DANCERS from across Cape York and the Torres Strait will perform at this month’s NPA Cultural Festival.
The Northern Peninsula Area Regional Council has been working around the clock to prepare for the June 24-25 event.
ThemedKeep the Flame of Culture Burning, the festival is a regional showcase of the two unique Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures of the Northern Peninsula Area.
The NPA is situated at the northernmost tip of Cape York and is home to three Aboriginal communities (Injinoo, Umagico and New Mapoon) and two Torres Strait Islander communities of Bamaga and Seisia.
The festival aims to create unity through a variety of events that display music, dance, art, food and culture.
“This is an important and interactive cultural showcase featuring workshops, concerts, traditional dance, underground oven cooking, painting and weaving,” said festival coordinator Dev Lengjel.
“Our plan is to develop economically post-COVID with a celebration of our cultures and a coming together of community and visitors to enjoy all we have to offer.”
The festival will present a variety of traditional dance performances featuring local troupes of Naygayiw Gigi, Bamaga, Guba Markai, Umagico, Dance Right, New Mapoon, Injinoo Storm, Injinoo and Wabuan Gedth Dance troupe, Umagico.
Joining them from across the Cape will be dancers from Laura, Lockhart River and Aurukun.
“Together with musicians Nightshift from Cairns and Tessa Devine, the festival will be an entertainment delight for young and old.” Mr Lengjel said.
“The local community will have food stalls and there will be weaving workshops and other cultural activities for visitors to experience and locals to enjoy.”
The event starts on a Friday and finishes with a fireworks display on the Saturday night.
Jute Theatre from Cairns will also bring its Dare to Dreamworkshop and performance about road safety to town.
There is an exhibition of the Kentone Collection of photographs from the 1860s and the festival will showcase art from the schools and local artists.
Visitors are welcome.
