Kaayi (Hello – Awabakal)

Yaama Ngindaay (Hello everyone - Gamilaraay)

Nungamanladi (Hello - Bardi)

Worimi (Hello – Dharug. Pronounced ‘Wurramee’)              

International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples

9 August 2025

It was so good to see Indigenous representatives from other Nations at Garma this year, sharing stories and life experiences, cultural beliefs, dance, art, traditional dress and language.

Click on the link to read some article excerpts from Kirstie Wellauer, with images by Che Chorley from ABC News on the 2025 Garma Festival.

Delegates from Navajo, Comanche, Kiowa Sioux, Pueblo and Lakota nations in North America attended this year’s Garma Festival, travelling to Arnhem Land with the goal of exchanging traditions and knowledge.

Amid the joy of this clash of cultures, their shared struggles of dispossession and colonisation are not far from their minds.

“We’ve shared our personal stories which are very similar,” Melonie Mathews from the Tewa nation in New Mexico says.

“Performing here on this ground, this place, is powerful, I can feel it,” said Kiowa Comanche man Kenny Cozad Sr.

“Though our languages may be different, they still feel exactly how they feel at home; the warmth, the compassion, the generational participation — that is exactly how our lives are when we are at home.”

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As we mark International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples this coming Saturday, let’s think about the rich cultures, traditions, and contributions of Indigenous peoples worldwide, appreciating their unique way of life and acknowledging their important role in our shared worldwide history and society. We celebrate diversity and learn more about the customs and traditions of these vibrant communities.

Yaluu

Phil Taylor

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Education Teacher