SALTWATER Freshwater Festival (SWFW) 2022 is being held for the first time during Reconciliation Week – on Saturday 28 May, in the Nambucca Valley.

The festival is a colourful, joyful sharing of music, dance, crafts, “culture, language and family getting together,” Uncle Micklo Jarrett told News Of The Area.

“I love my culture and connecting with other mob from all the nations,” Joedie Lawler, Chairperson of the Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance, told NOTA.

“Seeing old friends and celebrating our connection to Country together, it’s powerful.”

Joedie is a strong saltwater woman from Biripi Country, an artist and a weaver.

She is CEO of the Purfleet Local Aboriginal Land Council and a respected member of her community.

What the SWFW festival means to Joedie is, “being present, representing Biripi people and Biripi women”.

“Come celebrate with us you mob,” invite the organisers.

“Yilaami maagunda ngiyambala ngujawiny! (Gumbaynggirr).”

“Mara gagi gindalan nyiirun.gay nyura! (Gathang).”

“Dhanang! Dugaaguga, giwin.ga nyinanhambuta! (Dhanggati).”

This year SWFW has secured a local Gumbaynggirr talent who is internationally acclaimed – Emma Donovan and her band The Putbacks – as well as a range of incredible local artists on the main stage.

There will also be a dance stage, a Yarn Tent, art and craft stalls, food trucks and workshops across the day.

Also on the mainstage is Eric Avery Kabi Marrawuy Mumbulla; violinist, vocalist, dancer and composer from the Ngiyampaa, Yuin and Gumbaynggirr people of NSW.

Glenn Skuthorpe, a Nhunggabarra, Kooma and Muruwari man and international touring singer-songwriter, powerful lyricist and composer, brings his intriguing stories to the stage.

Kauri Munro Greentree is also a mainstage feature – a percussive guitarist, singer-songwriter and self-taught Gamillaroi man, who has developed his own unique style of rhythmic curling finger tapping.

You’ll experience the beats of the guitar playing through him and out to the audience.

OETHA, a collaboration between Lady Lash, Miss Hood and Dizzy Doolan, bring their breath of fresh air into the music scene and onto the mainstage.

Other experiences include the dance stage with Worimi, Birpai, Biripi, Dunghutti, and Gumbaynggirr dancers with a big finale starring Corroboree to close the event.

Dance groups are coming from across the four nations, making up 73 dancers, including three Gumbaynggirr dance groups.

The Yarn Tent features panel discussions about resilience, connection to Country, cultural protocols and cultural burn practices.

The Film Tent is showcasing short films developed by Saltwater Freshwater Arts Alliance.

And then there’s workshops for dance, language, weaving and bark canoe making, with Aboriginal arts and craft stalls rounding out the whole festival.

The workshops will be facilitated by local Aboriginal weavers, linguists and dancers.

Elders will be attending the event and sharing their wisdom at various events.

This event is proudly funded by the NSW Government in association with the Bushfire Community Recovery and Resilience Fund through the joint Commonwealth/State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements and Nambucca Valley Council.

For more info visit www.saltwaterfreshwater.com.au/festival.

By Andrea FERRARI