The much loved Boomerang Festival is back at Bluesfest in 2017! Managed and
programmed from an Indigenous-led perspective, Boomerang offers a unique point of
difference on the Australian festival landscape. Curated by respected Bundjalung
woman Rhoda Roberts; Boomerang is the first of its kind. Never has an Indigenous
festival of this holistic calibre been so accessible; featuring an array of music
and dance along with cultural knowledge exchanges and thought provoking
conversations. Hosted by the oldest living culture it’s a time to get up close and
personal, there is nothing that quite matches the exchanges our audience’s
experiences.
The Boomerang Precinct provides a safe, family-friendly program of arts and age-old
culture and rituals, along with workshops and interactive experiences.
The line up is filled with gifted artists from Canada, New Zealand, Tibet and of
course some of fantastic Indigenous talent from Australia will take the stage at
Boomerang this year as well.
Boomerang Director Rhoda Roberts AO shares her excitement about this year’s festival:
“Let’s begin the healing together and dance to the new music , listen to the
language and witnessed the ancient and the accessible . Now the time is right.
Boomerang festival in conjunction with Bluesfest knows it’s time to redefine the
great experiences of festivals . Come and dip your toe in.”
Bluesfest Director Peter Noble OAM , on the importance of the Boomerang Festival:
Boomerang, the festival is important please let me take a moment to tell you why I
feel that way. I had an experience not that long ago, I was in London and went to
the British Museum to see the exhibition called ‘First Contact’. It’s the story of
when the British first discovered Australia, and of the interaction between them and
the locals. Every 20 or so years the Brits dust off the Gweagal Shield. It was on
display at the exhibition, and I saw it for the first time. Upon inspection, it
became a very emotional moment for me, as I could clearly see the holes in the
shield from the musket bullets. My thoughts were that someone possibly died who was
holding that shield. If they knew the power of the rifles facing them, I could not
help but wonder, would they still stand their ground?
For that day, when that shield was held to repel the invaders, was in 1770, and the
place was Kurnell, in Botany Bay.
It was the first interaction between indigenous Australia and the explorers in
recorded history, one that would lead to the European colonisation of Australia, and
it seems the Captain Cook’s Soldiers came in to shore all guns blazing. A lot of
water has gone under the bridge since that fateful day the outcomes from that first
encounter still affect every Australian. Our original Australians have endured much
at our hands, yet, despite so much, they have continued to be a pillar of what it is
to be an Australian, as they are, and always will be our original culture. One that
has continued beyond written history, and has so much to give us non Indigenous
people to enrich our lives.
The Boomerang festival is a glimpse into this wonderful culture that exists all
around us, and as Australians, within us, even if we consciously are not aware of
that. Rhoda Roberts is its creative director, and I am her proud logistical
partner. Bluesfest is Boomerang’s current home, and one day it will be a standalone
festival. In these days of zero support from our Government Arts organisations, we
have had to dig deep this year to maintain the festival’s continuance. However, just
as our original Australians have survived, overcome adversity and flourish, so too
will The Boomerang Festival.
Not only is it a living example of our Indigenous culture, it’s a lot of fun. Take
some time to enjoy it, you won’t be disappointed and, while I’m on my high horse: We
need to bring the Gweagal Shield back to our shores to be on permanent exhibition
for all Australians to see our REAL history. And perhaps have that moment in every
one of us upon viewing that I had recently. After the shock of seeing the musket
holes, I felt so many emotions. Anger, shame and yes, tears.
But, more than ever, I felt a stronger determination to be a participant in true
Reconciliation between me, and our original people. I ask you to join me in this
quest. I am beyond convinced it is the most important thing each and every one of us
can do to produce an even greater Australia.
See you at Boomerang
