The world's most beautiful festival returns to Alice Springs

The world’s most beautiful light festival returns to the NT desert this April, and it’s open to everyone.

Tourism NT

The stunning Parrtjima light festival returns to Alice Springs this April, and it’s free and welcomes all ages. Here’s what you need to know.

Without even noticing it, we use language to express our cultural identity and convey our unique understanding of the world all day, every day. From identifying our own tribe when travelling, to passing important and specific knowledge down through generations, to gently arguing over potato cake or scallop, bathers or togs. But dialects and even whole languages, especially those of first nations people, disappear all the time. Preserving indigenous languages is important work: from Algherese in the northwest of Italy, to the Arrernte spoken in central Australia, there are currently 2680 languages around the world that are now in danger of becoming extinct.

The UN has declared 2019 “The year of indigenous languages” in an effort to raise awareness around preserving these vulnerable languages, and Australia’s most beautiful, and perhaps most original, festival - Parrtjima - is throwing its akubra into the ring to help.

This year the gorgeous Parrtjima festival of lights, in recognition, is themed ‘Language Expressions’, and every light projection, art installation and program highlight has been informed and inspired by this.

Renowned first nations creative director Rhoda Roberts acknowledges, “traditional languages are vital to providing age-old knowledge continuance of story, culture and connection to country. Through our thematic of language expression, Parrtjima 2019 once again provides a unique platform and an exchange of new expressions and a dialogue that is relevant to the 21st century.”

“The installations and light show capture the essence of diverse artistic practices, along with the public program that features music, film and talks enhancing the many ways in which First Nations artists, performers and custodians celebrate and evolve,” she continues.

Lighting up the 300-million-year-old MacDonnell Ranges and spilling into Alice Springs Desert Park for a spectacular ten nights, the breathtaking outdoor gallery experience has been presenting local artwork, culture and stories for the past three years.

Free to attend and open to all, the 2019 festival is an electrifying mix of acclaimed musical acts, new lighting installations and interactive artworks running from Friday, 5 April to Sunday, 14 April.

“Festival guests can expect to be spellbound and witness the unexpected, and I hope many can join us in the heart of the nation as we explore the oldest living art practices through a new lens,” says Roberts.

Parrtjima 2019 festival highlights

The Language of Kin:Angkentye Anpernirrentye-kerte A giant, illuminated tunnel structure is being created to honour the local Arrernte people by celebrating their kinship system. The installation is the point of entry to the festival and features a complex audio soundscape to make the surreal experience full immersive.

Living Sands: Ahelhe Itethe This festival favourite returns to captivate visitors with a new selection of vibrant, animated artworks shown across the desert sands, accompanied by an atmospheric soundscape created by seven local and Central Australian First Nations artists.

Hip hop artist Baker Boy 2019 young Australian of the year, AKA Danzal Baker, AKA Baker Boy, will be bringing his multilingual sounds to the vast desert landscape. This Arnhem Land-born rapper’s show will tribute the language theme as it switches between English to his native tongu Yolngu Matha, on the final night of the festival.

Talking the talk, walking the walkDanzal will also join other artists in a series of workshops, talks, and performances over the free 10-day program. The packed calendar will host interactive workshops, talks, nightly films and performances across both event precincts, Alice Springs Desert Park and Todd Mall, sharing the stories of country and its people. Experiences range from the art of spear making to witnessing internationally acclaimed music acts at the Festival Hub, including rhythm and blues singer/songwriter Mojo Juju.

The Language of Stockmen: Angkentye Stockmen Mape-kenhe This element of Parrtjima will tell the lesser-known social history of First Nations station workers and their language of the land. The series of larger than life sculptures are built to replicate original artwork by local artists Johnny Young and David Wallace - with collaborations from young artists of the Tapatjatjaka Arts Centre - and are in tribute the First Nations people’s involvement in the pastoral history of Central Australia, which was critical in teaching other stockman about how to survive.

The Language of Change: Angkentye ArrpenheFor thousands of years, Australia’s First Nations people travelled across the seasons, following their songlines to take part in important events and gatherings. Today these journeys continue, but different modes of transport have been created to travel across borders. The incredible ‘Bush Taxis’ installation will provide audiences with a chance to engage with lights and audio of locals’ stories of adaptation. Three ‘Bush Taxis’, or buses, will feature the works of first nations artist Mervyn Rubuntja, from Iltja Ntjarra/Many Hands Art Centre, and other selected artists depicting notions of change for first nations communities from across the region throughout the 21st Century.

The Language of Children: Angkentye Ampe-kenheThis impressive maze, with stunning art work by Valerie Napurrurla Morris of Warlukurlangu Artists Aboriginal Corporation projected upon, recognises the way children communicate during play and how it leads to belonging, being and becoming. Parrtjima is a completely unique family experience, one of learning and connection, and this installation in particular gives kids the opportunity to express themselves and most of all, to have fun.

The Language of MothsBuilding on the popularity of a 2018 installation which celebrated Caterpillars and their importance to the landscape and creation time of our magic red centre, the Arrernte people asked Parrtjima to work with independent artists to create this year’s installation. As  requested, it depicts a series of sculptured large-scale moths, which, amongst incredible lighting effects along Todd Mall, provide another layer to the story of the Arrernte relationship to the physical and spiritual world.

The 2019 Parrtjima:Language Expressions festival will be ten days of unforgettable experiences. Open to all ages, and free to attend, it’s a stunning celebration of language and light spread across some of our country's most beautiful landscape. Plan your trip now.