How a tiny endangered possum inspired this new children’s show

These include the pygmy opossum and the Guthega skink, another endangered montane species. They also encounter ancient snow gum and the soft, delicate grasses of the Kosciuszko Alps region.

Brown, former Bangarra senior artist and co-CEO of Indigenous mentoring organization AIME, says the show, co-written by Brown and Chenoa Deemal, is partly about protecting and respecting the Country and its creatures, and partly about siblings in juvenile detention, dealing with life without their siblings being there.

“They’re learning how to be stronger for themselves,” Brown says. “Because when they are strong, they can help their families and the Country. And when the Country is strong, we are all strong.”

The siblings also use Auslan when talking about their brother because he is deaf. Early in the series’ creation, deaf consultant James Kerwin asked if the work was about a swamp moth because there was a deaf child in the story.

“I said no, and he said that deaf people are often compared to moths because they both need light,” Brown says. “You can’t sign or read lips in the dark. He said if you’re on the street, you’ll gather with the moths to sign under the lampposts.”

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Giving the swamp moth a speaking voice in the study inspired another connection. At first, Brown and his collaborators tried using a filter on a vocal recording, but this sounded artificial. Then they thought about the voice of a child.

Now Brown’s son Xavier becomes the voice of the swamp moth; guides the characters and the audience through their dreams, flight and world.

“It’s really come full circle,” Brown says. “Xavier should have gone on to Country, he was part of the discovery of the show and was involved from the beginning.

“It’s nice because he really put his heart into this.”

Bogong’s Song Works at Bangarra Dance Theatre, Hickson Road
Walsh Bay until 19 October bangarra.com.au