Aboriginal light festival Parrtjima will return to Alice Springs (Mparntwe) in 2024 to highlight the importance of interconnectedness in Aboriginal cultures.
Running from April 12-21 with a new events delivery partner who will infuse innovative technologies with traditional storytelling methods, Parrtjima 2024 will offer visitors a profound experience.
“Everything is living in Aboriginal culture and in the old ways, the approach was one of sharing and working together,” said Parrtjima Curator, Rhoda Roberts AO.
“Our ancestors were living under strict social structures and belief systems where everything was interrelated from the land and waterways to our sky country.
“Along with resilience that’s tinged with laughter, interconnectedness blankets the wisdom of generations that we are reminded to experience and absorb.”
Northern Territory Major Events Company (NTMEC) CEO, Suzana Bishop, said the 2023 event had “a significant positive impact on the Northern Territory, generating a total expenditure stimulus of AU$9.2 million, with $6.8 million of that being new money brought into the region”.
“The event contributed to over 15,689 visitor nights, benefiting Alice Springs and other parts of the NT. Additionally, more than a quarter of attendees came from interstate or overseas, underlining the festival’s growing international appeal,” she said.
Parrtjima was recently showcased in Canberra as part of Facing North, an event featuring a delegation of Territory government, industry and businesspeople showcasing the Territory to Commonwealth.
“It’s exciting to have taken Parrtjima from one figurative heart of Australia to another, showcasing the strength, beauty and richness of Aboriginal culture to the country’s decision makers at Facing North,” Bishop said.