Banula Marika facts for kids

Banula (David) Marika is an Aboriginal Australian dancer, actor, and musician. He comes from Yirrkala in North East Arnhem Land, which is in the Northern Territory of Australia. Banula is the son of Roy Marika. He is part of the Rirratjingu clan, which is one of the Yolngu people's groups. He is well-known for his amazing performances with the Bangarra Dance Theatre. He has been performing with them since the 1990s.

Who is Banula Marika?

Banula Marika is a talented artist from Australia. He is a dancer, actor, and singer. He is also a traditional owner of his land. This means he has special responsibilities to care for his country and culture. He uses his art to share his culture with the world.

Early Life and Family

Banula Marika grew up in North East Arnhem Land. His father, Roy Marika, was a very respected leader. Banula belongs to the Rirratjingu clan. This clan is part of the larger Yolngu people. His son, Milika, is also a dancer. Milika loves hip hop dance. He has even been on a TV show on NITV.

Banula Marika's Performances

Banula Marika has performed in many different ways. He has been a dancer, an actor, and a musician. He has worked with famous groups and artists.

Dancing with Bangarra Dance Theatre

Banula Marika is famous for his work with the Bangarra Dance Theatre. This is a well-known Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance company. He has performed in many of their shows. These include Up Until Now (1991) and Praying Mantis Dreaming (1992-1993). He also performed in Bloodland (2011-2012). In 2020, he helped Bangarra with their TV show Ochres. He was a cultural consultant for the show. This means he made sure the cultural parts were correct.

Acting in Films

Banula Marika has also acted in movies. He played a didgeridu player in the film Jindalee Lady (1992). For this role, he was called David Manula Barika. His first acting role was in the movie Bedevil (1993). In this film, he was credited as Banula (David) Marika.

Music with Yothu Yindi

Banula Marika has a strong connection to music. He has performed as a singer and dancer with the band Yothu Yindi. This band is very famous for its unique sound. He toured all over the world with them. He even performed on their well-known song "Treaty". He sang on their album Freedom (1993). In 2015, he joined Yothu Yindi and East Journey for a project called Genesis. They performed at the National Indigenous Music Awards 2015.

Collaborations and Cultural Stories

Banula Marika has worked with other artists too. He collaborated with Elizabeth Cameron Dalman. She started the Australian Dance Theatre. They created a dance work called Morning Star (2012-2013). Banula Marika is the custodian of the Morning Star story. This means he is responsible for keeping and sharing this important cultural story. He was a cultural consultant for the Morning Star dance. The Mirramu Dance Company performed this work in 2013. It was shown at the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra.

Protecting the Environment

Banula Marika is also very involved in protecting his land. He is a traditional owner. This means he has a special role in caring for his country.

Role at Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation

Since at least 2018, Banula Marika has been on the board of the Dhimurru Aboriginal Corporation. This organization works to manage and protect Yolngu land and sea country. He works alongside other important people, like Mawalan 2 Marika. Since 2002, Banula has also been an Indigenous ranger for Dhimurru. In this role, he helps look after the environment. He has helped write papers about protecting the environment. He also works on projects that bring different cultures together.