There was a little dust in the eyes of the audience at last Friday’s National Reconciliation Week breakfast on Kaurna Country, when Dusty Feet Mob, a First Nations dance group from Port Augusta, delivered a moving performance.

Comprising members aged from early childhood to adults, Dusty Feet Mob are more than just a dance group. They describe themselves as “a community that nurtures strength, confidence and dignity.”

One of Dusty Feet Mob’s most renowned performances is to Archie Roach’s song ‘Took the Children Away’. Through this performance (among others), they promote healing and carry on the legacy of the story of the stolen generations for both the current and future generations.

An essential make-up of Dusty Feet Mob is the strong support provided by parents, grandparents and mentors who take seriously the role of passing cultural knowledge, language and stories down to the younger generations. As a group, through song and dance in a contemporary setting, they pass on stories to the wider community of Aboriginal culture – the oldest living culture in the world. Dusty Feet Mob is a community that builds connection to culture, language, community and country through dance. This sense of connection is a powerfully positive force for the young Aboriginal dancers.

Dusty Feet Mob know that storytelling through dance and song is a powerful way of celebrating Aboriginal identity, culture and connection to country. While at the same time their performance is a way of entering into past hurts and injustices experienced by Aboriginal families in a way that allows both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people to grow in acceptance, understanding and empathy together. A significant part of this is focused on the promotion of healing and awareness of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities together.

Dusty Feet Mob have a significant impact on all who experience their performances. They have performed and run workshops all across the country including in schools, universities, not for profit groups and businesses, plus numerous events and conferences.

Contact Dusty Feet Mob if you want to know more or are interested in having them perform at your next event: https://dustyfeetmob.com.au/contacts/