Big Talk One Fire Panel Discussion

UMI Arts presented the 16th annual Big Talk One Fire First Nations Cultural Festival on Saturday 16th September 2023, even bigger and better than ever, at our new home at Munro Martin Park in Cairns.
A panel discussion by MC Trevor Tim alongside myself with panel members:
Abe Muriata a Girramay man of the Cardwell Range area who is a master basket weaver and ceramic artist as well. Connie Rovina a Kuku-Thaypan woman and visual artist.

Our Symposium discussion was around:
- What is your most significant artistic achievement?
- Fake Harms Culture and how this has impacted our business
- What do you feel are the priority areas for keeping our First Nations cultures strong (all) and how can we all work together to achieve this
- Were would you like to see our regions artists five years from now.

Thank you to Umi Arts for hosting this event. This was a day of celebration, sharing, storytelling, song, dance, art, workshops, food and yarning, all presented by First Nations performers, artists, & cultural leaders from across Far North Queensland.

BTOF kicked off with a beautiful Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony, with dance performances by the Boigu Island Dance Group and Jiritju Fourmaile. After the Opening Ceremony we launched the Symposium, a lively afternoon of artist talks and panel discussions.

Meanwhile the rest of the Park was bustling with the First Nations art market, dance workshops, plenty of kids activities, face-painting, storytelling, and tasty treats from some of Cairns fave food vans… then as the sun went down the main stage welcomed a deadly line-up of First Nations performers