ABOUT GIIYONG FESTIVAL
Giiyong Story
On Saturday 22 September 2018 the first Giiyong Festival took place at Jigamy, just north of Eden. It was South East NSW’s first multi-art form festival celebrating traditional and contemporary Aboriginal culture through dance, art, music, film, theatre, food, sport, workshops and cultural tours.
Giiyong means ‘come to welcome’ in the south coast language as spoken by local Elders.
Giiyong Festival 2018 was the first event of its type held within the Yuin Nation, which stretches from the Shoalhaven River down into East Gippsland in Victoria and across to the Great Dividing Range.
Alison Simpson, Manager of Cultural Inclusion at Twofold Aboriginal Corporation says, “Having an Aboriginal cultural festival on Aboriginal owned land is such a unique gift which allows us to showcase the amazing artistic talent which thrives on the south coast. The festival creates an opportunity to not only unite the Aboriginal community but to bring the whole community together providing a platform for everyone to indulge in the rich and diverse culture that the south coast has to offer.”
2022 saw the second Giiyong Festival take place in April, with extraordinary coastal rain seeing the dedicated team move the whole event 500m up the road in under 18 hours. Bigger than expected crowds attended to see Briggs, Stiff Gins, The Giiyong Gumleaf Band and more.
The next Giiyong Festival will take place on 9 November 2024 with funding secured until 2025 from the NSW Government!
Giiyong Festival is organised by Twofold Aboriginal Corporation, Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council and South East Arts. Contact us for more information.
Our LOGO
Our logo, introduced in 2022, is by Aboriginal artist Joe Stewart, Yuin and Gamilaroi man. The humpback whale or in south coast language as spoken by the Elders, the Jaanda (pronounced Jarn-da) is a significant, majestic animal affiliated with the local whaling history in Eden which originated with the Yuin people. The circle symbol in this artwork has a dual meaning, one of a waterhole and two, a meeting place, both hold significance for Aboriginal people gathering.
PAST EVENTS
THE SITE
The festival location, Jigamy, is a well-known property between Pambula and Eden on the pristine Sapphire Coast, owned and managed by Twofold Aboriginal Corporation and is the home to the Monaroo Boberrer Gudu Keeping Place. Twofold Aboriginal Corporation delivers many services to the local Aboriginal community and are one of the largest employers of Aboriginal staff in the region.
We are conscious of treading lightly on Jigamy during Giiyong Festival and ask our festival-goers to do the same.
This video about Jigamy was made as part of our Giiyong Festival 2022 projects - and features Uncle Ossie Cruse, Nathan Lygon, Alison Simpson, Darren Mongta and Marcus Arvidson.
Production
Director - Toni Houston
Editor and DoP - Kyle Wilson
Editor and 2nd Unit DoP - Josh Williams
Production Assistant and Camera Operator - Llew Badger
Sound Capture - Sam Seidel
Music Composer - Kyle Wilson
Gold for Giiyong: first-time festival wins award
Giiyong Festival took home the Gold Award in the Events and Festivals Category of the 2019 Destination Sydney Surrounds South and Destination Southern NSW Regional Tourism Awards.
Southern NSW’s first Aboriginal arts and cultural festival took place in September 2018 at Jigamy, just north of Eden on NSW’s Far South Coast. Giiyong (pronounced Guy-Yong) means ‘come to welcome’ in the South Coast language as spoken by the local Elders.
Festival Artistic Director and Event Manager, Jasmin Williams of South East Arts said, “The award is not only an acknowledgement of the hard work by Twofold Aboriginal Corporation and South East Arts in delivering the Festival, but more importantly, an acknowledgement of the value of Aboriginal culture and its deserved place at the forefront of our creative and social landscape here in South East NSW. “
“Giiyong Festival proved in spectacular fashion that our region’s local talented Aboriginal artists, performers and cultural leaders have a huge amount to contribute to our cultural understanding, our local economy and our tourism industry,” Ms Williams continued.
In her acceptance speech at the awards in Ulladulla, Twofold Aboriginal Corporation’s Alison Simpson acknowledged the the hardwork of all the Festival staff and volunteers and the support of festival-goers, donors, sponsors and supporters.
“Without community support, Giiyong Festival can’t happen. We really appreciate everyone who has got behind this important, massive project. We can’t wait for September 2020 when Giiyong Festival will fly again at Jigamy.”, Ms Simpson said.
Organisers believe Giiyong Festival showed that non-Aboriginal people are eager for authentic cultural experiences. In southern NSW, where there are few opportunities for people to connect and engage with their Aboriginal neighbours, Giiyong Festival provides an unprecedented platform to acknowledge and celebrate local Aboriginal communities, and their long history and understanding of this place.
Looking ahead now to Giiyong 2021, South East Arts and Twofold Aboriginal Corporation will undertake further community engagement, continue to support and develop Aboriginal artists and ensure the Cultural history and stories of this place are articulated.
The next Giiyong Festival will be held at Jigamy on Saturday 18 November 2023 and now has funding until 2025.
Images: David Rogers