GARMA FESTIVAL 4-10 Setpember 2000

Day 5 Festival stories and photos

[Day 1]  [Day 2]  [Day 3]  [Day4]  [Day 5] 

Open Day

The final day of Garma of 2000 was made open to local residents of the Gove region.

Buses of local families arrived regularly throughout the day, eager to join in the celebration of traditional Yolngu culture.

One of the activities offered was an expedition into the bush, searching for wild honey, in an area of bush that had recently been burnt off. Controlled burning of the bush is an important land management task, as it destroys the thick undergrowth allowing easier access, as well as releasing seedpods for the regeneration of trees.

Our Yolngu teacher, Dhopiya, explained that bush honey may be found in the stringybark tree. The tell-tale sign of honey is a swarm of small sting-less bees around the trunk of the tree. Generally there is a black growth attached to the trunk, which serves as the hive entrance for the bush bee.

After some frustrated searching for bees in the area, Dhopiya found a bee entrance in dead stringybark, halfway up the trunk. With everyone's help, the tree was easily pushed to the ground.

Dhopiya then studied the entrance to the hive, looking for signs of where the honey may be stored in the trunk. Cutting into the trunk about half a metre down from the hive entrance, Dhopiya soon revealed a hollow section filled with yellow pollen, which tastes like honeycomb flour.

Scraping the layer of pollen away, Dhopiya revealed a pool of thin honey. Everyone helped to extract the honey by hand. The honey is not as sweet as commercial honey, and was devoured by the group with great gusto.

    

Closing Bunggul

The Gurrumurru clan was given the honor of performing the final bunggul of Garma 2000.

The sound of the yidaki and bilma (clapsticks) summoned the growing crowd to gather at the end of the clearing.

The Gurrumurru dancers emerged from the bush to the giant totem of Ganbulabula and the symbolic log coffin.

Their dance paid homage to their spirit Ganbulabula, who united the Yolngu and gave them the gift of the yidaki. The dancing reflected the respect shown towards this Great Spirit.

At one stage the dancers all knelt in a circle around the log coffin of Ganbulabula, chanting rhythmically in low tones, as if they were shedding tears for their leader. With white ochre covering their hair and bodies, the dancers looked like they were from the spirit world.

The crowd was clearly touched by their tribute, and left the bunggul with an increased awareness of the importance of spirituality in Yolngu life.

    

Yothu Yindi Concert

Around 300 people gathered in the clearing at Gulkula for the musical climax to Garma 2000.

Singer/songwriter Mark Eden opened proceedings, followed by Phil O'Brien. Phil has been running the kitchen at the Garma festival, and is a renowned camp-fire singer throughout the Northern Territory.

At 9pm Yothu Yindi took over and the crowd rushed to the front of the stage. The magical sounds of the yidaki and bilma blended together as Yothu Yindi performed a two-hour collection of songs from their current and past albums.

Andrew Farriss, producer of the new Garma album, added his own touch to the band's music without taking anything from its indigenous flavor. The sound was more refined thanks to the introduction of new technology and different instrument mixes. A number of the tracks performed featured a five-string electric violin.

The efforts of Farriss were acknowledged on stage in a way that embodied the spirit of Garma. "I have learnt from you, and you have learnt form me", Manduwuy Yunupingu said.

The vocals of Jodie Cockatoo were impressive. The band's performance of the soon to be released single, "Community Life", showcased Jodie's talent and vibrant stage energy.

Later in the evening Australian rock legend Billy Thorpe joined the band on stage to belt out the song that perhaps relates most to Yolngu people: "Tribal Voice". It was a special moment hearing the voices of the Yolngu and Balanda crowd singing together in unison.