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12 KATHERINE TIMES, WEDNESDAY MAY 15, 2013 www.katherinetimes.com.au IN 1988 at the Barunga Festival, the then Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, who was attending the Festival, was presented with two paintings and a text calling for Indigenous rights. This has become known as the Barunga Statement. In his speech Bob Hawke said there would be a treaty within the life of the current Parliament. This never happened, but in the spirit of the original intention, people still gather annually at Barunga to cel- ebrate indigenous culture. This much loved Territory event sees people from all over the country descend upon the small indigenous community about 70km south of Katherine where they camp and take part in a program of workshops, dancing ceremonies, traditional bush tucker gathering, didgeridoo making, basket weaving and enjoy plenty of great music and sport from the Katherine region. Barunga Festival is an exciting time for the community as they re- unite with family members and coun- trymen from all over the Top End, and welcome tourists from far and near to experience community life for the weekend. Barunga Festival 2013 will be no exception, as the Festival is re-ener- gized by new festival directors, Skin- nyfish Music. Skinnyfish, under the leadership of 2013 Australians of the Year, NT, Mark Grose and Michael Hohnen, has been granted the rights to run the fes- tival for the next five years with the blessing of the traditional owners of Barunga. “We strongly believe in the impor- tant role that community festivals play and are fully committed to ensuring that the Barunga Festival is a commu- nity event with community outcomes including sustained training opportu- nities and small business develop- ment”, Skinnyfish Managing Director Mark Grose, said. In keeping with the traditions that have made Barunga Festival the largest remote community festival in Australia and one of the Northern Ter- ritory’s most treasured celebrations of Indigenous culture, there will be a full program of music, sport and culture - plenty to do all weekend no matter how young or old you are. In consultation with the Barunga Community, a Healthy Food Policy has been developed and will be insti- gated for the first time. No more “chicken and chips” but plenty of tasty alternatives, from noo- dle soups, laksas, curries, hamburgers, to smoothies, pancakes and breakfast muffins baked on site. You will find all this fabulous food under the trees and shade of Heritage Park. Barunga School has been busy painting chairs and tables with local designs and logos in traditional colours of black, red, yellow and ochre. Where else can you sit on a work of art and enjoy delicious food at af- fordable prices? Heritage Park will be a hub of en- tertainment, food and art where you can meet and buy local art works di- rect from the artists. Also at community request, all kids’ entertainment will be free this year. There will be jumping castles, water slides, a climbing wall, face painting, toy making. Corrugated Iron Youth Arts will run Circus workshops under the Big Top at Culture Park. And it’s all free. Forty sports teams from all over will battle it out on the footy field, basketball court and softball diamond. Competition for the coveted Barunga trophies is fierce and it promises to be a big weekend of sporting prowess. Watch out for visiting AFL stars who are looking forward to learning a trick or two from the masters of “bush ballet”, footy community style. If sport is not your thing, head to Culture Park. Local community members will be teaching the finer points of spear throwing, damper making, bush tucker, didge playing, weaving, etc. The community at Barunga is very proud of its traditions, and is looking forward to demonstrating them to vis- itors. As the sun sets every evening, community members and visitors will sit down together to the mesmerizing rhythms of the clap sticks and the haunting chants of the songmen as the dancers gather for bungul/traditional dance. Music has always played a key role at Barunga Festival and this year there is music for everyone. Friday night is disco night. Get your dancing shoes on and ex- perience the Barunga Festival Disco- Remix-Dance-Off. If you don’t know what that means you’re too old to be there but feel free to come and watch dance moves like you’ve never seen before. Saturday night is Community Bands Night on the Skinnyfish Stage. All night long band after band will hit the stage and unleash the hard driving rock sound that the Top End is known for. Bands descend from far and wide to take to the Barunga stage. You will never hear a collection of bands like this anywhere else in the world. And you will never see an audi- ence who loves their bands as much as the Barunga community Sunday night is concert night and will be a very special evening. John Butler will start the evening on the stage that his Seed Foundation has supported for so many years. Gurrumul will perform to the pub- lic for the first time in the Territory since 2008. With music from the Top End to the Centre, two celebrated Territorian bands B2M and Tjupi Band will take the night away and close out the 2013 festival. If the big concerts are not your thing, this year for the first time we in- troduce the APRA Acoustic Tent. Located down by the river, with a fire pit to keep everyone warm at night, the Tent will seduce you with its mel- low, relaxed atmosphere. During the day, hear the Barunga Women’s Choir or join in language classes and learn some Kriol. After dark, sit back, relax, breath in the cool night air and be entertained by B2M, Tom E. Lewis, and Recon- ciliation Australia’s 2013 Ambassa- dors and Triple J darlings Thelma Plum and Emma Louise. The APRA Acoustic tent is inten- tionally loosely programmed to allow room for anyone that pops by to get up and perform. Barunga Festival is a celebration of both the past and the future of Indige- nous Australia, and is integral to en- riching the tapestry of modern Australian culture and understanding. >> travel Barunga Festival to celebrate culture Celebrate your special occasion at Cicada Lodge on the beauful Nitmiluk Gorge Birthdays; weddings; anniversaries; bridal showers ..... Why not make your occasion extra special at Cicada Lodge. Champagne on arrival, sunset drinks and appezers on the pool deck and full breakfast from $645 per room per night. 1800CICADA/1800 242 232 Barunga Festival, June 7 to 10 Tickets available for sale at Nitmiluk Tours on Katherine Terrace Adults: $30 Children 12 to 18 years: $10 (under 12 free) Entry fee valid for three-day festival. WIN Barunga Festival tickets for yourself, friends and family. Simply tell us in 25 words or less why you want to go to the Barunga Festival. Email your entry, name and phone number to [email protected]. Competition closes COB Friday, May 31. Tickets kindly donated by Cicada Lodge and Nitmiluk Tours.
