My name is Jimini

The black blank stage is bathed in black light and rythim as two Torres Straight Islanders begin their dance. The movement Hypnotic and yet simple and perfectly timed. We will meet these two later as Jimi introduces his family by drawing in sound and stunning visuals his family tree as a constellation, his brothers part of the Aunty and  uncles that are so important to griwing children up and imparting a culture that is language that is stories and music and dance. A culture that is not fully captured in any book but with technology can be shared. The show is Artful and beautiful. The two diaramoas create a sense of place and platform for story telling. The dark horror of the little girl taken by a monster, eyes gouged out, smashed and rubbed raw on a rock. The monster prevailing over the village is horrifying even though you can see the cardboard people in the diarama and the family moving the camera around. Stories of family, of culture. The impromptu tests on the knowledge we have been gaining. The invitation to join them in preserving and growing the nation and culture and knowledge. This acceptance that the old white man from Cambridge did his best and didn’t mean to harm them but was never the right tool for holding onto culture. The sharp let down as we discover that his grandfather was denied the ‘artifacts’ of his people even though he did what was wanted. Jimi welcomes us and we feel welcomed. Jimi doesn’t upbraid us but shares and we learn and in so doing spread the fire, feeding and watch it grow. 

The book! Back projection of simple filmed sequences onto gorgeously detailed drawings. The story of the boy and the crocodile. A story of pride.  

I could feel the frustration pour from Jimi when his son answered the phone. I’ve felt that. You are sharing something important but they can’t/won’t see or hear it because they are lost in their own place. Their own world. Contrived and rehearsed near to death the show still manages to feel nearly real, nearly right now but misses I think because they are not actors and so cannot be in the moment. It’s a strength in this show for sharing what they do but as I does sometimes worth Treehouse it also lets it down. It’s the only thing that does.