THIS YEARS FESTIVAL

JAWOYN PEOPLE WELCOME YOU TO COUNTRY

The Jawoyn people welcome you to the Barunga Aboriginal Culture and Sports Festival. Held in the beautiful and culturally rich Jawoyn country, just 80km south east of Katherine on all sealed roads, the Barunga Festival is the most accessible remote Aboriginal community festival of its kind.

The Barunga Festival is held every year in June, on the Queen’s Birthday long weekend.

This year’s Barunga Festival will be held from June11- 14th 2010

For the weekend of the Barunga Sports and Cuture Festival, the Jawoyn people welcome visitors in to their community, to come celebrate Jawoyn culture and Aboriginal Australia.

WHAT HAPPENS AT THE BARUNGA FESTIVAL

Traditionally an opportunity for different clan groups to come together, share knowledge, dance and play sport, the Barunga festival is evolving into a cross-cultural celebration, and information sharing opportunity. Today, Aboriginal people from all over the Top End of Australia, from Queensland, the desert, South Australia and Western Australia come together to celebrate, play sport and share culture at the Barunga Festival.

Activities at the Barunga Festival include:

• Didgeridoo-making workshops with Jawoyn men. Visitors can make and purchase their own didgeridoo for only $150
• Pandanus basket weaving workshops with Jawoyn women
• Bush medicine walks
• Bush tucker tastings
• Spear making exhibitions
• Spear throwing competition
• Didgeridoo playing competition
• Corroborree, traditional Bungul dancing
• Camping
• Australian Football, Softball and Basketball competitions
• Dreamtime story telling with Jawoyn Elders
• Movie screenings
• Music concert – Feauturing some of Australia's most prominent Indigenous Musicians  
• Art exhibition, and the opportunity to purchase Aboriginal art direct from the artist.

The Barunga Festival is an opportunity like no other to meet with Aboriginal people, on Aboriginal lands, and share culture and stories.

THE BARUNGA FESTIVAL IS ABOUT SHARING COUNTRY, SHARING CULTURE

The Barunga Festival is a great opportunity for non-indigenous people to share what’s great about the longest living culture in the world, and to increase awareness and understanding of cultural practises and community living.

THE BARUNGA FESTIVAL IS ABOUT UNDERSTANDING

The Jawoyn people are especially keen for people living in Katherine and Darwin, to come and sit down with them, camp, share tucker, and share stories.

THE BARUNGA FESTIVAL IS ABOUT MAKING KIDS PROUD OF THEIR CULTURE

Jawoyn Elder, Margaret Katherine, welcomes the festival, and visitors, and says it is a chance for her people to be “Proud of Traditional ways”, and that the festival is “so people will understand that no matter which culture, we can all come together”. Margaret emphasises the Barunga Festival is “for all our children to grow up and remember our culture – and be proud”.

For your chance to come and share Aboriginal culture, to attend the 2010 Barunga Festival, BOOK NOW through Nitmiluk Tours.

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