This morning the Gupapuyngu and the Gumatj yothu-yindi groups came together for this special garma business and placed their feet down, they were uniting for this garma ceremony.

When this garma first started, the Gupapuyngu people didn’t come as a large group. But yesterday they arrived, and are here because Gupapuyngu and Gumatj share song and clapsticks with each other.
So they came today, and met together, saw each other, cried for each other’s deceased forebears, and made good preparation for ceremonial business.

Before the Europeans arrived here, the Gumatj and Gupapuyngu had one law, one open ceremony, the same circumcision rites, and shared sacred business.

Galarrwuy told the story about Ganbulapula, how he ran from this base here, to meet with the Gupapuyngu, Dhalwangu and Ritharrngu people.

Galarrwuy was very happy that the Gupapuyngu yothu yindi have come here to this place which is truly the home of Ganbulapula.

Photo: Andrea Keningston

Bapurru yirripunhamina gathura

Dhawu Gulumbuwungu ga Dhuwarrwarrwungu

Gaathura godarr’ Gupapuyngu Yothu Yindi ga Gumatj yothu yindi gumurr-bunanhamina wangganygu dhiyaku garmawa romgu ga djalkiri nherranmina, bitjan witiyanmina dhipala romlili garma’lili.

Ngaathili ngunhi dhuwala garma ngurru-yirr’yun, baayngu walala Gupapuyngu marrtjinyara raali. Ga dhuwala walala yawungu marrtji, bili dhuwala walalanggu wanggany manikay ga bilma.

Ga marrtjina walala gaathura, ga do’yunmina, nhaanhamina, ngaathinyamina baapurru’- yirripunhamina.

Ngaathil before ngaapaki bunana walalanggu Gumatjku ga Gupapuynguwa wanggany rom, garma, dhapi, ga ngaarra’.

Galarrwuyyu lakarangala dhaawu Ganbulapulawalanguwuy, ngunhi ngayi dhipunguru basenguru wandina bunana Gupapuynguwala, Dhalwanguwala, ga Ritharrnguwala.

Wirrki ngayi Galarrwuyyu maarr-ngamathina balanyarawa romgu bili walala Gupapuyngu yothu yindi marrtjina dhipala ngunhi wanhaka nhanngu yuwalktja Ganbulapulawa waanga.

Photo: Trevor van Weeren

GARMA OPENING

This afternoon the 6th annual Garma Festival was opened by Galarrwuy Yunupingu, Gumatj clan elder and chairman of the Yothu Yindi Foundation.

Welcoming around 800 visitors from around the world and a similar number of Yolngu from across Arnhem Land, told of the age-old links between his Gumatj people and visiting Gupapuyngu families from Ramingining and Milingimbi communities to the west.

It is the first time the families from that clan have visited Garma in large numbers, coming by dirt road and light plane. On behalf of the traditional landowners, the Gumatj and Rirratjingu, he welcomed the Gupapuyngu to Gulkula.

He went on to explain that the Garma connection between the Gumatj and the Gupapuyngu and the site at Gulkula dates back to time immemorial, that their “stories are shared equally and in balance.”

Before the Gupapingu dancers entered the bunggul ground, Galarrwuy said “This is Garma in reality” and asked the audience to “pay attention in reverence and respect.”

Earlier in the day the Gumatj and Gupapuyngu had come together for a ceremony “in mourning and remembrance of their ancestors, their senior men and women who’ve passed away, and in celebration that this generation is meeting here now.”

The Garma Festival launch was attended by official guests NT Administrator Ted Egan, state and federal politicians and senior representatives from Alcan.

Heralded by the haunting call of the Yidaki, scores of Gupapuyngu men in yellow nagas and dozens of women in colourful dresses danced barefoot in the sand, the men brandishing spears, the women branches of gum leaves. The men were painted up in yellow ochre yam designs traditionally associated with the site at Gulkula.

After the first presentation of dancing, Ted Egan gave a brief welcome in Yolngu math and English before the bunggul recommenced in all its vibrant colour and drama.

Photo Stephen Cherry

Photo Stephen Cherry

Yirrkala School teaches its special Journey

Students at Yirrkala Community Education Centre displayed traditional dances to warmly welcome people to Garma this morning. A stream of visitors flowed into the colourful classrooms to experience the school’s culture and special ‘Both-Ways’ learning program in action.

The kids showed off new skills of body percussion they learnt with the drummer Chinta, who’d been visiting from Byron Bay, NSW, as part of a cultural exchange.

Teachers spoke to the visitors about the importance of Bilingual education which they’ve been pioneering since 1974. The message of the history lesson was to plant the seed – practically teaching Dhuwa language alongside English to develop a better understanding of both cultures. The growth of the education initiative, from the Remote Area Teaching program in the ‘80s to the development of the Action Research Group, expressing ideas and concepts in specific Yolngu ways, was shown through Yolngu symbols like Cycad Nuts being ground down into bread, planting the cyclic journey of learning and culture in the children’s imagination.

Former Yirrkala school principal Mandawuy Yunupingu introduced the traditional Seagull Dance, saying it was about ownership and expressed the Yolngu peoples’ aspirations for country. The children, who were covered in white ochre and holding gum leaves, danced like a seagull hunting its prey. Women also danced to the Yidaki and clapsticks. The crowd watched on as the Morning Star dance followed, which Mandawuy said symbolised the beginning of the next day, a mourning time for people past and also showing how they relate to time and space.

Teachers and friends then joined in for more dancing. A great time of learning for the guests as well as fun for kids.

Story by Dusk Dundler

On Stage

Tonight the stage lit up with performances by bands involved in the music workshops being held during Garma. Song writing and performance are being explored by young bands from the region.

The Yirrkala CEC bigbands both performed tonite to an appreciative local audience.