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 the
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the casting
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the shoot
One of Johanson's greatest challenges was authentically recreating the traditional garb donned by Lorrpu during the boys' journey to Darwin. "We had to make what was originally scripted as a paperbark loincloth but it was quite a process discovering that the correct term for the garment was a 'dhirrithirri'. Just prior to my first attempt at making it, somebody suggested that I speak with Gaymala (one of the artists who executed the paintings). So, I asked her whether she could help us find paperbark for the waistband and her response was, 'No, no, no! You don't use paperbark, oh my God no,' and she took charge of the matter from there. The waistband must be made from the inner bark of a tree with red flowers that needs to be broken down into string so that it can then be braided into a rope. The pieces that form the actual loincloth come from the middle section of the bark of the Banyan tree. Gaymala showed us how to remove the bark so that it could be beaten, soaked and then formed into something that you can actually make clothes from, which was just fantastic. But the first day that Sebbie wore the dhirrithirri, it had completely dried by the next morning and resembled a piece of petrified wood. We were aghast, as we had no idea how to restore the moisture. Fortunately, another lady who had helped to craft it happened by, and told us to keep it in a bucket of water, which solved the problem." Painting the body of Mangatjay Yunupingu who played the 'Maralitja Man' also posed a dilemma. For the Gumatj people, Maralitja Man is the spirit person who guides one through life, until upon death that person becomes a Maralitja Man in turn. There are certain patterns that are not to be filmed as they are only intended for the people whose dreaming they belong to. Therefore designs were needed that would appear similar to an unpracticed eye. Galarrwuy Yunupingu's nieces took charge. A diamond design representing 'Baru' (the crocodile and the boys' totem) was adopted. However, replication was forbidden by the crew's make-up artist. |
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