Cultures Connect Through Art at Dreamcast Theatre
BY DESMOND RAHE
Local traditional and contemporary artist Natty Dolaiasi from Dreamcast Theatre Hub has described a recent cultural exchange between Solomon Islands and Australian artists as “a story worth telling.”
Held on Saturday, August 9, at the Dreamcast Theatre in Koloale, Honiara, the event brought together Ngarluma cultural artists from the Pilbara region of Australia and local artists from Dreamcast as part of a three-day cultural exchange program.
“This is a programme and a collaboration between Big hART Australia and the Dreamcast Theatre,” said Dolaiasi, beaming with pride after the final showcase.
The exchange was designed not just to share songs and dances but to build a deeper connection between cultures. “We can share a little bit of what the culture means, what the songs mean, what the stories mean,” Dolaiasi explained.
He added that one of the main goals of the event was to invite more people to experience what the Dreamcast has to offer.
“We are trying to attract more people to come and visit the Dreamcast and share culture. It runs for three days, and today is the end product of all that work,” he said on Saturday night, as the final performance unfolded before a lively crowd.
Throughout the exchange, both groups shared elements of daily life — from fishing traditions to storytelling through music and dance. “We can tell a way of life, we can teach a song, we can teach a dance,” Dolaiasi said. “Ngarluma people also shared how they fish, and it is similar to how we do it here.”
According to Dolaiasi, these shared experiences create powerful bonds between communities. “They get a family welcome. We try our best to show a little bit of our culture through our songs and stories to the families that are coming to the show,” he said.
The event was more than a performance — it was a celebration of identity, history, and shared humanity.
“Today, this is the end product of this cultural exchange here at Dreamcast. This is a show where we can tell a story — a story that is similar to the stories of other cultures,” Dolaiasi said.
Natty Dolaiasi from the Adegege tribe in Lau, Malaita in the Solomon Islands is one of the most powerful voices of traditional Solomons culture. Natty has for a long time been “a voice on the wilderness” expressing the tribal songs and culture. He brings to life the ancient chants of the tribal ancestors, advocating for stories, songs, poems, rhymes and drum beats to be remembered and celebrated.
His passion is to share the ancient Solomons music for the benefit of future generations and with the music, as with all indigenous culture, comes a reverence and deep spiritual connection with nature and our earthly home. His message is clear: “We are Here, we exist and we are an essential part of this global family.”
Natty has represented the Solomon Islands internationally for decades commencing in 1995 with the renowned Siva Pacifica project. Highlights of his career have included Pacific Arts Festival 2016 Guam, Melanesian Arts Festival 2018, Qandamooka Festival 2018, Island Vibe Festival 2019, Wantok Sing Sing at Womad 2024, Cresfest 2025 as well as the huge achievement of being Cultural Director of the Pacific Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies 2023 and release of his first album, Sifoa in May 2025, via Wantok Musik. He has been regularly touring Australia and internationally since 2018.
