On behalf of the Tandanya Board of Directors I welcome you to Spirit Festival 2012.  We would like to acknowledge the Government of South Australia through Arts SA and the Adelaide City Council for their generous contribution.

To our sponsors, partners, supporters and volunteers your generosity of spirit is much appreciated. To all the wonderful artists and cultural keepers thank you for accepting our invitation to celebrate with us. 

It is our greatest desire to share with all visitors to the Festival  our culture... enjoy!

I am pleased to present to you a festival program that showcases some of the very best local and national Aboriginal Torres Strait Island artist’s from many diverse nations.

The art that we present has a unique quality of connection to land, culture and people unlike anywhere in the world and in the twenty first century we are still singing, dancing and sharing our stories, adapting and mastering our skills to present to you through this unique festival.

I would like to thank all Tandanya staff who have worked hard through the year and acknowledge the ongoing support within the Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander community for this important celebration of our culture. Enjoy the spirit of the Spirit Festival 2012.

The 2012 Spirit Festival is South Australia’s premier Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander arts and cultural event.

The Government, through Arts SA, supports this free, family friendly festival which sees more than 200 Aboriginal performers, artists and cultural workers demonstrating the contribution that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make to the state’s cultural fabric.

The mix of traditional and contemporary events at the festival is a welcome addition to the March festival period and is a unique opportunity to engage in and with one of the oldest living cultures in the world, right in the heart of the city.

Na marni marni na budni tarndaganyangga, kaurna yerta, marni na budni towilla ngunyindo marni milindo worta

Greetings welcome to Adelaide, Kaurna Land, Welcome to the Spirit Festival, have a good weekend.

MULLAWIRRABURKA

Rymill Park is named in honour of Kaurna leader Mullawirraburka (c1811 - 1845) also known as Kertamero ‘King John' and "Onkaparinga Jack' Mullawirraburka was a ritual leader and skilful warrior he had four wives Koa Warrarto, Yerrarto, Kertanya and Kauwadla. He  was said to have a ‘ very powerful frame and commanding appearance'. He was a linguist having learnt the English language he taught the Kaurna language to Lutheran missionaries. He was appointed honorary police constable by the governor in 1838 acting as an intermediary between the Kaurna and the colonists. 

T. J. Gara ‘The Life and Times of Mullawirraburka (‘King John') of the Adelaide Tribe', in J Simpson and L. Hercus (eds) , History in Portraits (Canb, 1998): South Australian Register, 6 Jan 1845, p 3