Warren Snowdon (Lingiari, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Defence Science and Personnel) Share this | Hansard source

The NT Indigenous Music Awards and the Darwin Festival, which finished on Sunday, have shown yet again that the best of the best is synonymous with the best of the bush. This year marks the 30th year since the Darwin Festival was first held, in 1978, as the Bougainvillea Festival. Since then it seems to have become bigger and better with each passing year. Record crowds and top-quality entertainment were the order of the day this year.

Artists, musicians and dancers from my electorate of Lingiari were especially prominent this year. I am very proud to represent such a multitalented mob, who always have so much to offer every year to discerning festival audiences. In dance, Lingiari was represented by the Kenbi Dancers from Belyuen, the high-profile Red Flag Dancers from Numbulwar and the esteemed Yawalyu women from Lajamanu. Yawalyu performed in conjunction with Darwin’s Grey Panthers in the festival hit Lipstick and Ochre.

In music, Nabarlek from Manmoyi headlined the Santos Concert on the Esplanade, and the Yilila band, from Raminging, spent an incredible night performing at the Star Shell with musicians from Flores, Indonesia. Wildwater from Maningrida, Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu, Manuel Dhurrkay and Saltwater Band from Galiwinku were standouts from the NT Indigenous Music Awards night, performing before a record crowd at the amphitheatre. Yirara College band the Rocky Creek Band took out the honours for School Band of the Year.

The world famous Chooky Dancers, under the inimitable leadership of Frank Djirrimbilpilwuy, also featured at the awards night. Frank was also MC for the music awards night and did a great job. Crossing Roper Bar featured an amazing collaboration between the Australian Art Orchestra and Wagilak Gujarra and Nyilapidgi musicians from the Ngukurr region.

Lingiari artists abounded, with Buku Larrangay from Yirrkala exhibiting new etchings and larrakitj, or burial poles; Angelina George from Ngukurr with more of her stunning landscapes; and Utopia artists, represented by Jeannie Mills and Kathleen Ngale, with Janelle Stockman exhibiting beautiful works of their country.

Other artists from Lingiari featured this year include the renowned west Arnhem painter Lofty Nadjamerrek AO, Dorothy Napangardi, Regina Wilson from Peppimenarti, Lena Nyadbi, Jean Baptiste Apuatimi from the Tiwi Islands, Galumbu Yunipingu and Butcher Cherel.

All in all, it was a tremendous spectacle—indeed, it was a tribute to the vibrancy of contemporary bush culture. My congratulations to all involved, especially to outgoing festival director Malcolm Blaylock.

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