YABUN 2009 - 26 Jan - Celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures

Yabun 2009 is at Victoria Park, Broadway, Monday January 26. 10 am – 6.30pm 

The music line up showcases some of the best performers in Australia.  Kev Carmody brings his legendary status back to town along with Tjimba and the Yung Warriors, Zennith and Aunty Cindy Drummond whose song Ruby Red Lips is a frequent request on Koori Radio.  They will join emerging and seasoned performers like Vic Simms to make the main stage rock!

It doesn’t stop there, with Aunty Wendy performing on the Kid’s stage and great dance performances on the ‘Corroborree Ground’.

The Speak Out tent will launch the inaugral Kevin cook Lecture, delivered by Bev Manton, Chairperson of the NSWALC.  The tent will also be an opportunity to listen to speakers talking on themes such as ‘If Obama can, Can we?” or ‘The Big Picture’, a look at what is in store for Kooris, Murris and Gooris in the next ten years.  Speakers include Jacki Huggins, Professor Larissa Behrendt, Lindon Coombs and Monica Morgan.

If you want to be an artist, check out the Literature and Arts tent.  There will be talks on Resale Royalty, our rights as artists and a great panel of authors will discuss why they write.  The program ends with some of Sydney’s best rhymers and wordsmiths strutting their stuff in ‘Wordclaim’.

Of course you can’t have a festival without art and craft and there is plenty of that with Boomalli Aboriginal artists co-operative on site with a range of activities and works for sale. This year a new craft tent showcasing NSW south coast weavers, shellworkers and carvers has been added.

Our Kids Zone will have its own stage this year with Aunty Wendy headlining along with a chance to learn some circus skills from Aerialize Circus. The Jarjum tent will once again have activities for little ones like painting, puzzles and craft.

The Vibe Dance stage comes alive again with ‘Shake and Break’ dance offs and competitions in traditional and contemporary dance.  Sponsored by Gavin Jones Communicaitons, this stage was very popular with kids last Yabun.

This year we also introduce a sports tent which will be hosted by the AFL.  With a dynamic program that brings politics, art and craft, literature, music and lots of activities for kids together, Yabun  is shaping up to be bigger and better in 2009. Back at Victoria Park for the third year, Yabun has grown into the space and promises to deliver a dynamic and exciting day for all the family.

As always, Yabun will provide a rest place for Elders to have a cuppa and catch up with friends and relatives and our boulevarde of stalls will be serving up food and drinks all day, along with information, art and craft and merchandise stalls.

Steve Miller, Chairperson of Gadigal Information Services, the event organiser says ‘every year Yabun grows and this year, it will be bigger and better with something to do for every age group. It’s a day on the Koori calendar that you don’t want to miss’

So bring a blanket, get your family and friends and come and enjoy a great day out ‘Koori Style’.

There will be lots of interactive activities and also a chance to meet some of the players.

For further information ring the Yabun team on 02 9384 4000

For More information: http://www.redwatch.org.au/Events/090126gis