With the support of Arts Queensland, we are able to bring a very special play to Woodford Folk Festival this year, based on the life of an extraordinary woman, Henrietta Marrie.
Bukal, produced by JUTE Theatre Company in Cairns, with a world premiere at the 2018 Cairns Indigenous Art Fair (CIAF), honours the life of Henrietta who is a Traditional Owner and Elder of Cairns. Bukal is Henrietta’s language name and it connects her to country, to the black lawyer vine that spreads across the rainforest in Far North Queensland.
This is a unique story about an Indigenous Traditional Owner and Elder from far north Queensland was the first Aboriginal person to work for the United Nations and made laws that changed the world. This is an inspirational Indigenous story receiving national attention.
Her story is nothing short of inspiring and special. It is a story that will inspire, entertain and educate. Henrietta Marrie (nee Fourmile) is a powerful role model for young women, particularly young Indigenous women. In 2014, Henrietta received the 100 Women of Influence Award for her work in Public Policy at the United Nations University. Henrietta is focused on the promotion of culture, particularly supporting young people and women to aspire to greater heights. Australia’s very first Indigenous member of the UN and grand-daughter of the King of Cairns; ‘Bukal’ is the extraordinary journey of one woman’s life that follows Henrietta Marrie’s incredible strength and determination from the very quaint and simple shores of Aboriginal mission Yarrabah in North Queensland all the way to the world stage of Geneva, Canada and the U.S. where she impacted global Indigenous laws and legislations in the areas of Copyright, Ownership, Bio-diversity and Intellectual Property. This is a world exclusive, JUTE Theatre Company production in association with CQUniversity and presented during CIAF 2018.
We are so proud to be able to help bring this work to new audiences. Look out for more information from our social channels, on our website or via our mailing list
‘Bukal – the story of Henrietta Marrie’ will be performed nightly from Thursday 27 – Monday 31 December
This project is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland.
