Description
Dance is perhaps the most important vehicle for the expression of Torres Strait Islander culture, identity and tradition.
From a young age Ken witnessed the songs and dances of the Loza Dancing Group which was founded by his father Tat Thaiday, a renowned dancer and choreographer. Ken joined the group before moving to Cairns where he then formed another dance group of the same name. He now performs with a family dance troupe called the Erub Kebile Dancers.
Masks and headdresses are integral to Torres Strait Islander dance performances.
Ken Thaiday has become renowned for his contemporary dance masks. His ingenious use of lightweight materials such as plastic piping, plywood, twine and bright enamel paint, skillfully incorporating these in to the design and mechanisms for moving parts that operate in tune with dance choreography, music and song that mimic the flapping wings of the Frigate Bird as it soars through the skies above the islands.
Thaiday’s dance masks can be seen in the collections of Australian national and state galleries and in several major international institutions.
Photo: Mick Richards
