It has been 20 years since the Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe hit the stage as the first Aboriginal dance troupe to perform in Wollongong’s sister city Macedonia. They were invited to perform at the 2006 Summer Festival held in Ohrid, Macedonia as part of a Wollongong City Council delegation visit. With community support, the Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe successfully fundraised sufficient to finance this trip. They performed to appreciative audiences in multiple locations over 10 days, including Skopje, Kumanovo, Bitola, Ohrid, and Struga with some of the stages set amongst ancient ruins.
Starting in National Reconciliation Week (NRW) 2026, photographs of the Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribes experience in Macedonia have been brought together in an exhibition.
The exhibition will be in the Local Studies area on level 1 Wollongong City Library from 25 May 2026 and aims to recognise the significance of the groups’ contribution to international relations through sharing Aboriginal culture on the global stage. You can view the exhibition below and listen to the Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe’s tour experiences through oral histories via illawarrastories.com.au/wadi-wadi-mixed-tribe-macedonia-tour/↗
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people should be aware that this page contains images and names of deceased persons.
To view images and their captions, go to the slideshow below or
click on individual images within the gallery.
1320 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe Dance Troupe: Jared Stewart, Ivan Morris, Anthony Moore, Mark Mongta, Kristian Jarrett, Uncle Roy Stewart. Front: Aunty Sharralyn Robinson, Solkan Donaczy, Aunty Jodie Stewart & Steven Henry at Boolarng Nangamai, Gerringong. 2005
P53270 – Mark Mongata, Solkan Donaczy, Jared Stewart and Uncle Roy Stewart prepare to travel to Macedonia to perform in Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe dance troupe. Photo: Sylvia Liber Illawarra Mercury 7 April 2006
1346 – Trial Run to check out the Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe dance troupe uniforms at Uncle Roy Stewart’s house prior to leaving. Back: Ivan Morris, Solkan Donaczy, Mark Mongta, Anthony Moore, Jared Stewart, Uncle Roy Stewart. Front: Aunty Sharralyn Robinson, Aunty Jodie Stewart. 5 July 2006
1301-Anthony Moore, Ivan Morris and Mark Mongta happy but nervous on the plane leaving Sydney. 6 July 2006
1344 – Uncle Roy Stewart, Kiril Jonovski and Aunty Sharralyn Robinson at Vienna Airport on the way to Macedonia. 6 July 2006
1302 – “Yeah we made it! After a stop over at Kuala Lumpur we are now in Vienna!” Uncle Roy, Aunty Jodie and Jared Stewart with Solkan Donaczy. 6 July 2006
1331 -Uncle Roy Stewart on train trip to Vienna airport in transit on the way to Macedonia. 7 July 2006
1332 – Anthony Moore (Spud) on train trip to Vienna airport in transit on the way to Macedonia 7 July 2006
1333 – Jared Stewart on the day the Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe arrived in Skopje, Macedonia. 7 July 2006
1305 – Solkan Donaczy, with Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe and WCC Official delegation on tour of Skopje fortress. 8 July 2006
Solkan Donaczy in Skopje – inside the grounds of the ruins where the first Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe Dance Troupe performance was held. 7 July 2006
Solkan Donaczy, Jared Stewart and Anthony Moore at the Church of Saint Saviour ‘Svet Spas’, Skopje. 8 July 2006
1338 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe with view of Skopje, Macedonia in the background. Back: Ivan Morris, Jared Stewart, Uncle Roy Stewart, Anthony Moore. Front: Aunty Sharralyn Robinson, Aunty Jodie Stewart, Mark Mongta. 8 July 2006
1306 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe and WCC Official delegation with view of Skopje. 8 July 2006
1323 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe Dance Troupe before performance in Skopje. Jared Stewart, Ivan Morris, Mark Mongta, Uncle Roy Stewart, Solkan Donaczy and Aunty Jodie Stewart. 8 July 2006
1339 – Ivan Morris, Mark Mongta, Jared Stewart, Anthony Moore (Spud) and Solkan Donaczy at hotel in Skopje, Macedonia. 8 July 2006
1311 – Solkan Donaczy Traditional Fishing at the National Museum of Kumanovo, Macedonia. 8 July 2006
