Remote NT community lit up for annual Christmas lights competition
The remote Indigenous community of Santa Teresa in the Northern Territory couldn't be further from the north pole, but its residents have been busy decorating their homes for the annual Christmas lights competition. Now in its 23rd year, locals go to great lengths to decorate their homes, illuminating the community under the dark desert sky.
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00:00 It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas in the Central Australian Desert.
00:06 An hour's drive southeast of Alice Springs, residents of Santa Teresa are finalising their
00:11 displays for the popular annual Christmas Lights competition.
00:16 It's a labour of love that brings cheer to the whole community.
00:23 Having won the competition previously, Desmond's Desert Wonderland is once again turning heads.
00:29 What do people say when they see the lights, the people around here, what do they say to
00:32 you when they see it all?
00:33 Wow!
00:34 Yeah, they say wow, look at the lights.
00:40 The displays are judged on their beauty, originality and arrangement, with a $500 cash prize for
00:45 the outright winner.
00:47 It is very interesting and people they sort of compete with each other with the lights
00:57 and it's really beautiful at night.
01:00 Sometimes I try in the comp but I always lose.
01:04 But there's a lot of energy that goes into a lot of people and putting their designs
01:09 up on their houses.
01:11 Beneath the festive fervour lies a robust religious heritage, with the community first
01:15 established as a Catholic mission in the 1950s.
01:18 Most of the people here grow up being Catholics.
01:22 Even though there is less participation in the church nowadays as used to be, people
01:29 still regard themselves and still remain as Catholics.
01:33 An event with a combined cultural heritage and a bright future.
01:36 [BLANK_AUDIO]