The House-opening

Australia, 1980

Film
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The house-opening ceremony performed at Aurukun is derived from traditional mortuary rites, but European and Torres Strait Island elements are now combined with these in a ceremony which at times assumes the atmosphere of a party. Traditionally, when someone died their house was burned, but with the advent of European-style housing this practice became impractical and the house-opening was developed as a means of ritually purifying the house so that the family may re-inhabit it.

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Credits

director

Judith MacDougall

production company

Australian Institute of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies

Duration

00:43:30:00

Production places
Australia
Production dates
1980

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If you would like to cite this item, please use the following template: {{cite web |url=https://acmi.net.au/works/82170--the-house-opening-a/ |title=The House-opening |author=Australian Centre for the Moving Image |access-date=28 September 2023 |publisher=Australian Centre for the Moving Image}}