If you want to get an insight into the culture of our indigenous people, the Gai-mariagal Festival is a great opportunity. This year, the festival theme, “Truth telling…. for our elders”, invites the community to commemorate and celebrate together, converse and walk side by side towards reviewing and renewing the future together.
Festival chairs are Susan Moylan-Coombs, a Gurindji Woolwonga woman, and Wiradjuri woman Caroline Glass-Pattison. Susan tells Peninsula Living that: “Both Caroline and I have devoted our time to share culture and knowledge with the wider Australian community, to build relationships locally and create change for future generations.
“It’s a passion project and continues to create connections between individuals, families and community, as well as connecting people to country on which they live, work and play.
See below for a range of activities on the Northern Beaches.
Weaving Bridges
Manly Creative Library and Mona Vale Creative Space
1 June – 23 June
1pm – 3pm | free
The Gai-mariagal Festival invites everyone to free weaving workshops with Elders and members of the local Aboriginal community. Yarn side by side with master weaver Karleen Green, while reviewing and renewing the future together. Learn about the cultural practice of weaving, hear local stories. Each weave will contribute to a final public artwork to be displayed at Manly Library during the month of July. Please note there will be an extra final workshop at Curl Curl Creative Space on 7 July to celebrate NAIDOC week.
Karen Smith heritage talk
The Creator Space, Chatswood Library
Thursday 22 June 6pm – 7pm | free
Karen Smith has been the education officer of the Aboriginal Heritage Office since 2011, and at this event she will share her knowledge and experience of the local area and Aboriginal history and culture. Karen is from the Buruberongal clan of the Hawkesbury (Derrubin) area and her family has been living in Manly for a number of years. She received the Rotary’s Paul Harris Fellowship Award for her work and commitment in the protection of Aboriginal culture and heritage. Join Karen for an inspiring talk and share in her knowledge.
Indigenous experience workshop for children
St Ives Showground
Tuesday 4 July 10am – 11.30am | free
This will be a fantastic workshop for children aged 8-12 years. Join the Didgeridoo master and enjoy unique performances of native animal sounds and stories through the didgeridoo. The childrens’ workshop is an immersive experience that includes storytelling, artefacts, weaponry and bush survival. Parents are required to stay onsite for the duration of the workshop.
Bhoomi – place and belonging St Ives Showground
Saturday 24 June 3pm – 4.30pm | free
A rare opportunity to experience conversations between the veena (Indian stringed instrument), guitar, contemporary and traditional Aboriginal dance, spoken story, kolam – an art of decorating the earth, and mridangam (percussion). South Asian and First Nation voices will speak of place and belonging in a very special performance of Bhoomi (earth), and discuss what place and diaspora mean for them and how they can navigate living these ideas in community. Chai and sweets will be offered at the end to reflect what has been heard and seen.
Paint your own boomerang workshop St Ives Showground
Wednesday 5 July 10am – 11.30am
This is a fun and educational event for children from 8 to 12 years. Kids will learn Aboriginal symbols with Aboriginal education facilitators from Koomurri and they’ll even create their own dreamtime story. Each child will then paint their own story on a boomerang which they can take home as a keepsake. Parents are required to stay onsite during the workshop.
By Aoife Moyniha