Mahbilil Festival brings Jabiru alive

This year’s Mahbilil Festival has been described as the best one to date as some 1500 attendees from the top end, across Arnhem and visiting tourists joined in the celebration on Saturday, September 3.
Despite an unseasonal shower of rain earlier in the day, the sun shone over Lake Jabiru as the festival begun, with approximately 1000 people present at its peak.
Mahbilil Festival once again ran in conjunction with the region’s biggest sports event, the Gurrung Sports Carnival, and together the events showcased all aspects of Kakadu culture including art, traditional dance, sport, community spirit, bush foods and music.
Mahbilil Festival Producer Scott Large said he has received some fantastic comments about this year’s event.
“Lots of people have said it was the best Mahbilil in years, bringing everyone together and showing what a great community that Jabiru and West Arnhem has,” he said.
The festival kicked off with a great variety of activities and entertainment including 16 market stalls, six local food stalls, bush foods and workshops including weaving, painting and kids craft activities.
“There was strong attendance during the daytime for workshops and activities, particularly the kids’ activities and cultural workshops run by the amazing Children’s Ground team,” Scott said.
The highly- contested magpie goose cooking competition was once again a crowd-pleaser and was judged by newly-elected Member for Arnhem Selena Uibo, Mercure Kakadu Crocodile Hotel General Manager Richard McArthur and Eva Peterson.
In a tough decision, the eventual winner of the golden goose award was Cooinda Lodge’s soux chef Michael McDougall with his victorious dish consisting of smoked magpie goose and mango salad.
The bush foods prepared by Fred and his team was also a highlight with festival-goers learning to cook magpie geese.
“The always incredible bush foods area cooked up a storm all day.”
Meanwhile, the Black Rock Band, kicked off the music program and the afternoon continued with music by Shellie Morris and a Bininj Gunborrk traditional dance performance with guests White Cockatoo from Beswick.
The entertainment continued throughout the evening with a great performance by Brisbane band Kingfisha.
Scott said another highlight was the circus performance by Psycus Circus with the Jabiru Area School students who put on an amazing show which wowed the audience.
This mesmerising performance was followed with the popular B2M band, which Scott said, “Absolutely rocked the house!”
Techy Masero’s amazing giant puppet sculptures were yet again a huge draw card.
“The incredible sculptures around the site all lit up at night.”
Scott added that the event is a fantastic community celebration and thanked the people of Jabiru for turning up and getting involved.
He also wished to thank all the supporters of the festival including Gundjeihmi Aboriginal Corporation, KWAST, ERA, West Arnhem Regional Council, Children’s Ground, Kakadu Crocodile Hotel, Kakadu National Park, Kakadu Tourism, Kakadu Lodge and Jabiru Area School.