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 2023 event was a standout with Radical Son, Emma Donovan and the incredible talent of J-MILLA wowing the crowds. The Bunaan Ring was on fire all day with incredible dance performances and Cultural workshops. The 2023 Dhilwaan Yarrkural (Nightfall Dance), bringing numerous South Coast dance groups together, for a spectacular performance was considered the highlight of the event - we didn’t think anyting could top that… at least until the 2024 evnet happened!

In 2024, the event was spread over four zones, covering everything from music, dance, language, arts and crafts, as well as food and ideas. The speakers program highlighted the emergence of strong youth leadership within the local Aboriginal community. There were  presentations and performances from Ripple Effect Band from Maningrida, NT and Punkiliyarra, a special collaborative project with people from Roebourne, WA and arts and social change organisation Big hART. Hip hop ruled the stage including BARKAA, Nooky and Kobie Dee.  Find out more here

The next Giiyong Festival will take place on 22 November 2025 with mangement of the event moving to Twofold Aboriginal Coporation.

Giiyong Festival is organised by Twofold Aboriginal Corporation, Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council and South East Arts. Contact us for more information.

Our LOGOs

Our logos, 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