Bluesfest Announce First Line-Up For Boomerang At Bluesfest

Bluesfest have announced the first line-up for Boomerang Festival, a new facet on Bluesfest that focuses specifically on nurturing indigenous and First Nations musicians, experiences and workshops.

The first line-up for the exciting area of the festival is led by dance groups such as Rako Dancers (Rotuman, Fijian and Pacific Islands), Jannawi Dancers (Darug, NSW/Arnhem Land, NT), Excelsior (North & Central Queensland), Malu Kiai Mura Buai Dance Troupe (Boigu Island), Going Wanhurr And East Journey (Dhalinbuy, NT) and Arakwal Dancers (Byron Bay, NSW).

In terms of the talks and ideas program, you can catch Archie Roach speaking on '25 Years Of Charcoal Lane', Tibetan Tenzin Choegyal on 'Music Making Of The Displaced', Torres Strait Islander Getano Bann on 'Issues Affecting Island Communities' and Sharin Sebbens (Darwin) and Nakkiah Lui (Torres Strait) on 'The New Black Voice'. 

Finally, a healing program will be provided by New Zealand's Te Kopere, with more to be announced.

Working with curator Rhoda Roberts, the festival will offer a multi-faceted experience with workshops, conferences, talks, traditional healing practices and dance, aiming to build community support for the festival such that it can grow into an independent, self-sustaining festival. 

Bluesfest director, Peter Noble, says of Boomerang: "The Boomerang precinct at Bluesfest is all about cherishing culture and ending the disparity between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australia. This intergenerational exchange will allow our loyal audiences a unique hands-on engagement and experience while allowing the Boomerang Festival to build audiences and find support as a future stand-alone festival."

The Boomerang precinct will be housed beside the Jambalaya stage at the festival — starting Friday, 4 December, Boomerang is also accepting crowd funding donations to help the festival flourish in the future. The campaign will kick on for 90 days and will offer many cultural gifts and experiences from Bluesfest, Arakwal Aboriginal Corporation, Australian Good Food Guide, and us, in exchange for a donation.

Head to IndieGoGo to donate from Friday onwards.