If you have no idea what we’re on about, The Spirit of Churaki is a music production that fuses traditional elements with contemporary music and pays homage to Churaki, the Gold Coast’s first lifesaver. Way back in the early 1900s when the surf bathing craze swept our beaches, people ventured into the water for the first time for leisure. Unfortunately for some, their enthusiasm outweighed their ability and they found themselves at the mercy of the powerful ocean. Churaki’s father, Gumoi, tasked him with the job of watching over swimmers from Greenmount Hill and he subsequently performed the first documented act of lifesaving on the Gold Coast in 1911.

The show honours a rich lineage of saltwater people, a spirit of generosity, a deep connection to country and cultural obligation. Staring an extraordinary line-up of musicians under the musical direction of Brian Ritchie (Violent Femmes) and cultural collaborator Kyle Slabb (Banaam), The Spirit of Churaki rides the perfect wave between traditional ceremony, the ancient sounds of Aboriginal language and compelling music theatre, closing with a cyclonic set by Australian surf rock legends, The Break. This is absolutely your last chance to catch this moving production, so don’t miss it! The Spirit of Churaki is presented by Bleached Arts and HOTA.