Armidale Community Radio 2ARM will honour its long-time musical patron, Uncle Cyril Green Senior, and bring First Nations culture to the 15th Black Gully Festival on Saturday, 7 November.
The festival runs from 10am to 7pm. It aims to bring the Armidale community together through art, music and the environment. 2ARM has been part of the local fabric for more than three decades and moved to its current studios at 124 Kentucky Street in 2010. The station will again help organisers deliver the event.
Earlier this year, 2ARM won a grant from the NSW Aboriginal Land Council to support Aboriginal cultural components at the festival. The funding will support a Welcome to Country, a Smoking Ceremony and an acknowledgement of Uncle Cyril as the 2ARM Musical Patron. This part of the program begins at 12 midday at Festival Stage Central, behind the New England Regional Art Museum.
Uncle Cyril is a Dunghutti Elder. He was the principal guitarist with Yorta Yorta man Jimmy Little in the Jimmy Little Trio. He is much loved across the music industry, where he has contributed as a talented Aboriginal musician for more than 50 years.
2ARM wishes to acknowledge Uncle Cyril for his strong and long-time support of the station, his contribution to the music industry and the giving of himself to the Armidale community over many years.
After the ceremony, performances of contemporary Aboriginal dance and theatre will follow from 12:30pm at the nearby Aboriginal Cultural Centre and Keeping Place. The two dance troupes are the Sharnae Smith Dance Troupe and the Lyãmbay Dance Group. They will be joined by the Saturday Magic Theatre Company.
The Lyãmbay Group is made up of Year 7 to 12 students from Armidale Secondary College. It was established in 2021, and its principal co-ordinators are Tasha Griffith and Jaiden French. The group celebrates culture, storytelling and connection through dance, and performs at preschools, schools and community events. It also runs dance workshops for younger students.
The dancers create and choreograph their own pieces. They have been inspired by their experiences at the Schools Spectacular and in workshops with Bangarra Dance Theatre, and they are passionate about sharing what they learn with the next generation. This year, in the spirit of All In for Reconciliation, two non-Indigenous allies have joined the group.
Sharnae Smith is the choreographer of the troupe that carries her name. She mentors young Aboriginal dancers with original contemporary pieces that showcase First Nations culture and tradition. Ms Smith is dedicated to fostering the next generation of dancers in her hometown of Armidale. She has built a career that blends her heritage with contemporary dance practice. She has performed on many professional stages, including at the opening of the 2018 Commonwealth Games with dancers from Bangarra Dance Theatre, and alongside First Nations rapper and musician BARKAA.
The Saturday Magic Theatre Company is made up of people with disabilities. They are assisted by Director Julie Collins and take part in drama-based activities that build skills and create engaging, interactive performances. Their production of Tiddalick is an Aboriginal Dreaming story about a very greedy frog who drinks all the water. All ages are invited to the Keeping Place to see what the kangaroo, koala, kookaburra and many other animals do, and how audiences might help them get their water back.
Festival organisers expect other musicians to turn up and join the celebrations for Uncle Cyril. The Keeping Place will be a great venue for the community to get involved on the day.
An open invitation is offered to attend the Black Gully Festival from 10am to 7pm. The Welcome to Country, Smoking Ceremony and award presentation will run from 12 midday to 12:30pm at Festival Stage Central. Further First Nations cultural celebrations will then run at the Aboriginal Cultural Centre and Keeping Place from 12:30pm.
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