Thousands have descended on the small Indigenous community of Barunga, east of Katherine, for its annual festival of Indigenous culture. It's a celebration with a special note of reflection this year, honouring the late Dr Bush Blanasi – a powerful voice who championed the learning of traditional culture, on country, as a way for young Indigenous people to thrive. A warning, this story contains the image of a person who has died.
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00:00 A new dawn for the Barunga Festival as it remembers a titan of Indigenous land rights.
00:06 The memory of former Northern Land Council Chair Dr Bush Blanasi is everywhere at this
00:11 festival after his passing last year.
00:13 Dad will be remembered all the time.
00:16 When our dad passed away, he was always there for us.
00:20 Today he's following the same passion for keeping Aboriginal culture alive, teaching
00:24 the art of cooking rootails on a fire.
00:27 It's about culture and teaching our young ones how to prep and cook bush tucker.
00:35 The classes don't end there, with local Jarwin Rangers teaching the ancient art of spear
00:40 making to the next generation.
00:41 I want to bring back the traditional, what our old people had before, you know, like
00:46 making spears, teaching other clan groups how to make spears and showing the younger
00:51 generation how to hunt and gather food for their tribe.
00:55 It's also a place where great sporting rivalries play out on the local oval in front of devoted
01:00 fans.
01:01 It's good with the boys having fun.
01:04 Always having fun is good and no one getting hurt.
01:10 Dr Bush Blanasi was a strong believer in young Indigenous people learning about their culture
01:15 and traditions on country.
01:17 He was also a powerful voice for a treaty, which many here consider to be the great unfinished
01:21 business of this festival, where Bob Hawke was presented with a bark petition in 1988.
01:31 It's a call that is for now unanswered, though state by state processes are underway.
01:36 Just want our non-Indigenous and Indigenous people to come together and be as one and
01:43 move forward as one.
01:45 Matters yet to be settled at a festival at the heart of Aboriginal culture and politics.
01:50 [BLANK_AUDIO]