Past National Broadcast Shows
GARMA FESTIVAL 8-12 August 2008 NAIDOC 2009
BARUNGA SPORTS & CULTURAL FESTIVAL - 6-9 June 2009
GARMA FESTIVALS
The famous Garma Festival is held each year by the Yothu Yindi Foundation, on traditional Aboriginal lands in Arnhem Land. Garma attracts people from across Australia and the world to participate and listen to leaders from the region who are Traditional Owners and leaders from across Australia speak on a range of Indigenous issues including community social and economic development, land and sea management, media and community programs and projects. The festivities included traditional dancing, live concerts showcasing Indigenous bands such as B2M, Soft Sand and national entertainers including Jimmy Little and Ben Lee who gave crowd pleasing performances. Radio Larrakia's Donna Odegaard and Raylene Singh, went along at the invitation of the Yothu Yindi Foundation and Chairperson. This gave Raylene and Donna a unique opportunity to meet Indigenous leaders such as Mr Galarrwuy Yunupingu, Chairperson Yothu Yindi Foundation, Mr Wali Wunungmurra Chairperson NLC, Mr Kim Hill CEO of the NLC, Mr Jack Thompson, Mr Tom Calma Commissioner HEROC, Marcia Langton, Helen Garnett, Major General Dave Chalmers, and a host of Aboriginal community members and leaders from across the Northern Territory.The Garma Festival was an Expo and a number of Information stalls, art studio for visitors to create their own designs in lino print, a range of art and crafts on sale. Garma 2008 was a great success. A highlight for Raylene and Donna was meeting Ben Lee who forged a friendship of shared interest in Aboriginal issues and community celebrations. Ben Lee sang 'We're All In This Together', which reflected the collective spirit of Garma 2008. The Yothu Yindi Foundation are to be congratulated for bringing so many people together for such an outstanding Indigenous celebration.
NAIDOC Week
The official launch of NAIDOC week begins with the flag raising ceremony usually held at the Bagot Community. This year Bagot Community held a cultural event during NAIDOC week along with other many cultural events enjoyed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and the wider community across Darwin. Hundreds of people joined the march through the streets of Darwin in celebration of NAIDOC week with traditional Northern Territory dancers - One Mob - leading the way from Parliament House to Raintree Park where Top End NAIDOC coordinator, Ngaree Ah Kit addressed the crowd speaking of the past year's memorable events in particular, the Australian Prime Minister's Apology to the Stolen Generation and the Northern Territory Emergency Response Intervention. There was debate against and for the Intervention, however, Ngaree Ah Kit said "Some may like this Intervention, some may not, but what is important is the improvement it has made for the lifestyle of our people". The coveted NAIDOC Art Award 2008 was won by Darwin brothers, Tony Lee (Duwun) and Ian Lee (Laninuk) making National NAIDOC a Darwin family celebration with sister, Bilawarra Lee, a member of the National NAIDOC Committee. The Lee brothers winning poster entry title 'Advanced Australia Fair?' was judged in a field of 100 entries. The Lee brother's poster will be displayed across Australia in work places, schools and community organisations. Chair NAIDOC Aden Ridgeway congratulated the Lee brothers saying 'the prestigious award is getting harder to win each year as an increasing number of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists take the opportunity to showcase their talent'. Radio Larrakia is proud to be associated with Top End NAIDOC and congratulates the Top End Committee, the Coordinator, Ngaree Ah Kit and all those who made it such a great event in 2008. This Festival was born in 1985, the inspiration of the late Bangardi Lee who was then Town Clerk of the community. The Barunga Festival has developed into one of the most significant celebrations of Aboriginal culture, art, music and sport in the Top End and connects Aboriginal communities from across the Northern Territory including the Katherine region, east Arnhem Land and the Tiwi Islands in the north, Central Australia in the south and the Kimberley in Western Australia. Renown throughout the region for its sport and music competitions and promotion of healthy living messages, as well the celebration and practice of cultural performance, arts & crafts, bush foods and story-telling. The Festival is also used to promote messages ranging from anti-substance abuse to road safety. The Barunga Festival has been seen as an important landmark in Aboriginal affairs in the Northern Territory, and has regularly hosted and welcomed local and national politicians. This year, for example, will see the 20th anniversary of an historic visit by former Labor Prime Ministe, Bob Hawke.
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National Broadcast Shows |