River of Lights

sunday 9 of September 2018

This was a fun day. I spent most of the day waiting for the show that it was advertised of lights in the river, I saw some installation on the river but I had no clue what it was going to happen so I was really close to the water, but people started arriving and then it was very hard to see anything. When the show started I was running like a headless chicken looking for a good place to put the camera. Because I have a monopod I can lift it on top of everyone but still, I was not able to know what was happening, did the water was going to dance I just did not understand so I stood on a bench and recorded and then I saw what it was happening, so they spray water and then project images on the water, it was cool but I did not catch the whole show, so I had to wait for another 2 hrs for the next show so I can record the full thing

ORACLE LIQUID (AUS) AND NUNUKUL YUGGERA ABORIGINAL DANCE COMPANY (AUS)

This art-meets-technology water fountain, light and laser spectacular illuminates the night in a spellbinding celebration of our river.

The free show features dynamic jets and giant spirals of water, full-colour lighting and rainbow-coloured lasers, to tell a traditional story of the dreaming serpent that wove the river into being and created the life blood of our city.

Many people are familiar with the word Maiwar. It’s the name of a new electorate bounded by the river but stretching as far as Mt Coot-tha and Bardon; Maiwar Green is a lovely grass area between GoMA and the State Library; it’s the name of Brisbane City Council’s annual city-wide Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander contemporary art program; and there’s Maiwar Performance, in which CityCat ferries execute manoeuvres near sites of Aboriginal significance. Maiwar is a traditional word that is now widely used as a name for the Brisbane River.

But few of us know any traditional stories of the creation of the river. So we teamed up the Nunukul Yuggera Aboriginal Dance Company with world-leaders Oracle Liquid to find a way to share a local story with us. Designed for children, adults and families alike, it’s a spectacular, must-see free event.

#CelebrateBrisbane River of Light shows several times every night, right through Brisbane Festival.

Here is a note from Yuggera Elder Kerry Charlton on the origin of the word 'Maiwar';

"Mairwar is a Dungidau word for the breeding ground of the platypus which were protected areas across the river systems. Due to its unique characteristics the platypus is often depicted in our stories as a peacemaker who works with feuding animals to solve problems together and live in reconciliation.” GAJA KERRY