A Walbiri Fire Ceremony: Ngatjakula (1977) : distribution, intrigue et streaming

Released in 1977, A Walbiri Fire Ceremony: Ngatjakula is a documentaire film directed by Roger Sandall, running about 19 minutes.

What it’s about. Originally filmed as an archival record of a Warlpiri (Walbiri) ceremony in 1967 by Roger Sandall, the film footage was re-worked 10 years later by anthropologist Nicolas Peterson and filmmaker, Kim McKenzie, to make this short version for public viewing. Involving large numbers of both men and women, Ngatjakula is one of the most spectacular ceremonies of central Australia, employing fire, and several days of singing and dance, to resolve conflicts and re-affirm social order among the Warlpiri (Walbiri) people. One of Sandall’s many films about ceremonial life, including several of Warlpiri rituals, the film was part of the program of the Australian Institute of Aboriginal Studies to record traditional aspects of Aboriginal life and culture. McKenzie’s collaboration with Peterson (who had been present at the time of the original filming) to edit this public version, is a meticulous representation of the fire ceremony, much of which took place at night.

How it landed. With an audience score of 10.0/10, A Walbiri Fire Ceremony: Ngatjakula sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch A Walbiri Fire Ceremony: Ngatjakula page.

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