During September, Marrugeku’s Sales Manager Sandi Woo and Producer Natalie Smith touched down on Turrbal and Yuggera Country for the Pac Australia APAX Arts Market at Brisbane Festival. They pitched Marrugeku’s Mutiara, which originally premiered in Rubibi (Broome) in 2023.
Mutiara reflects on 100 years of the pearl shell industry along the shores of Rubibi (Broome) to highlight the unsung bonds between First Peoples of the Kimberley and workers of the Malay diaspora. Taking a window from the 1870s when early free diving practices were entwined with the slavery of Indigenous peoples, the dangerous and brutal conditions of the industry continued through decades of exploitation of indentured Asian workers to the early 1970s, with the end of the hard hat diving era.
Sandi and Natalie also spent time connecting with presenters and artists, sharing stories, and soaking in some incredible shows.
Read more about APAX here.
