The Dreaming is an annual festival celebrating the cultural diversity of indigenous cultures, presenting over 200 high profile indigenous acts from Australia and around the World. Three days and four nights of concerts, theatre, dance, speakers and film, complete with ceremony grounds, traditional healing, art galleries, rituals, fire story circles, and workshops across nine venues and twelve galleries. The festival offers an intimate indigenous experience with an embracing atmosphere described by audiences as awakening, enriching, inspiring and deadly. The Dreaming has become known for presenting acts
of international significance and as an annual ceremony time where people connect, celebrate and are intrigued by the spirit of The Dreaming.
The Dreaming Programme
Ceremony
The Opening Ceremony
The ritual of the Opening Ceremony is a time for people at The Dreaming to pay our respects to the Jinibara Nation, the traditional custodians of the landat Woodford.
A procession of ancient stomp, chant and dance opens the festival incorporating the celebratory voices of youth. SongMan Djakpurra Munyarryan joins Casey Donovan and The Gondwana children’s choir, featuring some 44 Indigenous youth collaborating with thirty members of the Sydney Childrens Choir. From the Saltwaters of the Torres Straits
and across 100 Aboriginal Clan groups, witness the moves of Inma from the central desert to the Bungul of Arnhem Land. Through Gina Rings choreography the finale is bound to have the audience on their feet as ancient steps combine with the contemporary moves of our youth.
The Closing Ceremony
The Closing Ceremony is a time to reflect and enjoy new friendships and continue the journey as we bid farewell. From across the globe this ceremony features the farewell rituals and movements of the Totonoca peoples, Saami, Ojibway, Cree, Maori, Samoan, Rotuman and many more nations as they perform ceremony with their brothers and sisters from Australia.
Archie Roach & Shane Howard, Adam James, Andrea Kirwin and the Prophesized Groove, Blue King Brown, Buddy Knox Blues Band, Casey Donovan Band, Cheryl L’Hirondelle Band, Chocolate Strings, Chris Combette and Band, Dave Dow & The Orbits, Deline Briscoe Band, Derek Lynch and Friends, Dubmarine, Epoch, Fred Gesha and Friends, Freshwater, Getano Bann, Gina Williams Band, Glenn Skuthorpe, Iwantja Band, Jeremy
Donovan, Jessemae, John-Carlos Perea, Kamerunga, Kate Doyle, Leah Flanagan Band, Lexine Solomon, Little Grin, Liyarn Ngarn Concert, Max Judo, Maza Sisters, Medassin Man, Microwave Jenny, Mihirangi, Moana and the Tribe, Monica Weightman Trio, One Blood, Hidden Image, Pacific Curls, Patch Up, Rhubee Neale and Nathan Scott, Richard Frankland and The Charcoal Club, RuCL and ‘The Global Trinity’, Shellie Morris, Sista Func Band, Street Warriors, Stylin’ UP Chalkboard, Teangi Knox, The Grenadines, The Hill, The Medics, The Real Deal, The Rhythm Hunters, The Whitehouse, William Barton
Theatre
Constantina Bush & the Bushettes, My Right Foot Your Right Foot, Page 8, Reliquary, Te Karakia, Tharramali, The Only Good Poet is a Read Poet, Yarramundi Kids Puppets, Yarringan – Like Clear Water
Galleries
Larrnggay Mulka Gallery, Djilpin Gallery, El Arte de ser Totonaca Gallery, Iddid Djura, Pasifika Gallery, Quilliam Photo Gallery, Sugarbag Gallery, Tjanpi Gallery, Ulgundahi Gallery, UMI Arts, Zugubau Zamiak Gallery
Dancestry
Doonooch Dance Troupe, Burundian Dance and Drumming Group, Djilpin Dance troupe, Miwatj Dancers, NAISDA Dance, Rikina Inma Dance Group. Tagai Zugubau Performance Group, The Rako Dancers, Tjanpi Desert Dancers, Totonaca Dancers
Speakers
