On the evening of Friday, 15 September 2000, 3.7 billion people tuned in from across the world to watch the Opening Ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Some 112,000 live spectators watched from inside the Stadium: what they saw as an Olympic opening ceremony like no other.
Then Premier of New South Wales, Bob Carr described the opening ceremony as the "greatest spectacle Australia has produced."
Structured as a sweeping, seven-part cultural journey—Deep Sea Dreaming, Awakening, Fire, Nature, Tin Symphony, Arrivals and Eternity—the ceremony captured the spirit and complexity of the nation.
At its heart was ‘Awakening’, a powerful and unprecedented celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
‘Awakening’ showed the diversity of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures and featured over 1000 performers from around Australia, showcasing First Nations culture in ways that had never been seen before.
Directed by Stephen Page and Rhoda Roberts AO, 'Awakening' featured traditional and contemporary Indigenous dance and music as well as a smoking ceremony that cleansed the Olympic Stadium.
In the lead-up, filmmaker Pauline Clague (The Colleano Heart) travelled extensively with Page and Roberts, documenting a rare behind-the-scenes journey of consultation, collaboration and cultural exchange.
From communities in Numbulwar and Yirrkala to the Kimberley, the Torres Strait and the NPY Lands, her work captured the depth of engagement required to bring such a moment to life.
Narrated by David Ngoombujarra, the documentary also followed rehearsals at Stanwell Tops and the creation of the towering 35-metre Wandjina, designed by Worrorra Elder Donny Woolagoodja—a striking symbol at the ceremony’s core.
It’s been 25 years since The Making of the Awakening’s one and only broadcast.
In 2000, Ben Graetz was a 23-year-old freelance contractor brought in to assist Page and Roberts to teach the students learn the dance moves and sequences.
“I have so many incredible memories - all being together at Stanwell Tops in Sydney all camped together. I think there were over 500 mobs from across the country staying there.”
Even today, the Malak Malak, Iwaidja, Badu Island man still remembers the evening of the actual opening Ceremony as one filled with excitement and pride.
“I remember the big group dress rehearsals but what was the most exciting and memorable thing was standing on the side of the performance area just before it was about to begin,” Ben recalls.
“The adrenaline, anticipation and excitement are something I still feel today.”
“I also remember feeling so proud when it ended and thinking we did it, we all did it - We worked through it all together as a team and mob.
"Our pride grew, and we knew on the night that this would be a moment people will remember for a very long time."
Twenty-five years on, the ‘Awakening’ segment remains a defining cultural moment—one that not only showcased First Nations cultures to the world, but did so with authority, scale and integrity.
It wasn’t just a performance; it was a statement—one that continues to echo across generations.
This is a TV-only broadcast, and forms a part of special NITV programming, paying tribute to Rhoda Roberts' immense contribution across culture, theatre, arts, dance, media, journalism and public life in Australia, including as the inaugural SBS Elder in Residence.
'The Making of the Awakening' airs Wednesday, April 22, at 6:45pm only on NITV.
