Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal (FRRR)

Funded through Snow Foundation under the Investing in Rural Community Futures program, the Ulladulla community co-designed a roadmap articulating goals decided by the community, for the community. As part of their roadmapping, Ulladulla IRCF participants identified having strong, respectful relationships and making a commitment to walk alongside First Nations people and organisations as key goals.

With support from Snow Foundation, Walking Together in the Milton Ulladulla District used grant funds from FRRR for the ‘Together We Thrive’ project to organise attendance at the Giiyong Festival, the largest Aboriginal cultural festival on the southeast coast, near Pambula, NSW. Being engaged in an immersive cultural celebration strengthened pride and community connection, and inspired planning further opportunities for deeper cultural participation.

Miribi Bunbal, Ulladulla High School’s youth didgeridoo group, had previously attended a two-day cultural camp with their teacher Hamish Richardson and Aboriginal teacher Moose (Michael Lloyd), gathering foods, making spears, creating art and practicing didgeridoo together. At Giiyong, they played in the didg’ jam session and hugely enjoyed the whole celebration.

First Nations individuals in attendance loved the celebration, with many expressing a desire to reconnect with cultural opportunities.“Coming here and sharing my cultural knowledge again, I’ve realised that it’s been a while since I’ve done that. It has been really good to do it again. I feel like it is time for me to step up into that role again.”

Being immersed in Aboriginal community and cultural celebration was an experience attendees expressed gratitude for, including being able to participate without any financial barriers. Non-Indigenous attendees also shared valuable learnings and self-reflections. “The really powerful and amazing thing for me is this experience of cultural immersion. It’s not just that the dancers and performers are so good and so powerful, but it’s stepping into their world. On the site, you can actually feel the difference in it being owned and run by Aboriginal community, and everything about the day is immersed in their own ways of being and doing things.”

The community has been inspired to build further on these cultural connections, with plans to facilitate members of the girls dance group Bunaan Yandabal and more families being involved in the future. Ulladulla Yarning Mob, Wandarma AECG, and Ulladulla Local Aboriginal Land Council, have expressed hope that something similar will run next year, with additional lead time allowing them to attract even stronger community involvement.