Garma Festival of Traditional Cultures
garma festival traditional culture garma australia largest indigenous cultural gathering taking place four day august northeast arnhem land northern territory australia hosted yothu yindi foundation garma celebration cultural tradition yolngu people major community gathering clan family arnhem land region event showcase traditional minytji art ancient storytelling manikay song bunggul dance held gulkula significant gumatj ceremonial site kilometre mi township nhulunbuy attracts guest year often sold month advance recent year garma become important fixture political calendar attracting business political academic philanthropic leader help shape indigenous affair policy key forum conference first garma held little backyard barbecue dhapanbal yunupingu daughter dr yunupingu said first event smallscale affair remember galarrwuy dad brought u standing bunggul ground said garma site festival going little dad picked camp uncle picked camp five white fella came tent two car bbq chef slept next back ute swag garma gumatj corporation entered several historic agreement federal government party included plan gulkula regional training centre township lease agreement gunyangara agreement rio tinto alcan bauxite sale gulkula mine project would first indigenousowned operated mining venture traditional owner land addition corporation discussed potential hosting rocket launch site see due covid pandemic australia garma festival cancelled event also cancelled largely due covid development victoria growing outbreak late may nt chief health officer decided remoteness northeast arnhem land location festival posed public health risk outbreak occurred garma festival anthony albanese first prime minister australia attend festival five year winning election earlier year promised hold referendum indigenous voice parliament greeted hope excitement linda burney minister indigenous australian also attended along pat dodson garma festival anthony albanese announced voice referendum held later year politician attended include attorneygeneral mark dreyfus assistant minister indigenous health indigenous australian malarndirri mccarthy marion scrymgour mp lingiari nt chief minister natasha fyles independent member mulka nt legislative assembly yingiya mark guyula nt independent keynote address given cultural leader mayatili marika linda burney also addressed corporate dinner opposition leader peter dutton declined invitation garma referendum failed pas albanese subdued spoke practical measure planning empower indigenous australian economically new indigenous australian minister nt senator malarndirri mccarthy also attended theme festival fire strength renewal gurthawuma worrkgu djawa yunupingu chair yothu yindi foundation host festival said referendum question defeated people still looked future fire rain come renews land new growth emerging opposition member attended festival word garma yolngu word referring ceremonial site ritual circumcision extension sacred ceremony held camp also cited meaning twoway learning process public ceremony embodying meeting fresh saltwater festival three main aim provide contemporary environment program practice preservation maintenance presentation traditional knowledge system cultural tradition practice especially bunggul traditional dance manikay song miny tji art ceremony share knowledge culture thereby fostering greater understanding indigenous nonindigenous australian develop economic opportunity yolngu education training employment enterprise remote indigenous community development one garmas main highlight nightly bunggul – traditional ceremonial dance performed day pm sunset highly significant ceremony men woman child yolngu clan group perform dance unique northeast arnhem land performance senior holder yolngu songlines share guest story manikay song accompanied call yidaki didgeridoo rhythm bilma clapsticks monthly best australian art edition described bunggul exhilarating performance example one world’s oldest musical tradition must everything recognise enormous value life australian held three day garma key forum become important platform discussion debate indigenous issue policy attracting political business academic philanthropic leader australia overseas important political event reason although conference agenda change year year reflect garma theme topic indigenous land right indigenous health education economic development government funding regularly part program set grove stringybark tree adjacent bunggul ground openair gapan gallery feature limited edition artwork range local regional art centre art centre featured recent garma event include bukularrnggay bulabula art elcho island art ngukkur art centre senior yolngu men woman provide series cultural workshop provide guest immersive experience authentic bush setting workshop include instruction local yolngu matha language kinship lesson learning country walk spearmaking basketweaving garma youth forum run fourday program child youth aged – including education fair first day event school across australia join student local regional school range activity workshop aimed building crosscultural bond sharing knowledge there also strong emphasis developing leadership skill next generation recent year participant youth forum led closing key forum session sharing lesson learned course day hope dream future music always major feature garma program showcasing distinctive arnhem land sound providing platform new emerging regional act well established top end band singer crowd favourite bärra west wind sunrize band maningrida eylandt band groote eylandt mambali band numbulwar garrangali band baniyala wirrinyga band milingimbi wildwater maningrida regularly feature bill djalu gurruwiwi delivered first yiḏaki masterclass inaugural garma festival delivered subsequent yiḏaki masterclasses since garma held gulkula significant gumatj ceremonial site northeast arnhem land stringybark forest atop escarpment overlooking gulf carpentaria tree escarpment gulkula mainly one specie stringybark known eucalyptus tetradonta yolngu culture grey stringybark many name one dhuwa moiety name gadayka august gadayka flower small native bee turn nectar honey gulkula connected action yolngu ancestor ganbulapula search honey ganbulapula used walking stick hit tree disturb bee hand shielding eye sun looked ganbulapula could see tiny black bee hovering around hive hollow tree looked upwards trace flight bee link established honey action yirritja dhuwa moiety ancestor people land seacountry across northeast arnhem land significance bee honey manifested sacred design identify body cultural knowledge associated honey many tree escarpment gulkula bulldozed burnt department work gove range guidance telemetry station could built time yolngu owner right australian law unable prevent european launcher development organisation installing rocket tracking station ceremonial site purpose station track path rocket launched woomera south australia stateoftheart technology operated mainly belgian scientist september original twentytonne satellite tracker stored woomera decade returned gove peninsula restored put display gove airport headquarters arnhemland historical society per aboriginal land right act yolngu landowner consulted possible construction new space facility gumatj clan northern land council approved lease gumatj corporation purpose operating suborbital rocket launch pad first yolngu australia proposed site cover hectare acre subleased equatorial launch australia ela gumatj people ela hire gulkula launch site aeronautical organisation nasa may nasa announced intention sign contract ela launch four rocket site seen nasa move previous preferred site rocket launch australia woomera used since proximity deepwater port seen advantage reducing cost transporting rocket payload compared road transport across desert july scientist nasa visited site funded northern territory government ela facility seen huge opportunity boost economy region providing job pathway stem graduate official website karma garma abc story nt tourism award best festival