Visitors from America, Canada and Puerto Rico packed into the PKA Hall to experience Torres Strait Islander culture, art, song and dance.
On Valentine’s Day (14 February), nearly 903 international visitors aboard the Viking Sky disembarked to explore Waiben and Ngurupai. Many of them were fortunate to watch the Kaziw Meta Dance Team perform as part of their Strait Experiences package.
True to ailan pasin, each show was introduced by Strait Experiences founder Mr Frasier Nai who led an opening prayer, followed by an insightful Welcome to Country delivered by Kaurareg Native Title Aboriginal Corporation (KNTAC) Chair Mr Elizah Wasaga.
Each performance started with Kaziw Meta Dance Team Coordinator Frank Morseau teaching the visitors about the kulap shaker and sharing information about the boarding facility.
While some of the boarders performed, others supported the experience as retail assistants, visitor guides and ushers at Engineer’s Wharf.
Kaziw Meta Boarder and Visitor Guide Marie Ahmat (Yr 11) enjoyed meeting and yarning with tourists, and learning more about them.
“I hope to travel after school, so I love to learn about potential destinations; I really liked meeting the Americans and hearing about their journey,” Marie said.
“My job as a guide today is to greet them, have a little chitchat and make them feel like they’re family, before and after the show,”
“I open the doors, help them find their seats, show them where the toilet is, and tell them how to find places in town,” she added.
Torres Strait Kaziw Meta and Strait Experiences have held this rewarding partnership for three years, providing opportunities for boarders like Marie to participate in the tourism industry, learn hospitality and customer service skills, and showcase their culture.
Kaziw Meta CEO Thomas Dunsmore credited Frank Morseu and the Kaziw Meta House Parents for their commitment to practicing culture with the boarders.
“Coming from the Outer Island communities, where our boarders practice culture, song and dance almost every night, we try and recreate that here at Kaziw Meta to keep a sense of connection – it also helps with home sickness,” Mr Dunsmore said.
“The opportunity to showcase their culture, here and abroad, has provided many of our boarders with life experiences and bonding through travel and meeting new people,”
“Our incredible staff and house parents are all dedicated to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the children, especially their culture and identity,”
Strait Experiences founder Mr Fraser Nai said the youth involvement is not only to show them the business space, but to help them see value and potential in themselves and their cultural knowledge.
“Our approach is focussed on transformation, these young people are our future economies and future leaders, and we are investing in them by providing these opportunities,” Mr Nai said.
“Some of the bigger ideas behind this movement, plays off the old adage practice makes perfect, but in this case, practice also makes permanent,”
“We want to instil self-worth and for our young people to understand their value and unlock their potential,” he added.
With 16 more cruise ships scheduled for the year, the Torres Strait Kaziw Meta Dance Team are excited to perform and share their culture with more visitors from around the world.
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