Sarah Harvey reports from the Garma Festival
The nation's largest first nations event, the Garma Festival is continuing in east Arnhem land today - reporter Sarah Harvey is there.
Transcript
00:00 It's been a pretty calm morning here at Gwilgola, unlike the past few days.
00:08 It's turned from politics much more towards the culture and art, which is really what
00:13 this festival is all about.
00:15 There's been a number of key forums on this morning, exploring things like protecting
00:21 country, preserving culture, as well as the youth forum, which has been started this morning.
00:28 We've had young kids there talking about their vision for the future, but also engaging from
00:33 other kids from different mobs right around the country, sharing their culture with each
00:37 other.
00:38 We've got some music that's just started down at the Boongal stage as well.
00:42 So yeah, it's getting, yeah, heating up here a bit.
00:45 Well, as you mentioned there, politics has been in the mix there as well.
00:50 And we will mention it because there's been some new polling as well, Sarah, to show that
00:54 states and territories are leaning now more towards a no vote.
00:58 What are you hearing there at Gwilgola?
01:01 Yeah, so that Redbridge poll that came out this morning in the papers found that 56%
01:07 of people are leaning towards voting no at the upcoming voice to parliament referendum.
01:12 But here on the ground, you wouldn't know it.
01:14 There's a clear majority here of people backing the yes campaign, people walking around with
01:18 their yes shirts, even when we had the prime minister speaking here yesterday, a lot of
01:23 support for that yes vote.
01:25 Even speaking with the young kids too, a lot of them in favour of it, although they are
01:29 a bit too young to vote.
01:31 Now you mentioned there, there's some music that's about to kick off.
01:34 What else is in store for the rest of the day?
01:37 Yeah, so we've got the Boongal on later this evening, which everyone is getting around,
01:43 hundreds of people turning out to that to see traditional dances performed by different
01:48 clan groups from the East Arnhem Land area.
01:51 We've also got a huge night of music coming up, a lot of First Nations artists performing
01:56 throughout the night.
01:57 It's really the big night of the festival.
01:59 And the one act everyone here is most excited for is of course, King Stingray.
02:05 They are from Arnhem Land originally, but have really gone on to be a great success
02:10 story for this region.
02:12 They've toured nationally, internationally, and tonight they'll be back here on their
02:15 country performing, which is very exciting.
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