Media Release by The Hon Jenny Macklin MP

Australian Government proud to support 2009 Garma Festival

Joint Media Release with:

  • The Hon Peter Garret MP, Minister for the Environment - Heritage and the Arts
    The Hon Warren Snowdon MP, Member for Lingiari

The Australian Government today announced $265,000 to support Australia’s leading Indigenous festival, Garma.

The 11th annual Garma Festival is being held in the Northern Territory from 7 to 11 August.

The funding will help support a number of initiatives over the weekend including:

  • Events encouraging Indigenous women to engage in cultural traditions, networks and leadership;
  • The Garma Miwatj Youth Forum;
  • Promotion of Yolgnu Matha, the traditional language of the Yolgnu people of Arnhem Land; and
  • Promotional materials and operational costs associated with the festival.

The Garma Festival is a celebration of Yolgnu culture and is Australia’s premier celebration of Indigenous culture.

Held annually in North East Arnhem Land, Garma attracts thousands of visitors from interstate and abroad.

It showcases the art, music, dancing, knowledge and ideas of the Yolgnu people, giving people the opportunity to engage directly with the richness of Yolgnu culture and share in the experience of traditional and modern approaches to life, culture and business.

It also encourages greater understanding of the importance of nurturing and maintaining Indigenous cultural traditions and practices.

This year’s festival theme is Creative Industries. It focuses on economic opportunities for Indigenous Australians in areas such as design, music, film, photography and performance arts.