Culture and fun from the Top End of Australia

Social dances in the Top End are often called "bungkul" or "wungubal" and typically are very lively with jumps by the men but more demure movements by the women. Hard wooden clapsticks are used to keep time and the "didjeridu", the famous dronepipe made from a hollow log, provides a unique background sound. The didjeridu is uniquely from Arnhem Land and was, in the old days, used nowhere else. There are a few examples here from Numbulwar, on the east coast of Arnhem Land.

Also in Numbulwar School traditional dances may be performed by the children, with the men bringing the clapsticks and didjeridu and singing the songs of the Nunggubuyu people. A school picnic on the beach also provides a good opportunity for traditional dancing. But there are also non-traditional activities like singing, line-dancing and a fun day in the rain.

Aboriginal kids love sports and are usually pretty athletic, as can be seen in a bush football match and trampoline jumping. And they love to have a go on the didjeridu (didgeridoo or yidaki), the traditional drone-pipe, used in ceremonies from Arnhem Land but also popular now throughout Australia to play for fun.

The traditional Míddjarn ceremonial dance of the Ndjébbana people is carried out by men and boys in the school grounds at Maningrida Aboriginal community on the north coast of Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. It is a serious ceremony, but also fun for the children to participate in. Everyone is welcome to attend this ceremony.

	Numbulwar traditional dance	Brolga Dance	Wungubal at night	Dance in Numbulwar School
	Wungubal on the beach	Singing, Numbulwar School	Numbulwar Line dancing	Fun at Numbulwar School
	Aussie Rules football	Trampoline jumping	Didjeridu competition	Míddjarn in Maningrida
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