Yirriwinari Festival at Pirlangimpi

On 30 April and 1 May 2023 the inaugural Yirriwinari Festival was held at Pirlangimpi, supported by ArtbackNT and TITEB CDP staff and participants. The festival was an alcohol-free, family-friendly, cultural event for local community members.

The weekend began with an informal community BBQ on the beach. TITEB CDP supported the event, with the ladies making screen printed flags to go around the festival grounds, and men setting up the stage and fencing, and helping with the BBQ and clean-up. Pularumpi School held a stall selling cupcakes, glow sticks, damper, and scones to raise funds for students to go on camp. The cupcakes were a clear favourite with the kids!

On Sunday evening, the Welcome Ceremony was held and all visitors invited to join in. This was followed by cultural dancing from the ladies and men with the children joining in, choir groups, singers, and local bands throughout the night.

On Monday, small group activities were held, including mamanta (motherly love) cultural awareness, children’s stories, trivia and activities for the young children, weaving with the strong women’s group, Manupi Art Centre visits and music on stage throughout the afternoon. We also had a bush tucker BBQ with local mud mussel, long bum, and kangaroo. Families moved from one activity to another and enjoyed everything the festival had to offer.

The community was happy with the first festival being a local event, and supportive of future events being open to visitors to come and learn what the Tiwi Islands have to offer.

Photos courtesy ArtbackNT