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West Arnhem communities rock Barunga

18 June 2018

West Arnhem was well-represented at the recent Barunga Festival with local sporting teams and local musicians taking part in the three-day event from June 8 to 10.
Maningrida was particularly well-represented at the event with over 50 community members taking part - a participation number that reflects the community’s size.
Marking the 30th anniversary of the Barunga Statement, it was a momentous event with the festival attracting a huge audience of Indigenous and non-Indigenous people from all over the world to camp and take part in a program of music, sport, traditional arts and cultural activities over the three days.
At this year’s event, Maningrida had a men’s AFL team which won one game out of three, and they also had a women’s basketball team which won two out of three games with Charlene Darcy the top scorer and star.
Hayley from the women’s basketball team said, “I am happy that I got to go to Barunga and play basketball. The basketball was fun but the disco was my favourite part!”
Meanwhile, Tristan who played in the men’s AFL team said, “I like playing AFL and I hope Maningrida can go to Barunga again next year.”
Djagarna women’s basketball team from Jabiru also travelled to the Barunga Festival recently to compete in the event’s women’s basketball competition for the first time.
The team, which is made up of women from Jabiru and Whistle Duck, undertook three weeks’ of training in the lead up to Barunga, and overall, did extremely well in the competition.
Maningrida also had two local bands feature in the music line up including the KK Band and Ripple Effect Band who lit up the stage all three nights of the festival and are amazing. 
Kakadu’s very own Black Rock Band was also part of the all-indigenous musical line-up including talent from across Australia.
The  world-famous Babarra Women’s Centre also held a stall throughout the event which turned out to be  incredibly popular.

Miriam Jinmanga from Babbarra said, “We went selling clothes and fabric with all the Babbarra women – our stall was too busy! Everybody liked the Babarra fabrics. Then we were watching the Maningrida girls playing band. I was feeling proud for them, All the Maningrida boys were playing footy and the girls playing basketball."

A Maningrida local even won the spear throwing contest.

The Maningrida community would like to thank the amazing people and organisations which supported Maningrida’s participation this year; Malabam Health Board, Bawinanga Aboriginal Corporation, West Arnhem Regional Council, Lawrence Costa (MLA), AFLNT, Manuel Brown from GREATS Youth Service and the many others who supported over the weekend. You guys know who you are. Maningrida will be back again next year – bigger and better.
Barunga Festival is an annual event which features an incredible program of music, sport, culture, art, dance, circus, kids’ activities, workshops, healthy food and more.