‘There’s so much hidden talent in the APY’: Dem Mob set for 40 year anniversary festival

The APY Lands’ Kulilaya Festival will celebrate 40 years since the land was given back to the people with a unique hip-hop trio in the line-up.

One of South Australia’s new and upcoming hip-hop groups is set to perform at a remote desert festival in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara Lands to mark the region’s 40 year anniversary.

Hip-hop trio, Dem Mob, who originate from the APY community of Pukatja, will join a long line up of artists from various communities at the Kulilaya Festival in March next year, which will be held in the community of Umuwa.

Member of Dem Mob, Elijah Umuhuri, also known by his stage name, “Payday”, said the group was excited for the upcoming festival which would see all the local talent in the region on display.

Jontae Lawrie, Matt Gully, and Elisha Umuguri from Dem Mob. Credit: Supplied.

“It’s the 40th anniversary for the lands rights Act which was held just near Pukatja, and we get to perform 20 minutes down the road to mark that occasion which is pretty crazy in itself,” he said.

“Music is a big part of bringing everyone together, but also, we were asked to headline it but we’ve done so much stuff in mainstream, we feel this is the time to help bring other mob up.

“There’s so much hidden talent in the APY, it’s just about giving them the exposure so we’re really taking this opportunity to give other bands to be the headline act.

“We’ll probably do our own set but we want to make sure that we follow what the other mob back home want to do.”

After a year of success, which saw Dem Mob dominate the local industry – cleaning up five of the top accolades at the SA Music Awards – they also made their international debut at the Primavera Sound festival in Barcelona, Spain in June.

There, they performed alongside the world’s biggest stars, including Kendrick Lamar and Blur.

Elisha Umuhuri, Jontae Lawrie, and Matt Gully from Dem Mob. Source: Supplied.

Event manager, Colin Koch said the festival had been years in the making and while the line-up had not yet been finalised, he expected a massive turnout.

“It really is a celebration of land rights, country and culture and it will be a big concert day out in the lands,” he said.

“For the communities out here it means a couple of things, as it is a very rare opportunity to party together and be out and about at the same festival events we usually see in the city all the time.

“There are bands across remote communities and they play and they play and they write, and occasionally they pop up as great discoveries for things like WOMADelaide or other festivals in Australia.

“These bands out here are here playing, practising and writing all the time, but they have limited opportunities, so this is an opportunity to showcase what they have.”

The program for the event is still coming together but will see only local bands and artists perform for their receptive communities.