A colourful and meaningful new event is making its debut in the Liverpool Plains region this National Reconciliation Week.
The Yuga-Li Gathering Festival, running over two days on Saturday 31st May and Sunday 1st June, will bring together Indigenous culture, creativity and connection in a weekend of celebration at Wilgabah, near Wallabadah.
Taking its name from the Gamilaroi word for “celebration”, Yuga-Li is the creation of the team behind the The Art Shack @ Wilgabah. Festival Director Tania Hartigan, a proud Gamilaroi woman, says the event will be both an exciting gathering and a heartfelt step forward in reconciliation.
“Reconciliation begins with connection,” Hartigan said.
“We hope that Yuga-Li can provide an opportunity for all Australians of all ages to get together and celebrate Gamilaroi culture, connect with Indigenous traditions and explore the multiplicity of the Liverpool Plains.”
The festival’s setting – a 30-acre cultural heritage site surrounded by a 300-acre conservation area – offers the ideal backdrop for the weekend’s immersive activities. Attendees will be able to take part in cultural workshops, heritage tours, storytelling and live music performances under the stars.
Among the weekend’s highlights are:
- Didgeridoo-making workshops with acclaimed musician Mark Atkins
- Clapstick and spear-making with artist Tyler Stackman-Green
- Traditional weaving led by Ngarrabul Elder, Waabii Adelle Chapman-Burgess
- Guided Aboriginal heritage tours of the Wilgabah cultural site
The live music festivities on Saturday night will feature an impressive lineup including Kevin Anderson, Rae Moody, Roger Knox, Col Hardy, Mark Atkins, and The Thundercats.
With a camp oven cook-up, bar facilities and an open-air stage, the evening will blend celebration and cultural education.
“We are excited to welcome people to Wilgabah to explore culture, art, music, knowledge-sharing and storytelling in this truly unique setting.” Hartigan said.
Wilgabah, operated by the Hartigan family, is a working farm and agritourism project with a strong focus on cultural education and conservation.
Through the Art Shack, they regularly host schools, artists, and visitors seeking to learn more about the land’s long Aboriginal history.
The festival will take place at 107 Baldocks Rd, Wallabadah, on the unceded lands of the Gamilaraay/Gomeroi people, with deep respect to Elders past and present.
The Saturday markets are free to enter, all other events are ticketed. For tickets and more information, visit www.theartshack.com.au/events.
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