MUTAWINTJI Cultural Festival will return next month for its fourth year running, and organiser Leroy Johnson said the running of the festival has become much smoother with more events under the team’s belt.
“We’re just on the tried-and-true formula, we might look at doing things a little bit different time wise, but otherwise we’re just going to lock down what we’ve got,” he said.
Indigenous dance groups will gather in the national park 130 kilometres northeast of Broken Hill to perform Corroboree, and weaving and dance workshops will be back for attendees to partake in.
The traditional bush tucker cook up will also return, along with guided tours of the park.
The festival is a two-day, drug and alcohol-free event that will take place at the Homestead Creek Campground on Friday, August 8 and Saturday, August 9.
Mutawintji National Park was the first national park in the state to be handed back to traditional owners in September 1998 and continues to be a place of cultural significance for Indigenous communities.
Mr Johnson originally conceived the plan for the festival to bring community together outside of sorry business, during which Aboriginal traditions are centred around a period of mourning.
“We wanted to have a gathering for good, that wasn’t based around sorry business,” he said. “Where we can celebrate and share culture.”
Tickets for the event are on sale now: https://mutawintjiculturalfestival.com.au/
