Tradition indigenous dancing - like that performed by Tyron Ross-Gardam, Waripa Miller, Isaac Wilson and Samuel Carter at the Deni Ute Muster in 2022 - will be included in the festival.
An explosion of colour, sound, dance and interactive cultural displays and demonstrations is coming Deniliquin’s way.
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The Tyakuwala Cultural Festival - which means to feast/to celebrate in the local Wamba Wamba language - is this region’s first dedicated cultural festival.
It will be hosted on Saturday, January 14, with activities centred on the Deniliquin Waring Gardens.
A free event, it will celebrate many of the different cultures that are part of the region’s social fabric.
It is being presented by local Traditional Owners with the support of the Edward River Council, and funded by the NSW Government through the Reconnecting Regional NSW Communities Program.
The free event will be jam-packed with fun for the whole family.
Attractions will include indigenous life size weaving and indigenous dance performances.
You can take part in Tai Chi or play Mahjong.
And vibrant African drums will reverberate out of the park across Deniliquin as part of the day.
There will also be cooking demonstrations, henna painting, a variety of stalls and different foods to taste.
A highlight of the day will be the international dress parade.
ERC community project officer Carlee Rundell-Gordon said the introduction of a cultural festival for Deniliquin has been on the wish list for a number of years.
“It’s a dream come true and something I have wanted to see happen for a very long time,” she said.
“The central theme is weaving communities together.
“It is a real coup with ERC acknowledging the traditional owners of the Wamba Wamba Perrepa Perrepa peoples and the Traditional Owners welcoming all other cultures on their land to celebrate together as a community.
“It will be an insight into cultural change within rural communities. With people of many cultures living and working here, it is important to be seen and acknowledged.
“It’s a small step towards continual growth and for the rest of the community to become involved.”
The Tyakuwala Cultural Festival is free to attend, and will run from 10am to 4pm on January 14.
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