Coral Spawn Dancers

Formed for the inaugural JNF festival, the Coral Spawn dancers come from different language groups, though all with blood ties to Baiyungu. The dancers are led by Carnarvon local Cheryl Moncrieff and came about after Baiyungu traditional owners Hazel Walgar and Gwen  wanting to tell the story of the coral spawn through dance and music, for the people of the Gascoyne as well as visitors to Baiyungu country.

The coral spawn dance honours the ongoing longevity of the reef and marine ecosystem, and the coral of the Ningaloo. The sea turns pink, a result of the coral releasing the eggs to be fertilized. This event brings new life to those on the land, but also to the marine system. The coral spawn that happened around the total solar eclipse was even more special – everything is “bigger than normal” marine life in the ocean will group up and behave differently – the manta Ray, whale sharks all regroup for the solar eclipse and , after the fish all go quiet.