State Theta - Collaborative Arts Performance Company.
State Theta - Collaborative Arts Performance Company.
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Gold

Gold

An Anthropological and Artistic Exploration

Dancer / Choreographer

Musician / Composer

Dancer

Lighting Design

Poems and Script

Narrator

Set Design

Exhibition

Director

Gold

State Theta - The Quartz Cycle

was inspired by the moving message of the Kogi people of Columbia as told in Alan Ereira's film and book 'The Heart of the World'

400 years after the Spanish invaded South America it was discovered that a pre-Columbian people still existed high up in the Sierra Nevada. The Heart of the World documents their existence and discovery.

It is a haunting account full of rich poetic imagery which tells of the Kogi's survival and their message to The Younger Brother, the outside world.

State Theta were and continue to be captivated by this story. Their first expression of their empathy came in the form of Reply.

Now, in Gold parallels are drawn between the indigenous peoples of South America and Scotland, their society, persecution, rituals and celebrations.

The performance is narrated in both English and Gaelic.

An exhibiton of photographs and writings accompanied the tour informing the public of the Kogi and the Tairona Heritage Trust set up to help the Kogi purchase ancestral lands.

Or

Or - fuil na Mathar, a'bhrigh thorrach, 'ga chur mar an t-siol.
Or - aghaidh-combeach na greine, 'ga bheil smuain, 'ga bheil guth.
Or - daelbh e le urram, le urnaigh, dealbh e troimh shaothair ann an Aluna.

Gold - the blood of the Mother, the stuff of fertility, planted like seeds in a field.
Gold - the mask of the sun, has its own thought, can speak.
Gold - shape it with reverence, with prayer, shape it through work in Aluna.

Feumaidh na h -Innseanaich a h-uile cail a chall cum faigh iad a h-uile cail. Bheir aid seachad an cuid oir airson faoinees.
Ach gheibh iad maoineas torr nas luachmhoire na 'n t-or.
Feumaidh iad dol fo'n chuing gu'm bi iad saor bho n nadar olc.
Gu'm bi iad saor bho'n bhruideileachd aca fhein.

The Indians must lose everything to gain everything.
They may give away their gold for trifles
But they wil1 receive a treasure far more precious than gold.
Their wicked natures must be enslaved to be free,
To free themsleves from their own bestiality.

Nuair a thainig Columbus chuir e na coin orinn, agus thug e oirnn teicheadh, agus bha againn ris na nithean coisrigte fhagail, agus thug iad leo iad chuir iad na coin oirnn agus thug iad leo a h-uile cail.
A h-uile cail.
A h-uile cail.
Agus gus na nithean ud a ghoid bha aca ris na coin a chur oirnn.
Air sgath nan con chaill sinn na nithean ud.
Bha eagal oirnn agus dh'fhag sinn na nithean ud air ar culaibh.
Roimh'n sin, bha fios againn uile caimar a dheanamaid danns'.
Bha fios againn uile, againn uile, againn uile.
Bha fios againn uile ciamar a dheanamaid danns'.

When Columbus came he set dogs on us, and he made us run, and we had to leave behind our sacred things, so they took them, they set dogs on us and took everything.
Everything.
Everything.
And to steal those things they had to set dogs on us.
Because of the dogs we lost those things.
We were afraid and we left our things behind.
Before then, everyone knew how to dance, all of them, all of them, all of them.
Every Indian knew how to dance.