THOUSANDS of people attended the Mid North Coast’s Saltwater Freshwater Festival to celebrate the world’s oldest living culture.
Organisers estimated at least 5000 attended the Kempsey event on Australia Day, including a good number from the Hastings area.
Highlights included a very special opening ceremony with local Dunghutti Elders performing a welcome to country in both English and the revived Dunghutti language, a vibrant program of traditional and contemporary Aboriginal dance, gourmet bush tucker cookery demo from ABC chef Clayton Donovan and a performance from Gum Leaf Band playing Advance Australia Fair on eucalyptus leaves, which delighted the crowd.
Headline act Troy Cassar-Daley said he always enjoyed the festival, which rotated between Mid North Coast towns.
“It is a place of diversity,” he said.
“This is a festival that I always do my hardest to get to; it’s a great bridge builder, bringing people together to create understanding for the whole community, celebrating Australia Day in a really positive way.
“Being acknowledged is something we all strive for whether we are black or white. The Saltwater Freshwater Festival provides that opportunity.”
Among the Port Macquarie-Hastings residents to attend were Aboriginal dancer Steve Donovan, the Holiday Coast Credit Union team from Wauchope, and father and son Greg and Alexander Viale from Laurieton, who made a model bark canoe together in one of the hands-on cultural workshops.
“It was a beautiful day to enjoy with the family,” Greg said.
“It was really special to share and get involved in cultural activities that you don’t often get the chance to experience. The canoe we made will be the centre piece on our dining table – a memento of a really great day.”
Organisers have yet to finalise a venue for the 2015 festival.
