Significant Other has celebrated First Nations creatives ‘Of Desert & Sea’ Dance (ODAS) with an editorial campaign and long form written piece by Nukunu and Narungga writer Janaya Callaghan.
The editorial is focused on the four Aboriginal women who form the ODAS dance collective Lilla, Pearl, Iteka & Kirsty and their relationship with dance, community and culture, the oldest culture in Australia.
Iteka said that as millennial women growing up in largely urban environments, dance has become their primary practice that grounds them to country and culture.
“My culture is my biggest motivation, for sure. My elders, making them proud. Paying my respects."
"Dance is such a strong part of Aboriginal culture, and it’s where I feel most connected to our culture,” Pearl agreed.
The women were dressed in Significant Other’s Theresia Collection (Winter 2022), while dancing on Kaurna Land along the South Australian coastline.
Significant Other creative director Julia Ritorto has released the campaign during NAIDOC Week.
“It was a real honour to work with the women of ODAS to learn about how dance connects them to family, culture, and country," she said.
"As an Australian business, we acknowledge that there is still a huge inequality with the educational, health and employment outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and as a company we are committed to doing what we can to not only raise awareness and highlight amazing Aboriginal talent, but to also provide practical support to help improve outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”
Working as an extension of the Significant Other creative team, writer Janaya Callaghan interviewed the ODAS women.
Callaghan is a 21-year-old proud Nukunu and Narungga woman from South Australia, living and working on Kaurna land. After completing her undergraduate degree last year, Janaya had the rare opportunity to publish a digital article for Vogue Australia.
Through her freelance writing, she reflects upon her community and the history and culture of First Nations Australia.