Photos from the Real AUSTRALIA

The Laura Dance and Cultural Festival in North Queensland

The biannual festival began in the early 80s when communities in the Cape York region decided to reunite for a weekend of song, dance and celebration. The fourteenth festival was held on the Ang-gnarra Festival Grounds, on the site of the traditional "Bora" grounds where the local Kuku Yalanji Aboriginal people had congregated for time immemorial, from 22 to 24 June 2001. The theme of the Festival was Reconciliation.

The three day programme included more than 25 Aboriginal communities performing traditional dance and song, Art and Craft workshops, the Cape York Art Awards Exhibition, evening concerts, a didjeridu competition, boomerang and spear throwing. There were also guided tours to the nearby Quinkan Rock Art sites and a "Night Walk" for Reconciliation.

From the 20th to the 22nd of June 2003 the Ang-gnarra Aboriginal Corporation of Laura, the Kuku Yalanji Traditional Owners of this area hosted the 15th Laura Dance and Cultural Festival at the Ang-gnarra Festival Grounds near Laura, 300km north of Cairns. Almost 1000 performers and artists from 25 Cape York and Gulf communities again traveled to Laura to perform traditional dance, music and song, and to display traditional arts and crafts, from 20 to 22 June 2003. Traditional dancing started in the morning and went on all day. Spear throwing and a didjeridu competition were part of the activities during the day while traditional art and crafts from the different communities were on sale.

For more information visit the official Laura Festival Website.

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