JAMBA NYINAYI FESTIVAL ENDS WITH POWERFUL MESSAGE OF CONNECTION
BY ASAD KHAN
On Baiyungu Country in Western Australia's Ningaloo region, the final embers of this year’s Jamba Nyinayi Festival glowed with warmth, pride, and unity as Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians gathered to celebrate culture, connection, and Country.
Now in its third year, the festival drew hundreds to Cardabia to share in a weekend of dance, music, art, and storytelling. With this year’s theme of Connection, the event honoured the enduring practice of gathering on Country — a tradition spanning thousands of years that continues to hold deep spiritual and social meaning for Aboriginal communities.
ELDER REFLECTS ON THEME OF CONNECTION
Traditional Owner and Baiyungu Elder Hazel Cooyou said she was overwhelmed by the turnout.
“I'M EVEN SHOCKED MYSELF TO SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE COME HERE AT CARDABIA,” she said.
“THIS YEAR'S THEME ABOUT CONNECTION AND LOOK AT MANY PEOPLE COME AND CONNECTED THAT'S NINGALOO MOB. LAST YEAR WE HAD THE THEME GATHERING AND THAT WAS A MOB OF PEOPLE THAT COME. YOU KNOW, CONNECTING NINGALOO AND ALL OUR VISITORS. EVERYONE'S HAD AN AMAZING TIME, A GOOD TIME. A LOT OF US TRADITIONAL OWNERS WERE PROUD. AND JUST LISTENING TO PEOPLE COMMENTING…”
DANCERS BRING COUNTRY TO LIFE
Workshops and performances ran across the weekend, including traditional dance, language sharing, weaving, and music. For many, the highlight was the performances by local dance groups — some made up entirely of Baiyungu Traditional Owners — who brought the theme of connection to life through movement and story.
Janine Oxenham, a Malgana Yamatji woman from the Midwest, has helped lead the festival's cultural dance program since its inception.
“I'VE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE FESTIVAL FOR THE LAST THREE YEARS. THIS IS OUR THIRD YEAR OF PUTTING ON JAMBA NYINAYI FESTIVAL,” she said.
“I WORK WITH TWO OF THE LOCAL DANCE GROUPS, AND ONE OF THEM IS MADE UP OF ALL THE BAIYUNGU TRADITIONAL OWNERS. THAT GOES FROM SOME OF THE ELDERS ALL THE WAY THROUGH TO REALLY LITTLE ONES.”
One of the groups, the Coral Spawn Dancers, delivered a powerful performance that resonated with families and onlookers alike.
“THEY WERE ALL VERY PROUD OF THEMSELVES,” Ms Oxenham said.
“TWO YOUNG GIRLS, WHEN THEY GOT OFF, THEY CRIED, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE ALL THEIR FAMILY WAS IN THE AUDIENCE. AND IT WAS BEAUTIFUL — ESPECIALLY THE FEEDBACK THEY GOT. HALF THE AUDIENCE WOULD BE THEIR FAMILIES, AND SO IT WAS JUST… AS A PERFORMER, PERFORMING IN FRONT OF YOUR MOB IS SO MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL THAN PERFORMING IN FRONT OF PEOPLE YOU DON'T KNOW.”
A FESTIVAL ROOTED IN COUNTRY AND COMMUNITY
The festival’s close marked not just the end of a cultural celebration but the strengthening of a broader network of connection between people, land, and community. For many, the event was more than a festival — it was a return to something ancient, a reaffirmation of what it means to gather, share, and belong.