1310 – Solkan Donaczy with kids from the street of Kumanovo, Macedonia. 8 July 2006
1307 – Mates Solkan and Ivan check out their didgeridoos painted by Aunty Jodie Stewart in room at Kumanovo, Macedonia. 9 July 2006
1308 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe dance troupe and official delegation meet the Mayor of Kumanovo Zoran Damjanovski. 9 July 2006
1321 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe and offical delegation meet with Mayor of Kumonovo. Back: Solkan Donaczy, Anthony Moore, Aunty Sharralyn Robinson, Mark Mongta, Ivan Morris. Front: Uncle Roy Stewart, Zoran Damjanovski – Mayor of Kumanovo and Alex Darling – Lord Mayor of Wollongong. 9 July 2006
1340 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe and official delegation meet with Mayor of Kumonovo. Back: Solkan Donaczy, Anthony Moore, Mark Mongta, Ivan Morris, Aunty Sharralyn Robinson. Front: Uncle Roy Stewart, Zoran Damjanovski – Mayor of Kumanovo and Alex Darling – Lord Mayor of Wollongong. 9 July 2006
1341 – Uncle Roy Stewart, Wollongong Lord Mayor – Alex Darling, Solkan Donaczy, Mayor of Kumonovo – Zoran Damjanovski and Mark Mongta in Kumonovo, Macedonia. 9 July 2006
1309 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe dance troupe with journalists outside Mayor Zoran Damjanovski office in Kumanovo. July 2006
1343- Mark Mongta, Uncle Roy Stewart and Anthony Moore (Spud) at Formal dinner with Mayor of Kumonovo. 9 July 2006
1312 – New friends in Kumanovo, Macedonia with Uncle Roy Stewart, Aunty Jodie Stewart, Mark Mongta and Aunty Sharralyn Robinson. 10 July 2006
1313 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe dance troupe say goodbyes to new friends, managers and staff at Pectopaht “Tpauuja” accommodation Kumanovo, Macedonia. 11 July 2006
1342 – Solkan Donaczy at Lake in Ohrid in Ohrid, Macedonia. 11 July 2006
1314 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe dance troupe on open air stage in Ohrid, Macedonia. 11 July 2006
1316 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe dance troupe on stage in Ohrid Macedonia presenting their framed photo to the mayor of Ohrid, Macedonia.11 July 2006
1315 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe dance troupe on stage with audience for photos and autographs in Ohrid, Macedonia. 11 July 2006
1337 – Audience on stage – men and boys played the didgeridoo and audience checked out artifacts in Ohrid, Macedeonia. 11 July 2006
1319 – Wadi Wadi Mixed tribe Dance Troupe performing at Ohrid Summer Festival in Dolni Saraj. 13 July 2006
1318 – Uncle Roy Stewart and Mayor of Bitola, Macedonia at formal dinner. 14 July 2006
1317 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe dance troupe on stage at community centre in Bitola with their Minister of Culture Blago Stevanovsk14 July 2006
P53271- Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe dance members back from a trip to Macedonia, Kristian Jarrett, Jared Stewart, Solkan Donaczy, Mark Mongta and Uncle Roy Stewart. Photo: Sylvia Liber -Illawarra Mercury – 4 August 2006
1328 – Solkan Donaczy painted up for performance at Boolarng Nangamai, Gerringong. 2005
1329 – Ivan Morris painted up and performing dance at Boolarng Nangamai, Gerringong. 2005
1322 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe Dance Troupe performing Front: Uncle Roy Stewart. Back: Kristian Jarrett, Ivan Morris Jared Stewart, Anthony Moore and Mark Mongta. 2005
1336 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe, 1 January 2005
1334 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe. 1 January 2005
1326 -Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe Dance Troupe perform in front of Wollongong Art Gallery Ivan Morris, Uncle Roy Stewart, Mark Mongta and Solkan Donaczy. Date unknown
1324 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe Dance Troupe perform in front of Wollongong Art Gallery, Uncle Roy Stewart, Solkan Donaczy, Mark Mongta and Ivan Morris. Date unknown
1325 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe Dance Troupe perform in front of Wollongong Art Gallery Ivan Morris, Uncle Roy Stewart and Mark Mongta. Date unknown
1327 – Wadi Wadi Mixed Tribe Dance Troupe: Jared Stewart, Ivan Morris, Anthony Moore, Mark Mongta, Kristian Jarrett, Uncle Roy Stewart. Front: Solkan Donaczy and Steven Henry at Boolarng Nangamai, Gerringong. 2005
