Ngarrama Festival Returns to Newcastle for Fifth Year of Indigenous Celebration
A beloved free community event celebrating Indigenous culture has made its return to Newcastle for its fifth consecutive year. The Ngarrama festival, held on January 25 at King Edward Park, invited attendees to listen, reflect, and celebrate the rich cultures, stories, and knowledge that have shaped the region for tens of thousands of years.
Meaning and Significance of Ngarrama
Hosted by the University of Newcastle on Awabakal and Worimi country, the name Ngarrama translates to "sit, listen and know" in several local Aboriginal languages. This translation perfectly captures the event's purpose of fostering understanding and connection through shared experiences.
Bandjin woman Loren Collyer, the University of Newcastle's acting pro vice-chancellor of Indigenous strategy and leadership, expressed excitement about welcoming both returning and new participants to the 2026 gathering. "We are incredibly proud to be spearheading what is proving to be culture-shifting engagement in our beloved community," she stated.
"This night is about sovereignty and also togetherness and our shared history," Collyer continued. "It becomes clearer each year that there is a growing appetite for events like this for the whole family."
Festival Program and Community Involvement
The Ngarrama 2026 program featured a diverse range of cultural activities designed to engage all ages. Highlights included:
- A traditional welcome to country ceremony
- Authentic dance and musical performances
- Storytelling sessions sharing ancient knowledge
- Interactive knowledge-sharing opportunities
- A lantern parade for children led by local theatre company Curious Legends
The City of Newcastle provides ongoing support for the Ngarrama event. Councillor Deahnna Richardson, a proud Wiradjuri woman and co-chairperson of City of Newcastle's Guraki Standing Committee, emphasized the event's importance for community reflection.
"Ngarrama celebrates the richness and resilience of First Nations culture, in particular the Awabakal and Worimi people, the traditional custodians of the land upon which Newcastle now stands," Richardson explained.
"Ngarrama translates to 'to sit, listen, and know' and as the name captures, it will be a time for listening and quiet reflection through the sharing of stories, knowledge and culture."
Annual Tradition with Growing Impact
The councillor noted that the event provides a valuable opportunity for the community to reflect on traditional life in Mooloobinba before 1788 and consider the ongoing journey toward reconciliation. Ngarrama has established itself as an annual tradition, running from 7-9pm each January 25 at King Edward Park in Newcastle.
Now in its fifth year, the festival continues to grow in both attendance and significance, demonstrating the community's increasing engagement with Indigenous culture and history. The event's combination of celebration, education, and reflection creates a powerful experience that resonates with families and individuals across the Newcastle region.
