Over 10,000 people came together to celebrate our cultural roots at the 2011 Saltwater Freshwater Festival on Australia Day last week.
The event, which captivated revellers on January 26 at Westport Park in Port Macquarie, featured two stages of music, cultural workshops, a speaker’s tent and an Aboriginal market from 11am to 9pm.
Event organisers declared that the event was just as successful in Port Macquarie this year as it was in Coffs Harbour last year, attracting record crowds during the course of the day.
Federal Member for Lyne, Rob Oakeshott, commented, “Port Macquarie came out in force in support of Aboriginal culture and has embraced this Festival with open arms.”
The Festival is the brainchild of the Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance, which was formed in 2007 and is governed by ten Local Aboriginal Land Councils from Karuah in the south to Coffs Harbour in the north.
The aim is to create a positive and inclusive event on Australia Day where the rich diversity of the Worimi, Birpai, Dunghutti and Gumbaynggirr nations are shared with the wider community.
Among other highlights, Birpai Elder Uncle Bill O’Brien welcomed Australia’s newest citizens with a Traditional Smoking Ceremony during Port Macquarie Hastings Council’s Australia Day Citizenship Ceremony and the crowds were awestruck as the Coastal Skydivers flew over the Festival with giant Australian and Aboriginal Flags, a powerful symbol of reconciliation.
A highlight of the Festival was ‘Blackfella Whitefella’, a panel discussion about the meaning of Australia Day and reconciliation.
The evening closed with the GenerationOne Sunset Concert featuring Sean Choolburra, Troy Cassar-Daley and Neil Murray who, in a special encore, was joined by Street Warriors performing Blackfella Whitefella and Shellie Morris, singing My Island Home.
The crowd was delighted as Troy jumped back on stage to join them. Troy later said, “I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else in the world on Australia Day.”
There were 32 Aboriginal stallholders selling bush tucker, clothing, arts and crafts who did a roaring trade on the day.
Festival Director Alison Page says, “This Festival is creating a platform for aspiring artists, performers and businesses, as well as creating culturally-based employment and training opportunities for Aboriginal people in this region and beyond.”
An announcement on next year’s venue will be made during NAIDOC week celebrations in July.
