Key Outcomes for Tourism
Session Five
Cultural Livelihoods from Festivals
Timmy Burarrwaŋa spoke of Garma as a process for sharing knowledge. Yolŋu children are learning about dominant culture through garma (the Yolŋu concept rather than the Garma festival itself). Garma could be compared to a major library or a university in which one learns and qualifies to pass on that knowledge in a responsible way. Livelihoods are understood through garma, and song and dance are very important elements. Garma is based in the environment, without computers or equipment, where all visitors, Indigenous and non-Indigenous, are learning. There are 200 names for garma across Arnhem Land. This Garma Festival is distinct in that the dominant culture is Yolŋu. Garma is about two peoples getting to know each other, without conflict and irrespective of ideologies. Ŋapaki (non-Indigenous) people are no strangers in Yolŋu culture. It is Ŋapaki who make themselves strangers. Yolŋu eat, dream and sit together in common unity. When Yolŋu meet other Indigenous people, they communicate through kinship, which is why nobody is ever a stranger in Indigenous cultures.
Rhoda Roberts added that her notion of 'common unity' was the same as community. There is a new voice in Australia that must be heard. Australians needed to sit and listen and be responsible about knowledge. The Gumatj people trust the receivers at Garma to pass on this knowledge in a responsible way by sharing it with visitors. Knowledge leads to cultural maintenance, new leaders and new voices. She then spoke about what festivals meant to Indigenous people around the country. She talked about her background as a child of a generation whose elders were resilient and continued to pass on traditional knowledge. She described herself as an advocate of unification as opposed to reconciliation. Festivals celebrate culture, which can be expressed in many different contexts. The opportunity for her to participate in The Dreaming Festival meant that, despite mistakes, many lessons were learnt. It was the trust that was placed in her and the enthusiasm of all Indigenous and non-Indigenous staff members that made success possible. Due to lack of funding from government agencies, Indigenous volunteers were employed to facilitate and work at the festival. Volunteer work was performed in exchange for a ticket to attend the festival, which proved a very good way to empower local Indigenous people and instil some change into the handout mentality. For performers, the festival was an opportunity to showcase their art. Indigenous people worked behind the bar at the festival. 'Festivals', she claimed, 'are about honour, respect, different experiences, and allowing small businesses to operate to bring economic development'. Indigenous Australians were 'the oldest race in the newest country with ancient footprints and modern stories'.