Laura Dance Festival

Share in the celebration of the world’s oldest living culture.

500 artists,

20 Cape York Communities and guests,

5,000 visitors,

40,000 years…all in 3 days

What:  Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival. The most significant traditional cultural event for the region.

Where:  Laura, Cape York, Queensland (west of Cooktown)

When:  17 to 19 June 2011 inclusive

Tickets: www. ticketlink.com.au or phone 1300 855 835

Further info:  www.lauradancefestival.com

Beginning 30 years ago, this bi-annual event has become one of the largest gatherings of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia, and the most varied display of Indigenous culture in the world.

Festival Dates:

Friday 17 June to Sunday 19 June 2011 inclusive

Gates open officially to the public from 8am on Friday, 17 June.  The gates will be closed at 8pm each night.  Limited access will be available after hours and will be considered on a case by case basis.

For anyone wanting to secure their favourite camp spot we will permit an early entrance from 4pm on Thursday, 16 June for an additional per vehicle fee of $30.  This fee can be paid at the entrance gate upon arrival.  Note that the infrastructure for the event may not be fully functional at this time so you may need to be patient.  No public access will be permitted prior to 4pm on Thursday, 16 June.

Tickets

Pre-event tickets will be on sale from 28 March to midday Wednesday, 16 June 2011 through Ticketlink. You can book by:

In person:  Ticketlink is located t the Cairns Civic Theatre, Cnr Florence and Sheridan St, Cairns.  Monday – Friday 8am to 6pm, Sat 9am to 1pm.  Or see one of their agents located in Atherton, Mareeba, Innisfail and Babinda.

*By phone: 1300 855 835, Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm.

*Online: www.ticketlink.com.au – anytime.

*charges may apply.

Tickets will not be posted out after 10 June, so therefore tickets can be available for collection at the entrance gate to the Festival.  Personal ID will be required as per the name on the booking.

Tickets will also be available at the gate for purchase from 4pm on Thursday, 16 June onwards.  The entry price includes camping fees.  However, as the site is a traditional dance ground, and is remote, facilities are limited and campers need to be totally self-sufficient * see ‘Facilities’ under.

Tickets are valid for the whole event and are priced per person:

Performers                                          $0

Children under 16 years of age          $0

Community                                          $30*

Early Bird pre 31st May                      $70

Early Bird concession                          $64

Full price post 1 June                          $85

Full price concession                          $80

*Community tickets will be available at each Community by 15 April.

Please note proof of concession card will be required.  There will be no refunds.

Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival is a drug and alcohol free family-friendly event.  There will be random car searches and security on site at all times.  We encourage healthy eating options, no smoking and environmental awareness.

On-line information and latest information, including road conditions, is available at www.lauradancefestival.com

Festival Program Overview

What makes this event unique is that over 20 Communities travel to Laura to dance and share culture with one another and with audiences.  The program is not fully set until approx a fortnight from the opening date, however, generally from 10am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday the Communities of Cape York and invited guests perform traditional dance throughout the day and into the night.

In addition, there are cultural workshops and children’s games and entertainment, displays and art for exhibition and sale.  The Cape York Art Award is widely regarded as the most prestigious Aboriginal Art Award in Queensland.  You can view and purchase art from the most talented artists within the Cape and invited guests.

Getting There

From Cairns travelling north, the distance to the Festival site is approximately 330kms.  From Cooktown the distance is approximately 120kms.  You can travel by 2wheel drive vehicle (there is some distance that is gravel though).

Facilities at the Site

Patrons attending the Festival need to be fully self-sufficient with their own camping equipment.  There is no other accommodation available.  The organisers provide portable toilets and cold water showers.  We recommend that people bring their own cooking facilities as there will be a strictly limited amount of fire-pits.  Bore water taps are located throughout the site.  However, you will need to boil the water if you intend drinking it.  Bottled water is available for sale and there will be some take-away food stalls.  Campers need to supply their own power if desired and this will need to be via a quiet generator.  As a courtesy to other visitors, it is requested that no noise be permitted from 10pm to 7am.  Phone reception is minimal, except if you have a satellite phone.

