Dusty Feet Mob: This Story's True (2019)

From the sand hills of Port Augusta to the bustling streets of Adelaide, Dusty Feet Mob's young Aboriginal performers dance their way into the hearts and minds of their enraptured audiences, using the power of song and dance to tell stories of the Stolen Generation and help heal the pain of the past. Dusty Feet Mob are more than just an Aboriginal dance group. They are a community that nurtures strength, confidence and dignity. They are a community that builds connection to culture, community and country. They know that storytelling through dance and song is their culture, it's a powerful way of entering into past hurts and injustices experienced by Aboriginal families in a way that allows both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people to grow in acceptance, understanding and empathy together. An essential make-up of the group is the strong support provided by parents, grandparents and the Port Augusta Community, who take seriously the role of passing knowledge and stories down to the younger generations. Dusty Feet Mob is a powerful expression of the old and the new: Young people are not just "the leaders of tomorrow", they are leaders of today. Dusty Feet Mob provides opportunities for young people to learn about themselves and develop leadership skills for life. As they prepare to perform their signature song, Archie Roach's 'Took the Children Away,' the dancers and their dedicated supporters offer creative, inter-generational and deeply emotional insights into the story of the Stolen Generation, determined to carry on Uncle Archie's legacy - the past will not be forgotten. The project has been produced during a series of Change Media digital literacy community workshops funded by the Port Augusta City through a Regional Arts Fund, Country Arts SA and the SA Film Corporation grants for an Aboriginal screen initiative, with additional support from the Australia Council for the Arts through Change Media's What Privilege initiative 2019.