"The winds move and shape themselves in a magical and mysterious way."
This article includes the First Nations' language, Kala Lagaw Ya.
From Dancer and Choreographer, Elma Kris
The title of my work About expresses my curiosity of the four winds (Gub) that make up the seasons we have in the Torres Strait Islands: Zey, Kuki, Naygay and Sager. I looked at the influence they have on the land, sea and sky.
I have always admired how my parents talk about the winds, which are a daily part of our islander life. The winds move and shape themselves in a magical and mysterious way. They paint colour in the day, the sky, and the seas.
They are like spirits swiftly passing by, and merging with nature; they guide and nurture day-to-day life. I wanted to take a journey with them, travel with their moods and see how I could bring them to life through dance.
Zey is like a cool breeze; it is the ‘south wind’. Kuki is the time of tropical storms and rough seas, it is the ‘northwest’ wind. Naygay is the calmest, most gentle wind; the ‘northwind’. Sager is the dominant wind; it’s the gusty southeast.
Elma Kris, 2011
