Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will tell Indigenous leaders at the Garma Festival he is committed to Makarrata, one of the three pillars of the Uluru Statement from the Heart.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived at the ceremonial site in northeast Arnhem Land on Friday afternoon, led through the grounds by members of the Dhalwangu Clan.
The prime minister joined the newly sworn-in Indigenous Australians Minister Malarndirri McCarthy at the Gulkula site.
Once Garma attendees gathered at the bunggul (dance) grounds, members of the Gumatj clan presented Mr Albanese with a Ganiny – an instrument used to take the bark off certain trees found in the region.
‘I look forward to once again spending a couple of wonderful days with you, celebrating language, culture, dance, and hoping for the creation of a better future as we walk forward together,’ Mr Albanese said after receiving the gift.
The prime minister on Saturday will tell the audience in Arnhem Land: ‘We remain committed to Makarrata, that powerful Yolŋu word gifted to the nation, for a coming together after a struggle’ he will say.
‘And we will continue to engage in good faith with leaders and communities to decide what the next steps should be at a national level.’
Senator McCarthy said the festival was a chance to hold discussions about what the future might look like for First Nations Australians.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese arrived at the ceremonial site in northeast Arnhem Land on Friday afternoon and was greeted by ceremonial dancers
Mr Albanese will spend Saturday at the festival, the first held since the Voice referendum
‘It’s really quite a special place,’ she said.
‘You do feel the strength in the country here at Gulkula.
‘It’s an important opportunity for people to talk, to listen and to reset where we might be going.’
Taking pride in her appointment as Indigenous Australians Minister, Senator McCarthy said she would continue the work of her predecessor Linda Burney.
‘I’m certainly deeply proud to represent the people of the Northern Territory at the cabinet table,’ she said.
‘As a First Nations woman from the Gulf region, that holds a special sort of pride too.’
Senator McCarthy said she would like to see political leaders walk with her on Closing the Gap targets after the Productivity Commission’s Annual Data Compilation Report, released on Wednesday, showed only five out of 19 of the targets were on track.
‘Those figures are deeply troubling,’ she said.
‘I know that in my role I can reach out to political leaders across the aisle and say that there is something we can do together in closing the gaps.’
Outgoing Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney (left) and the new appointee Malarndirri McCarthy (right)
Garma, which is Australia’s largest Indigenous cultural festival, showcases Yolngu culture through traditional miny’tji (art), manikay (song), bunggul (dance) and storytelling.
Gurtha-Wuma Worrk-gu – Fire, Strength and Renewal is the theme for this year’s 24th annual festival.
This year’s event is the first Garma Festival since the defeat of the referendum for an Indigenous voice to parliament, with a strong focus on the way forward after the rejection in October.
Gurtha (fire) is an important concept for the Yolngu people, with Yothu Yindi Foundation chair Djawa Yunupingu saying it is the foundation of life.
‘My totem is the tongue of the fire, Gurtha, and Gurtha-Wuma Worrk-gu is deeply connected to the ceremonies of the land,’ he said.
‘Following fire, the land and all that is in it renews and comes back to life – and with it the people.
‘This is the Yolngu circle of life.’
