-- Normally at this time of year, as the summer solstice approaches, the ancient stone circle of Stonehenge is populated largely by mystics, meditators, hippies and people with slightly out-of-tune acoustic guitars.
Tonight, however, it will play host to a culture vastly older than itself.
The Bardi dancers, who live 200 kilometres north of Broome in the north of Western Australia, have accepted an extraordinary invitation to be the first Aboriginal group ever to perform at England's most famous sacred site.
"It's a mind-bending thing, eh?" said Duaine Ah-Choo, as he arrived at Stonehenge on Saturday to examine the site before the performance.
"It's an ancient, historical thing. Like our sacred sites."
The Bardis, saltwater people from the Ardiyooloon community (formerly One Arm Point), comprise five generations within their group.
Duaine, Brent Mouda, Lyle Davey and Frank Moochoo Davey and their elders made the 14,000-kilometre journey from home at the invitation of the Salisbury International Arts Festival, which is staging a selection of Aboriginal cultural events in this year's program.
The performance is also part of Undergrowth Australian Arts UK, a two-year program of Australian cultural events. --