Facilities and Services at Laura

The township of Laura is located 14kms north of the Festival site.  It has camping facilities and very limited room accommodation available.  A range of general grocery supplies, EFTPOS facilities and fuels are available from the Laura General Store.  There is also a Health Clinic and Hotel.  There is fuel available at Lakeland and Palmer River.  Mareeba, Smithfield, Port Douglas and Cooktown all have a large range of services.

We highly recommend a visit to the Quinkan and Regional Cultural Centre, a world-class Interpretation Centre of Aboriginal Culture and European heritage of Cape York.  It is open from 8.30am to 5.00 pm every day over the Festival.  Tours of the famous Quinkan Rock Art sites can also be booked through the Quinkan Centre.  Visit www.quinkancc.com for more information.

Background of the Festival

Generally acknowledged as the celebration and showcase of the culture of the Aboriginal Communities of Cape York Peninsula, the Laura Aboriginal Dance Festival (LADF) is a unique event. Significantly, the core purpose is for it to be a festival for, by and about the communities of the Cape York region. With participation from approximately 20 Communities and invited guests from other areas of Far North Qld and nationally, this event is widely recognised as assisting Aboriginal Communities and their people through:

• passing on traditional culture & knowledge to the next generations whilst actively promoting reconciliation and understanding.

• providing substantial Aboriginal community presence at the one time and at the one place where historically, there is a positive exchange between government agencies, clients and recipients of services.

• providing meaningful feedback to organisations regarding programs and their delivery into the Communities of Cape York Peninsula.

• promoting well-being, health and safety for people who are widely acknowledged as being severely disadvantaged. This is intrinsically linked to the LADF being a drug & alcohol free event and promoting the safety for families and children and providing career and

recreational opportunities for the young people of the communities.

• building stronger communities by providing exposure, recognition and support for culture.

Short history of the Festival

The ‘Cape York Dance Festival’ as it was known in the earlier 1980s was a festival of dance & culture to be rotated every two years within the communities of Cape York. The first two Dance Festivals were held at Cooktown and Hopevale.

The LADF found its permanent home 29 years ago at Laura due to it being a central location and one that suited the vision.

Vision & rationale

The Festival is a biennial event celebrating the traditional song, dance and culture of the Aboriginal people of Cape York Peninsula. The performance and practice of Aboriginal Dance & Culture at the Festival is an important element in the continuance of the unique culture of the region. The Festival allows the audience to experience the story telling and history of Aboriginal culture through dance, language and art primarily to ensure the integrity of the Festival’s vision.  As the majority of patrons camp for the duration, this adds another opportunity for the wider Australian society to immerse themselves in this rich local culture.

The dance ground at Laura is the site of a very old traditional Bora ground and is a respected and sacred site to Aboriginal people. It is nestled amongst some of the oldest and most spectacular rock art in the world. It is known as a "meeting" ground for the Aboriginal peoples of Cape York. It is regarded by many Aboriginal people as a place where families meet new and old family members, make new acquaintances and exchange and pass on family histories. Many descendants of Aboriginal people whose people were removed from the area return every festival to learn of their culture and of their ancestry. The LADF is seen as intrinsic to cultural retention.

The LADF enables the wider Australian society to witness and gain insight into the uniqueness of Aboriginal culture. The festival allows the spectators to witness the story telling of Aboriginal culture through dance, language and art. Non-Indigenous people also have the opportunity to be informed about the crucial issues facing people in Cape York, some of the difficulties, and some of the positive initiatives and progress made in certain areas of Aboriginal Cape York Communities. Awareness of these issues, active participation and involvement by non-Indigenous people has a significant positive effect on the reconciliation process and is a significant draw-card.

Any further information is available by phoning the Quinkan Centre on 07 40603457 or email inquire@quinkancc.com