'“We’re the biggest of the Pacific nations, we’ve got the oldest culture out of all those Pacific nations – we should be the main ones doing something to show respect to our traditional people.”
'That’s the pursuit driving Dean Widders in Araatika: Rise Up! A First Nations Australian and prominent NRL player, Dean strives for an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander equivalent of the haka, collaborating with fellow Indigenous players and the Bangarra Dance Theatre crew to create a formidable and memorable routine.
'Featuring prominent rugby league players (male and female) alongside the likes of Adam Goodes and Stan Grant, Araatika examines the uneasy tension between the racist bedrock of white Australian culture and our enduring obsession with sport.'
Source: Brisbane International Film Festival.
