The largest community led one-day festival of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures in Australia is held in Sydney each year on Australia Day and it has fast become a favourite for both locals and visitors in town.
The Yabun Festival was founded in 2001 as an extension of the very first Survival Day events held during the 1990s. The original gatherings symbolised the survival and resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and cultures and was started to honour those who fight for justice and equality.
And so Yabun Festival has become one of Sydney’s most important yearly events. One that has evolved over the years with First Nations creatives, speakers and performers coming together for a day of market stalls, panel discussions, community forums, family activities and live music.
And so it holds great important for the city on Australia Day. This year should be no different, with an excellent lineup of artists including Gumbaynggirr/Bundjalung country singer Troy Cassar-Daley, Malyangapa Barkindji rapper Barkaa, Bundjalung rapper JK-47, multi-award-winning Australian electronic music duo Electric Fields, and more.
Yabun means ‘music to a beat’ in Gadigal language but recent years have pushed the festival to become so much more than just sound. The event’s footprint now covers more of Victoria Park in Broadway, presenting a great range of things to do for both Indigenous and non-Indigenous people to celebrate, reflect and discuss.
The Speak Out tent has become the Yabun Festival’s most energetic feature with community members and Elders speaking out about important topics that affect Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. It’s the place to be for visitors who want to deepen their understanding of Australia and its history.
Yabun Festival also features the Corroboree Ground where cultural practitioners and dance groups tell stories through performance and movement, expressing traditions that have continued for thousands of generations.
The event runs from 10am to 7pm at Victoria Park in Broadway, but there are also plenty of other ways to learn about, celebrate and support Indigenous culture in Sydney on Australia Day.
The first is Dawn Reflection at 5:20am. Many will gather at Overseas Passenger Terminal right before dawn to reflect on Australia’s history and its future as the sun rises. The Sydney Opera House will then mark the official start of Australia Day by illuminating its sails with a bespoke piece of Aboriginal artwork while both flags rise in unison on the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
Shortly after, the WugulOra Morning Ceremony will take place at Barangaroo Reserve on the Wululmil Lawns. The ceremony starts at 7:30am and runs for an hour, highlighting how the Gadigal people of the Eora nation draw upon dance, song and storytelling to showcase the richness and power of Australia’s Indigenous community.
While the Australia Day Live concert is Sydney’s signature celebration on January 26, many locals have been shuffling over to Blak Powerhouse in recent years. This year taking place at the University of Sydney’s Manning House, the massive, multifaceted cultural celebration is driven by different forms of expression and, like Yabun Festival, goes beyond just live music.
Although the music will surely be a highlight this year, with none other than Arrernte/Gurindji guitarist Dan Sultan leading a lineup that also includes Coodjinburra singer-songwriter Budjerah, Gomeroi rapper Kobie Dee, and Samu and Suy artist Zipporah.
The free event (must RSVP) will also be shouldered by local operators across dance, performance, art and food.
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