Laura Quinken dance festival steps back to roots with 2023 program

A Cape York cultural festival will return in 2023 with organisers firmly focussed on moving away from commercialisation of the event. Read what this decades-old festival will offer.

Communities with connections to Cape York and Torres Strait will gather again for a cultural celebration as Laura Quinken Indigenous Dance Festival returns in 2023.

Established in the 80’s the festival has been bringing the communities together to celebrate connection to land and culture through dance for more than 40 years.

“After difficulties with Covid in 2021 its now full steam ahead for 2023,” Ang-Gnarra Aboriginal Corporation chief executive offer, August Steven said.

The Quinkan dancers will work with traditional owners to return the 2023 Laura Quinkan dance festival back to its traditional roots. CEO of Ang-Ganrra Aboriginal Corporation August Stevens. Picture: Brendan Radke

Laura Quinkan is Australia’s longest running cultural festival and its focus is to share the community’s stories through cultural performances of Music, dance, and singing.

Next year’s event on July 7-9 is taking a step back to its roots after concerns the event was becoming too commercialised and moving away from community.

“Live bands have been removed from the program and we have returned to the old ways of just traditional dance, arts, and music,” Mr Steven said.

Quinkan dancers will open and close the festival with a traditional spear ceremony and performances.

The Quinkan dancers will work with traditional owners to return the 2023 Laura Quinkan dance festival back to its traditional roots. Leelan Snider, Walter Snider, Nash Snider and Joe Snider will open the 2023 festival. Picture: Brendan Radke

Nash Snider explained the significance to him and his family of opening the festival and reconnecting to the Cape despite the family being dispersed away.

“To me it means a lot, and my family to be opening the festival.

“When a bird picks up a seed from an ironwood tree and drops it somewhere new, what tree does it grow? An ironwood tree. We have this connection to land through our grandfathers and their grandfathers back until the cave drawings were drawn,” Mr Snider said.

Violet, a fourth-generation Snider, proudly stood by her father,

Nash Snider, explaining what it would mean to her to dance at the festival.

“I like to keep my family strong and inspire the next generation through dance,” Violet said.

Member for Cairns Micheal Healy highlighted the importance of the event on Queensland’s cultural calendar.

“This is a highly significant event on the Queensland calendar, and our nation’s eyes

have never been more focused on First Nations culture and opportunities

than the present.

“As Australia’s longest-running cultural festival that celebrates First Nations

performing arts and history it is a source of great pride to see this special

event based in the Far North.

“The benefits the festival brings in terms of community engagement,

development and self-empowerment are not to be underestimated.”

Originally published as Laura Quinken dance festival steps back to roots with 2023 program