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Artwork: Whale Stories 2008, Jessica Birk, acrylic on canvas
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Founded in 2001, the Guringai Festival aims to raise awareness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in Northern Sydney. 2008 marks the 8th consecutive year the Guringai Festival has been running. The Aboriginal people who reside in the Northern Sydney region come from many different Aboriginal nations or countries throughout Australia and call this place – Guringai Country – home.
The Guringai Festival is jointly run by ten Northern Sydney Councils and runs from Sorry Day on May 26 to NAIDOC Week in July. See below for events that are took place as part of Guringai Festival 2008.
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Reconciliation Student Writing Competition
Competition opens: Monday 26 May
Competition closes: Monday 16 June
Free event
A writing competition open to students years 5 to 9 across the Northern Sydney region. Students are asked to write a piece based on this year's topic: "An Aboriginal student started at your school. Describe how the school and students made the new student welcome, as well as describing the thoughts, feelings and experiences of the student". An exhibition of previous entries were on display at the Willoughby City Council foyer exhibition space from Monday 16 June - Friday 11 July.
Bushwalk through Mowbray Park
When: Sunday 1 June, 10am - 12noon
Where: Mowbray Park, Chatswood West.
Aboriginal Heritage Officer, Raye Newell led walkers through a cultural journey discovering how the the Camaraigals once lived in the local bushland for thousands of years.
Collaboration and Celebration: paintings and sculptures by students from Chatswood Public School
When: Wednesday 18 June to Friday 11 July
Where: Foyer Exhibition Space, Willoughby City Council, 31 Victor Street, Chatswood, open 8:30am to 5pm weekdays.
As a key Guringai Festival, Chatswood Public School students produced a series of quirky, yet familiar, carvings and sculptures. These were on display in the Foyer Exhibition Space. They will also work together in the Foyer Exhibition Space to produce a kaleidoscope of artworks in response to the Guringai Festival, as a celebration of Aboriginal Culture and Heritage.
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Brother Boys
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Short Black Film Night
When: Wednesday 25 June, 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Where: Willoughby City Council, Council Chambers, Level 6, 31 Victor Street, Chatswood.
A night of short films directed by Indigenous film makers. The night featured films including The Djarn Djarns and Brother Boys as well as a talk from the director of Brother Boys. These films have been produced through the Lester Bostock Metroscreen program, which provides grants and mentoring for Aboriginal people to produce films.
Bushwalk through Flat Rock Gully
When: Sunday 29 June, 10am - 12noon
Where: Flat Rock Gully, Naremburn.
Aboriginal Heritage Officer, Raye Newell led walkers on a cultural journey discovering how the the Camaraigals once lived in the local bushland for thousands of years. For more information phone 9777 7755.
NAIDOC Week
When: Thursday 10 July to Wednesday 19 July
Where: Mowbray Park, Chatswood West.
Aboriginal cultural fun adventures exploring the bush by Lane Cove River.
History of the Guringai Festival
Before the founding of the Guringai Festival in 2001, many Councils in the northern Sydney Region participated in reconciliation programs such as Sorry Day and NAIDOC Week with their own Civic programs, receptions, awards and performances.
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In 2001 Manly, Warringah and Pittwater Councils together with various community groups incorporated all their Reconciliation Day and NAIDOC Week events across the northern beach peninsula under one ‘festival’ umbrella. It was decided that the festival would be named 'The Guringai Festival - Footprints on the Peninsula'.
In 2003, Willoughby, Lane Cove, North Sydney, Hornsby and Kuringai Councils joined the partnership together with more local community and reconciliation groups. 2006 saw Taronga Zoo and Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority commence their participation in the festival
The Guringai Festival is unique in incorporating events from across ten Local Governments across Northern Sydney working together to celebrate Aboriginal culture and heritage, one of the oldest cultures in the world.
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The Guringai Festival Committee works actively to promote awareness and understanding of Australia’s indigenous culture by encouraging participation in the annual festival and its art and cultural programs. The Festival runs each year from late May (National Sorry Day) through to mid July (NAIDOC week) and is a joint project between ten local government areas based on the traditional lands of the Guringai people as well as community groups and other government departments.