. The group is entirely self-funded and were it not for the commitment and determination of Bobby McLeod, they probably wouldn't still be in existence.
Bobby's most burning desire is to see young people choose not to take that lonely and desperate path towards drug and alcohol abuse. As a father of nine and grandfather of 14, he has a found a new balance in life. And he loves dancing out in the bush with his sons, an initiation that is much more important than going to the footy and drinking beer. "Once you know culture," he says, "you know you're always protected."
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Taken in part from VIBE Magazine.
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The Doonooch Dancers have a historical link to this region. Further performances are expected in the future so stay tuned for updates.
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