Arabic version: شباب إنالا يحافظون على تقليد حفل طقوس العبور

According to ABC News, First Nations young people in Inala, on the outskirts of Brisbane, are continuing a Rite of Passage Ball that has brought Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families together for two decades. The event combines elements of the western debutante ball with a celebration of heritage and coming of age.

Participants wear white ball gowns and suits as they present themselves before family members. Fifteen-year-old Lilee Randall, one of dozens to complete the program, said it was unusual for people her age to have such an opportunity. She described coming of age as an important and celebrated part of culture.

Inala Wangarra program coordinator Frances Lomas leads teenagers through eight weeks of workshops. The program begins with team-building activities and later includes public speaking, traditional Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dance, and ballroom dancing. Participants learn styles including the waltz, progressive swing and cha cha.

Munanjahli and South Sea Islander writer and academic Chelsea Watego said rituals help communities support people through every stage of life. A founding member of Inala Wangarra, Professor Watego said the ball had been revived at the request of young people on the Youth Advisory Committee. Although it has what she described as a colonial feel, she said Indigenous children in Inala wanted the tradition for themselves.

Multiple generations of Inala families have now participated. Fifteen-year-old Taleii Brady said she had waited to take part since seeing her siblings do it, adding that her father and older siblings had also participated. Professor Watego said the event has helped cultural identity persist in modern suburban life, with kinship systems and culture continuing despite change.