Dancing with myth, memory and mimesis.

Abstract

The focus of this paper is on the mythical ‘first’ national Aboriginal debutante ball, held in Australia in 1968 in celebration of the successful referendum a year earlier. On the fortieth anniversary of the event this paper explores the memories and meanings of that time to those women who debuted in front of the Prime Minister on a balmy evening in July and the significance of that time today.

Keywords

• indigenous
• debutante
• mimesis