Videos from the REAL Australia
The Croc Festival, Thursday Island
The Croc Festival was a three-day 100% drug, alcohol and tobacco free event, held annually since 1998 in a number of locations in remote and rural areas of Australia before being cancelled due to lack of funds. It was produced by Indigenous Festivals of Australia and aimed to engage Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians in building relationships while celebrating their traditional culture. During the days, primary and high school students participate in various activities related to arts, education, health, careers and sports while the evenings are filled with song and dance performances by the students of the various participating schools. There was Aboriginal Dancing, Torres Strait Islander dancing and contemporary dancing as well.
The videos on these pages are a only a selection of the performances that were held at the "100% in Control Croc Festival" in Thursday Island, from 24 to 26 July 2001. They are an interesting mix of pure traditional dancing, modern interpretations of traditional dance and contemporary disco dancing, sometimes in the same performance. This is typical of the world Australia's indigenous people live in today: taking what is best from indigenous and mainstream culture and effortlessly moving between them.
The schools involved in this festival are all from northern Queensland and the Torres Strait Islands. The performances, held on a stage in the open air, are totally non-competitive: everyone is a winner.
 T. I. Welcome Dance
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 Saibai Island School
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 Warraber Island School
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 Bwgcolman, Palm Island
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 Dauan Island School (1)
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 Dauan Island School (2)
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 Boys from Injinoo
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 Ihwya Youth Group, T.I.
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 Malu Kiwai School, Boigu
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 Yam Island School
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 Gordonvale Schools
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 Thursday Island School
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 Yorke Island School
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 Normanton State School
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 Mabuaig Island School
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