An arts and culture event shut down by COVID-19 has reignited in West Arnhem Land with the community of Gunbalanya hosting hundreds of visitors and locals gathered for the one-day Stone Country festival.
A major cultural event for the West Arnhem and Kakadu regions, Stone Country is run through the community's Injalak Arts Centre, 300km east of Darwin in Arnhem Land on the traditional lands of the Binij people.
The festival’s founder, Gabriel Maralngurra, said the event began as a school fete in the 1980s and has since evolved into today’s iteration, hosting more than 150 visitors and hundreds of locals to partake in Indigenous art, song and food.
“It’s back on track again,” Maralngurra said, “It’s really for the kids.”
The event kicked off on Saturday morning with weaving workshops, an archival exhibition of community artists and tours of Injalak Hill – a 4000-year-old rock art site that overlooks the town’s billabong and surrounds.
The program for the evening included local and regional musicians such as Black Rock Band, as well as dancers from Goulburn Island.
“It’s primarily for the community and the development and engagement with visitors as well,” Injalak Arts’ interim CEO, Nina Haigh, said.
“It's a really nice event to be able to come together … and share culture.”
Both Mr Maralngurra and Ms Haigh outlined their hopes for growing the festival in a sustainable and practical way, with community stakeholders key to the expansion of an in-demand event. Initial tickets sold out in days, with a second release gone within 20 minutes.
“There are so many bands here,” Ms Haigh said.
“But there’s not a lot of opportunity for them to play shows and so hopefully with this … it’s something for people to work on and develop.”
