Whale Trail 2021 Cultural Events
celebrating an ancient migration
UPDATE: Unfortunately due to the ongoing regional NSW lockdown, our Whale Trail 2021 cultural events have been postponed. We look forward to bringing you an amazing lineup of events next year for the 2022 whale season.
Spring is a season of new beginnings but here on the Sapphire Coast it’s also a season steeped in ancient history. This spring, some 35,000 Humpback whales will travel the Humpback Highway making their way to Antarctica for the summer, as they have done for thousands of years. This migration pattern has been long understood by the people and whales of the Sapphire Coast region.
First were the Yuin people whose relationship with the killer whales (orcas) dates back centuries. The Yuin believed that when a whaler or warrior died, his spirit became a killer whale who continued to care and provide food for his people. Beach rituals were held to honour these intelligent and powerful predators and the killers would herd grampus (a dolphin-like cetacean), onto the shores of Twofold Bay, providing food for the people.
The long association between Aboriginal people and whales is reflected along the NSW coast where rock art sites document the powerful relationships Yuin people had with these huge creatures. The presence of whales in Aboriginal culture is embedded in many forms, from dreamtime stories to whales being recognised as totem animals for various language groups.
This whale migration season, we are thrilled to present a line-up of wonderful and diverse cultural events as part of Whale Trail 2021, taking place from August to November. We hope you can join us in welcoming our whales, celebrating cultural connections to whales and learning about Yuin country and culture.
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WALAWAANI MURIYIRA-WARAGA, 14 August 2021
Unfortunately due to uncertainty due to COVID-19, Walawaani Muriyira-Waraga has been postponed.
2021 will mark a new beginning as the town of Bermagui hosts Walawaani Muriyira-Waraga on Saturday August 14th, a special event to mark the opening of the whale season, and the launch of Sapphire Coast Whale Trail 2021. As we’re one of Australia’s premier whale watching destinations, we figured a festival to celebrate this fact, was long overdue. This inaugural event will connect people to place and celebrate the relationship between whales, the local Aboriginal people and the community of Bermagui.
Celebrations will include an official Opening Ceremony, featuring a Welcome to Country, smoking ceremony and dance performance by Gumaraa Aboriginal Experience, followed by a talk to highlight the rich cultural history of this place and cultural connections to whales.
The opening ceremony will be followed by a community paddle out with Camel Rock Surf School, exclusive whale watching charters with Sapphire Coastal Adventures, a one-day art & photography exhibition, a series of talks entitled Whale Tales, a community art trail featuring artwork by local school and preschool children and more.
‘Walawaani Muriyira-Waraga’ means ‘safe journey whale – many’, translated from the local Dhurga language.
ABORIGINAL CULTURAL EXPERIENCES, Oct 2021
Unfortunately due to the ongoing regional NSW lockdown, the Whale Trail Aboriginal Cultural Experiences have been postponed until 2022.
To acknowledge the deep and enduring Indigenous connections to whales, a series of Aboriginal Cultural Experiences will be offered during September and October. Join us for these free events to celebrate the whale season and learn about Yuin country and culture in a series of stunning outdoor locations at Tathra, Merimbula and Eden.
Each event will feature a Welcome to Country and smoking ceremony, a dance performance and a speaker, illuminating the rich cultural history of the Sapphire Coast region and cultural connections to the whales. Dances will be performed by local Aboriginal dance groups, including the Duruunu Miru Dancers, Djaadjawan Dancers and the Gulaga Dancers.
Events are free but registration is essential. Tickets will be available to book from Saturday 14th August 2021.
Giiyong Festival, 9 OCTOBER 2021
Unfortunately due to the ongoing regional NSW lockdown, Giiyong Festival has been cancelled.
Giiyong Festival debuted in 2018 and was the first festival of its kind to be held in the Yuin Nation. This year, Giiyong will make its hugely anticipated return on 9th October 2021 and will celebrate traditional and contemporary Aboriginal culture through dance, art, music, film, food, spoken word, workshops and cultural demonstrations. With two stages, dance circles, an arts market and exhibitions, there will be so much to see and do.
The 2021 Giiyong Festival is presented by Twofold Aboriginal Corporation, Eden Local Aboriginal Land Council and South East Arts and will feature some of Australia’s most respected Aboriginal musicians, speakers and performers sharing the stage with local artists.
Reflecting on the 2021 NAIDOC theme ‘Heal Country’, Giiyong Festival will present speakers and discussion panels exploring traditional land and water management practices, truth and justice, Aboriginal astronomy, Treaty and more.
Giiyong Festival is a family friendly event, suitable for all ages. Find out more and book your tickets here.
WHAT ELSE IS ON?
Unfortunately due to the ongoing regional NSW lockdown, Eden Whale Festival has been cancelled.
Eden has been celebrating the arrival of the whales for over two decades and the much-loved Eden Whale Festival turns 25 this year! To celebrate the quarter century, the program has been refreshed and revamped to truly showcase Eden’s rich whale, timber and fishing history. It all kicks off on Friday 15th October 2021 with the Official Festival Launch at the Eden Killer Whale Museum, and the festival will run from the 15th – 17th October.
Highlights this year will include the famous Street Parade, Beach and Water display at Aslings Beach, capstan pull competition, markets & food stalls, historic and modern heavy machinery demo and more. Local musicians and performers will entertain all day long with children’s activities, markets, food, displays and craft and the region’s best wood choppers will compete for the Whale Festival title. Local heroes of the Eden SES Branch will also be performing on-site demonstrations. Visit the website to discover the full festival experience and start planning your weekend.
The Whale Trail southern migration is celebrated with gusto in Eden but try to include a day for exploring more of this part of the coast, including the Killer Whale Trail. It’s a trail rich with tales of adventure, a self-drive day tour that takes you to five historical sites set in the breathtaking natural surrounds around Eden.
To experience more of rich Aboriginal history of the region, take some time to discover the Bundian Way Whale Dreaming Trail – an accessible 600m walk through native gardens in Eden, that leads to an epic lookout over Turemulerrer (Twofold Bay), the coastal gateway to the Bundian Way. Or follow the ancient steps of the 1.8km Bundian Way Story Trail from Cocora Beach to Quarantine Bay, with sweeping coastal views and interpretive stories about the people who have walked this trail for thousands of years. Spring is a perfect time of year to truly immerse yourself in these stories.
To check out all the events happening this spring, head to our Events page.
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