IN the final days of the Aboriginal AFL Academy’s trip, the group headed back to the small town of Nhulunbuy in Arnhem Land to attend the annual Garma Festival.
Garma is the country’s biggest celebration of Yolgnu culture, bringing together Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal from all walks of life. It is attended by over 2,000 people annually including politicians, policymakers, educators, students and visitors from all over the world.
2018 marks the festival’s 20th anniversary.
Join us, as we share the student’s journeys through the camera lens.
Part 3: Terrel Rigney
In their words....
“When we first arrived at Garma, we went to visit some of the Yolgnu Elders at their campsite. One of the most respected elders, Djalu Gurruwiw - known locally as the Yidaki master – welcomed and cleansed the group by blowing his Yidaki into our chests, one by one. When he came to me, I closed my eyes, and I could feel the vibrations through my body…it was an incredible cultural experience.
“Each day at Garma, the sun sets on an evening bunguul – which is a big cultural dance at the centre of the festival, right in the heart of the red sand.
“Marlon and uncle Pauly encouraged us to get up and join in the dance…I was a bit nervous at the start; being in front of a lot of people was nerve-wracking. But once I saw a few of the other boys get up, I jumped in and began to feel more comfortable as the day went by. It meant a lot to me, learning a bit about their culture and what their dances mean.
“After we danced, uncle Pauly brought us together as a group, to speak about the significance of us coming together in traditional dance…it was pretty powerful. That was a special moment for me; realising how this can bring family together and preserve our culture. It brought us much closer as a team and made us strong.
“At Garma we also learned how to make our own spears, which was really cool. We chose a stick,burned it and shaped it over a campfire to make it straight and strong. We then stripped its bark, sanded and filed it; ready for a spearhead. It was a long process, but it was worth it.
“We went to the Yirrakala Cultural Centre and got the opportunity to see and learn about some amazing Aboriginal art. I chose a plain Galpu (spear thrower) and decided I would bring it to Garma and ask one of the Yolngu elders to paint a story on it for me.
“One of the ladies, Deborah, painted a crocodile on my Galpu. That was pretty special for me, as I can now take it home and share its story and meaning with my family.
“On the last day, we were lucky enough to dance with Marlon and Daniel (Motlop) in the final bunguul of the festival, in front of thousands of people…it was an experience I will never forget.
“This whole trip has been an unreal, life-changing experience for me. I feel more connected to my own culture than ever. It’s made me feel like I want to go back to my own homelands in Raukkan, South Australia, and learn more about it, and spend some more time there. I’d like to live like the Yolgnu people. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do, to grow up in that environment.
“I want to thank uncle Pauly, Marlon and all the staff from PAFC and SAASTA on behalf of all the boys for an amazing experience of a lifetime over the past week.”
