Celebrating Bawinanga's achievements over 40 years

Maningrida's Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation (BAC) recently celebrated its 40th anniversary with a huge night of festivities which included a celebrity performance by the famous Indigenous Sunrize Band.
The celebrations were held outside the Maningrida Art Centre, with a sand dance floor and bower sheds constructed for the event. The fishing crew donated seafood and the rangers supplied buffalo for the feast which volunteers whipped up in a makeshift kitchen in the art centre. BAC services were also promoted by stall holders who provided popular giveaways to the children.
Clothing made from designer textile fabric created at the Bábbarra Women’s Centre, and most recently worn during their textile exhibition in Paris, was also modelled for the crowd.
The celebrations followed on from the previous day’s AGM, where ceremonial dancers and Indigenous rock bands demonstrated the depth of creative talent in our local area.
BAC CEO Ingrid Stonhill said it was great to see the community’s pride and support for all that BAC has achieved over the last 40 years.
“BAC’s mission is to support people’s decision to return, if only seasonally, to their homeland, by delivering the infrastructure, health and education services and employment needed to survive in these remote locations,” Ms Stonhill said.
“Over the last 40 years we have kept that focus and we now operate a range of social enterprises and services to generate work and income.”