A full house gathered at The Windmill in Bargara on Friday night with eventgoers taking part in the region’s first ever Wan’di event, aimed at connecting the community to culture and history.
Presented by the Taribelang Cultural Aboriginal Corporation and Bundaberg Tourism, the event featured stories, activities and the celebration of the local Bunda people.
TCAC manager Nikki Tiger said the word Wan’di meant “to gather together”, a fitting theme for the inaugural event.
“It was such an awesome night,” Nikki said.
“We had Taribelang Cultural Aboriginal Corporation Traditional Owner Byron Kiya Kayla Broome presenting stories on culture history, the meaning behind artwork and the history of our native animals.
“There were a lot of connections made and it was a great learning experience for those who attended.”
Owner of The Windmill Joey Caruana said the event was a huge success, with the Bargara cafe packed with people ready to learn more about indigenous culture and the history of the region.
“It was a really special night with a great feeling of connection between the Bunda people and the audience,” he said.
“There were many highlights, including children learning about language and storytelling.
“I felt honoured to be part of the night, there were moments when I had goosebumps.”
Joey said the event was so successful organisers were hoping to continue with a regular quarterly gathering.
Bundaberg Tourism CEO Katherine Reid congratulated the group on bringing the community together for more cultural experiences.
“The region has been fortunate to have funding support from Tourism and Events Queensland for the development and mentoring of indigenous tourism experiences and it has been truly wonderful to see Joey, Nikki and Byron working together to form the Wan’di dinner and performance event,” she said.
“We congratulate them on their vision and passion for sharing culture and look forward to seeing the partnership grow into a scheduled monthly cultural experience for the community and visitors.”
Taribelang Cultural Aboriginal Corporation, The Windmill Café Bargara and Bundaberg Tourism worked in partnership to organise the event.