Buluunggal Festival
About
The Buluunggal Festival is continued as an annual gathering on Gumbaynggirr Country to celebrate the annual arrival of Buluunggal (mullet) in the Nambucca River.
Since it’s emergence in 2022, the festival has aimed to be a welcoming day where Gumbaynggirr Custodians can share connections with Country and nourish relationships with buluunggal.
Led by Uncle Bud Marshall and Gumbaynggirr Elders, the festival celebrates connection with the River through story, dance, art, music, stalls, and a free mullet barbeque feed.
There is always a strong team effort from Elders, community organisations, dancers, musicians, volunteers on the BBQ and serving food, stallholders and artists.
“Uncle Benjie would sit up on that wall there, right in the middle. He’d watch the mullet come across. He’d know exactly where they were going and then, bang, he would spear them.”
-Uncle Bud Marshall
Festival highlights
Local dancers
Sharing Gumbaynggirr knowledge and culture through dance is at the heart of the Buluunggal Festival.
Uncle Bud invites local dancing groups from different schools on Gumbaynggirr Country to showcase their efforts in celebrating the day.
Around the V-Wall
From artist stalls to dancing and singing to storytelling, guests are encouraged to stroll the grounds and engage their own personal Buluunggaal experience.
You can stop by the Yandaarra stall, where you can purchase that year’s t-shirt. All profits go back into hosting future festivals.
Mullet fish barbeque
Every year, Yandaarra including Uncle Bud heads to South West Rocks to pick up Mullet Fish to be cooked up for the festival.
The barbeque is a free and tasty feed for all, and has been an important way to help celebrate the day and everyone together. Plenty of mullet is cooked with Lemon Myrtle by using Uncle Bud’s smoker, and so many volunteers come along to help out preparing everything else.
Sit back and watch the performers and dancers as you enjoy this tasty feed. Or better still,
Musicians
Music is a big part of celebrating the Buluunggal, bringing together community, artists, and performers to share culture and stories with the audience through song and dance.
Incredible local musicians and bands perform alongside community artists and dancers from all over Gumbaynggirr Country. Uncle Bud has also shared the stage with friends and family to sing together in celebrating community coming together.
