The far-south coast of New South Wales is preparing for this year’s Giiyong Festival on Thaua country — a celebration of First Nations culture through dance, music, film, theatre, visual arts, food and sport.
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The festival will be held at Jigamy Farm near Eden on Saturday, featuring Deadly Award-nominated soul singer Emma Donovan, Kamilaroi and Tongan singer Radical Son and Darwin-born rapper J-Milla.
They will perform alongside former Bangarra Dance Company member turned comedian Sean Choolburra and local groups Mudjingaal Yangamba, the Djinama Yilaga Choir and the Djaadjawan Dancers.
Also on the bill will be a range of talks and workshops, featuring award-winning Gunai author Kirli Saunders, ANU professor Asmi Wood and Bundjalung environmental and cultural educator Clarence Slockee.
Mr Slockee will be hosting a panel talk on food sovereignty, which he said was crucial given growing demand for First Nations’ foods, also known as “super foods”.
“It is quite an interesting dichotomy, because we have a bush food growing exponentially due to the demand for it,” he said.
“As we up the supply, communities who might be wild-sourcing these foods, like the Kakadu plum, are eating less of it because it’s worth more if they sell it.
“Australian foods have very unique flavours because they haven’t [been] bred for certain traits, so they’re also high in everything that’s good for us.”
Protecting food knowledge
Mr Slockee said education around food sovereignty was important for the future of First Nations people.
“There are multinational companies that have patents pending on some of our plants right now, which could have very long-term impacts if they go through,” he said.
“There are even elders in communities who are very reticent to speak to any scientist because they’ve seen what happens with the information they give them, which are then used by bigger companies in products and patents.”
Also a talented dancer and musician, Mr Slockee will be playing a set with his band, the Native Plant Appreciation Society.
Sharing traditional knowledge
Also speaking at the festival is Wolgalu Wiradjuri cultural heritage educator Shane Herrington, who will share his knowledge of traditional tools and techniques such as stone axes, cutting tools and ropemaking.
Mr Herrington said the tools and skills still had many uses in contemporary Australia.
“Modern uses include making string to make nets, and using stone tools for cutting,” he said.
“What I’ll be teaching is a mix of contemporary and traditional techniques.”
Mr Herrington said the festival was also an important time for First Nations’ people to connect and share stories and ideas.
“I think for us Wolgalu people, it’s about sharing skills that we’ve learnt,” he said.
“I’m hoping I meet up with a few Wolgalu people who have that connection to culture.”
Saturday will be the third time the festival has been held in the region, following its debut in 2018 and its return in 2022 post Black Summer bushfires and COVID-19 pandemic.
The event is guaranteed to continue through until 2025 after securing state government funding.
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