Dancers from across Cape York and the Torres Strait will unite once again this week for the biennial NPA Cultural Festival. Photo: Supplied.
The biennial Northern Peninsula Area (NPA) Cultural Festival is fast approaching, with dance groups from across the region coming together for an abundant showcase of rich cultures to celebrate this year’s theme of United Cultures = Strong Future: Let’s Dance.
With the NPA being home to both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural groups, its various stories will be showcased through performances from Aurukun, Coen, Bamaga, Thursday Island, Mer (Murray) Island, New Mapoon and Injinoo dance troupes.
“Due to the bicultural nature of the NPA in which we find several different clan tribes and language groups, it’s a cultural expression of unity,” festival co-ordinator Dev Lengjel said.
“Here in the Torres Strait and Cape York, everybody is related in some way and everybody knows everybody in some way, so I think it’s also a great celebration of family.
“The theme of United Cultures = Strong Future is also worldwide, not just the NPA; the more we manage to unite ourselves despite our cultural differences, the more we will be able to create a future for us and our children.”
In sticking with the theme, Mr Lengjel said making the guest dancers feel welcome to Country was a top priority for the event.
“This year, for the first time, we are starting off the festival with a low-key welcoming dinner for the dance groups that make it here on Thursday,” he said.
“It’s a bit more of an intimate way for the dancers here to welcome other dancers.”
The festival co-ordinator said he hoped the event would also inspire young people in the community to learn deeply about their culture.
“Hopefully, the community will embrace the unity and some of the youngsters will be affected by it,” Mr Lengjel said.
“The passing on of culture has such a great importance to First Nations peoples, so this may be yet another little way for our Elders to impart knowledge to the young ones.”
The 2024 NPA Cultural Festival will take place from 11-13 July between the communities of Injinoo, Umagico, Seisia and New Mapoon before it finishes in Bamaga.
