Janet Munyarryun

Munyarryun was born in Yirrkala, a community in Arnhem Land, Northern Territory.[4] She grew up in the Garthalala homeland, and as a young girl she travelled with her family across country to establish the community of Dhalinybuy.[5] She is a Yolngu woman of the Wangnurri clan.

In 1984, she started working at National Aboriginal and Islander Skills Development Association (NAISDA) Dance College in Sydney,[6] and started cultural workshops to bring traditional dance practices to urban students.[7] She also helped establish the Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Dance Theatre (AIDT), contributing as a choreographer and tutor.[5][2] In 1989, Bangarra Dance Theatre was formed after NAISDA director Carole Johnson left the organisation, and Munyarryun contributed as a founding member.

She had two children, Rarriwuy and Guruguru, to Paul Hick, an English-born dancer.[5] They separated when Rarriwuy was young.[8] Hick lived in Sydney and in their children's later childhood, they would share their time between Hick in Sydney and their mother in Dhalinybuy.

Rarriwuy remarked of her mother: "[she] was dancing at Bangarra when she was pregnant with me and she took me to all the rehearsals and performances after I was born".[9]

Munyarryun has continued as the cultural advisor for Bangarra, ensuring that their "performances adhere to the traditional stories and songs of her people".[10] She has also worked as an advisor to the Australian Ballet.[10]

In May 2012, Munyarryun performed with an Aboriginal dance troupe at Windsor Castle, England, for celebrations of Queen Elizabeth II's Diamond Jubilee.[10] She also worked to establish the Bunggul Djama Arts Alliance, a community-driven initiative to foster Yolngu performance arts and mixed-media projects.[4]

In 2013, Munyarryun worked on and performed in the dance production The Morning Star.[11][12] The production travelled between Arnhem Land and Mirramu Creative Arts Centre near Lake George in Bungendore, NSW.[13]

• 1997-1999 – Fish,[14][15] Bangarra Dance Theatre
• 2012 – Infinity: Warumuk − in the dark night, vocalist, Bangarra Dance Theatre[16]
• 2013 – The Morning Star[12]

• 2012 – Dancer of the Year, Deadly Awards[16][17]

She has a younger brother Djakapurra Munyarryun, a performance artist and dancer, and who was also a founding member of the Bangarra Dance Theatre.[12]

Her children are Rarriwuy Hick,[18] an actress and dancer, and Guruguru Hick, rap artist.[5]