EverNow cements place on WA events calendar

A major new event launching tonight celebrating the Noongar season of Kambarang will become a permanent fixture on Western Australia’s calendar.

Perth Festival’s EverNow launches in Perth (Boorloo) on Wednesday night and its main attraction – Boorna Waanginy – will run from Friday to Monday night.

Boorna Waanginy, Noongar for 'the trees speak', attracted about 300,000 people to Kings Park (Karra katta) when the 3D lights display launched in 2017 and in 2019.

Noongar traditional owner Waljin (Mitchella Hutchins) said the celebration of culture had a lasting impact on the community.

“When our kids, either the wider community or Indigenous community, see us walking together and collaborating together, it makes a brighter future for all of us,” she said.

“One of the artworks we have here is the firestick and keeping the firestick burning is about passing the knowledge onto the next generation and creating something greater for the future.

“This message stick is something we want to last forever.”

Waljin said the festival would serve as a last-minute chance for Western Australians to learn about Aboriginal culture ahead of the Voice referendum on October 14.

“You get a chance to be able to sit with some of the elders and share some of the wisdom, some of the knowledge,” she said.

“It is a unique opportunity to be able to expose yourselves to some of the beautiful experiences Indigenous Australians can offer.”

Acting Tourism Minister John Carey said EverNow was the start of grand plans to boost WA’s status as an events destination.

“This really is part of the bigger picture where we are trying to create a new homegrown event that really showcases the rich history, culture and stories of WA,” he said.

“Part of the clear advice from the tourism commission is that we actually have to have a homegrown event we actually can call our own to grow and develop over time.

“But also, we know visitors coming to WA actually want to experience and understand our rich Indigenous heritage and culture in WA.”

Perth Festival artistic director Iain Grandage said Boorna Waanginy, the Noongar song circle, and fire gardens at Government House made up the event.

“This is a festival that speaks of the old stories of this place done in collaboration with the Noongar community,” he said.

“It is a joy to be able to celebrate this large-scale free event with the people of WA.”

EverNow joins Indigenous-focused events in WA such as the Pilbara’s Karijini Experience and Mowanjum Festival near Derby.

The state government has funded the event for two years with the intention of making it a staple of the Perth events calendar.