From nothing to a pretty exciting day

January 21st, 2010 · No Comments · Celebrations, Community, Interviews

Lyndon Davis, Gubbi Gubbi Dancers leader

For the third year running Sunshine Coast people had an opportunity to build positive relationships and share in local Aboriginal culture, and Aboriginal people could inform themselves about support services available to them, at the Booin Gari festival in Tewantin on 19 January.

Booin Gari means “come this way” in the language of the Gubbi Gubbi the tribe whose traditional land encompasses the Sunshine Coast.

Packed into the four hours were presentations by local artist Peter Mulcahy

Pomona-based Aboriginal painter, Peter Muraay Djeripi Mulcahy, explained how the dreamings of his Gumilaroi nation, passed to him by Elders, inspire his paintings. The one his right hand is on tells how butterflies came into being in the Lightning Ridge area of north-western NSW. Peter gives talks in schools. He originally trained as a policeman but told Diet Simon in an interview a while back that he soon discovered that was not for him.

and performers, including a bush tucker cooking demonstration by Dale Chapman and tastings, art workshops and storytelling, a discussion on the Stolen Generations lead by Judi Wickes , the Gubbi Gubbi Dancers, a reptile talk and handling session, learning circles and workshops incorporating storytelling, Murri art and boomerang art. The Sunshine Coast Daily reported 500 people attending. The 5 of us from the radio who were there think there were more.

The event is run by United Synergies a not-for-profit company supporting young people, families and communities, with particular emphasis on those experiencing some form of disadvantage. Their General Manager, Geoff Walters, told us they launched Booin Gari because they felt they were not engaging enough with the Aboriginal community of our area.

Support came from the Sunshine Coast Regional Council , the Queensland Department of Communities , local businesses and dozens of individual volunteers.

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The photos were shot and made available by Brigitte Simon-Enderl. Click on each image to enlarge it.

Below are three of about a dozen interviews we did. We’ll be broadcasting them on 2nd February from 11am till noon and adding them to our website after that program.

Geoff Walters (United Synergies general manager of special projects) talks to Gerard Broersen (presenter of the “Solid Ground” indigenous program on Saturdays at 9am)