Barayuwa Mununggurr, Abie and Warrick Wright aka Street Warriors, Ada Simpson, Alejandra Cordeno Lance, Alexis Wright, Ali Cobby Eckermann, Alicia Jones, Alison Page, Anthony Newcastle, Aunty Bakoi Boulton, Beryl Meiklejohn, Buddy Knox, Carolyn Lopes, Casey Donovan, Cecilia Geissler, Cheryl L’Hirondelle, Chloe Campero, Chris Burke, Chris Sarra, Cindy Singho, Clarence Slockee, Cochise Anderson, Darren Dale, David Page, Debby Taylor, Denise Bolduc, Dillon Kombumerri, Don Bemrose, Don Walker, Evie Pikler, Fran Dobbie, Frances Belle Parker, Frank Maninga, Fred Gesha, Fred Oge, Gadj and Jodie Maymuru, Georgia Corowa, Gina Castelain, Gina Rings, Henry Isa, Herb Wharton, Jason Campbell AKA bboyjap, Jeanette Brown, Jirra Harvey, Jo Clancy, Judy Freeman, Judy Watson, Kenny Laughton, Kim Walker, Lavinia Kingi, Lee-Anne Buckskin, Letila Mitchell, Lisa Maza, Lisa Michl, Maggie Dent, Margaret Kemarre Turner OAM, Mary Duroux, Matt Doyle, Michael Aird, Michael Williams, Michelle Evans, Moana Maniapoto, Nadine McDonald-Dowd, Naomi Hicks, Noel Blair, Pernilla Stalka, Professor Mick Dodson, Rachael Maza Long, Rachel Perkins, Rhoda Roberts, Rosealee Pearson, Sally Howland, Salomon Bazbaz, Sandra Morgan, Sarah George, Stephen Foster, Taki Rua Productions, Tamara Pearson, Terri Janke, Tessa Nuku and Brendon
Boney aka Microwave Jenny, Mark Olive & Toby Mills, Tom Long, Vicki Van Hout, Wayne Quilliam
Film
The First Australians series, About the Mulka Project, Afternoon From Far Away, All Roads Lead to Home, Bastardy, Bayini, Big Women from Borroloola, Bollywood Dreaming, Bungalung, Bunya Dreaming, Bush
Toys, Deadly Yarn Series 3, Dhalinybuy Yumurrku, Dilthan Yolngunha, Education Song, Fishing Story, Gatapangawuy Dhawu, Girls Going Hunting, Guarding the Family Silver, Gumatji Bunnggul, Herdswoman,
Jarlmadangah, Karla, Keeping Both Campfires Burning, King of the Coral Sea: 1954, Like Milk, Lost Boy Found, Maria Teresa – ‘Tutti’, Me Mengwamaa Sinatae. Butterfly patterns of life, Mother Earth’s Cry,
Native Problem In QLD: 1937, O Tamaiti, Our Vote Counts, Pearlers of the Coral Sea: 1960, Rechargin’, Renewing Women’s Business, Rites of Courage, River of No Return, Sacred Ground, September, Te Okianga
O Te Vaerua, Pollywood Shorts, The Chooky Dancers – Live at Yirrkala, The Combination, The Dancers Shadow, In a League of Their Own, The Fisherman Promise, The Heritage, The Islanders: 1967, The Mulka Project, The Other Side of Paradise, The Tiwi Brand: Episode 1-In a League of Their Own, Tiga E Le Oloa: Hidden Pain, Tnorala, TOMO, Torres Strait Island Series, Tree, Two Brothers at Galarra, Voladora, When Colin Met Joyce, Where the River Leads You, Who Paintin’ Dis Wandjina?, Wrong Way, Yolngu Land, You’re Not Playing That
Traditional Healing
Totonaca healers from New Mexico, Te Kopere O Raehina
Workshops
Fibre Workshops – Djilpin Gallery, Koroboree From The South, Masi Workshops, Paint a Pasifika Feast, Sweet Sweet Jamaica
Around The Festival
Corey Skipper, Impromptu Music Cycle, In Memory of a Tree, Inala Dreaming on Stilts, Kokotha Way, Mums with Drums, Sovereignty Circle, Te Kopere Rongoa Maori Healers, The Open Chalkboard, Traditional Totanaca Healers, Words Unplugged, Yoga Circle
Plus comedy, forums, stalls and restaurants.
Where
The Dreaming is held at the Woodford Folk Festival site, a lush valley, framed by the Glasshouse Mountains, bordered by Bellthorpe National Park, 5kms from the tiny township of Woodford and only hour from Brisbane and 45 minutes to Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.
When
Held annually over the long weekend in June. This year the festival commences at 5pm on the 5th of June and ends late on the 8th of June.
For all details and updates, visit The Dreaming website.