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The Australian Outback came to Auckland Zoo yesterday with painted Aborigine dancers and didgeridoo accompanist holding children spellbound with animal hunting and spirit dances.
The Descendence Troupe's items about kangaroo, emu and hawk proved to be the most popular among the several hundred people attending the free performance.
Troupe member Mundi-mi, calling herself "the Big Mama", had no trouble getting audience members up on stage to take part in some numbers.
"It's considered a big insult to refuse," she said as women and girls lined up to join in a food gatherers' dance and the men and boys copied a deadly pose for a warriors' dance.
Introducing a dance from one of the world's oldest living cultures, troupe member Stephen Sailor said it was about a hunting party returning to camp empty-handed and the tribe going to their beds hungry.
"We do this to teach our children to respect what we put on the table for them."
The seven-member troupe is in Auckland this week as part of the G'Day NZ Australia Week promotion. They will perform at schools and the Auckland War Memorial Museum.on Saturday.
