Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival

Many months ago I was surfing with a mate Tony and mentioned he was keen to go to the Laura Festival in June up on Cape York.
June and I thought it might just be good timing, something I had always wanted to see.

Turns out the timing was absolutely perfect, an event that only happens every couple of years was on in Cape York, right when we were planning to be there. Just an hours drive from Cooktown and we knew we were on the Cape, it was 32 degrees, sunny and sandstone escarpment overhung the savannah woodlands. Just looking and you knew that every crag had hidden gallery of rock art, and they did!

The festival set up was really welcoming and family friendly, a drug and alcohol free event meant that everyone was relaxed and free to just enjoy the culture. With about 4500 people attending, there was every variety of camping set up amongst the savannah woodlands of the festival site. Whole communities made the trip from the  most remote Islands and outstations on the Cape as this is the biggest thing happening for 2 years. Plenty of grey nomads and a few other travelling families in camper trailers set up next to us so the kids had heaps of fun too.

Split Rock Art Site overlooks the Laura Festival

The dancing was amazing, with each community or island represented by a dance troupe who would perform their traditional dances accompanied by drums, clapsticks, didgeridoo and singing often by the elders. The diversity of culture and dance was extraordinary, the Torres Strait Islanders were distinctly Melanesian with their feathered headdress and intricate masks.

Amazing masks show the Melanesian
origins of the Torres Strait Islander culture

Torres Strait Islander dancers from Bamaga 

Blowing the giant Conch Shell to
announce the dancers

The aboriginal communes from Arakun, Pomperaaw and Coen were amazing, with the whole community involved, from toddlers, kids, teens, adults and of course the elders. The continuity of culture is given a huge boost with each community preparing for months, referring to the elders for the right songs and dances to represent their culture. Over 3 days it was the most extraordinary celebration of each unique culture, similarities were apparent amongst some dance styles of neighbouring clans but the diversity was very apparent in the songs and language.

I will let the photos tell the rest of the story.