About
In 2023, Cardabia Station, just northeast of Coral Bay hosted the inaugural Jamba Nyinayi Festival as part of the Total Solar Eclipse.
Jamba Nyinayi Festival (JNF) is a unique, local, indigenous arts and cultural showcase owned by the Baiyungu Aboriginal Corporations and spearheaded by Traditional Owner Hazel Walgar. Jamba Nyinayi is hosted and held on Baiyungu Country.
Jamba Nyinayi Festival 2023 was attended by over 1500 people and garnished a huge success.
After the successes of 2023, Jamba Nyinayi Festival aims to become an annual, multi night cultural festival, which provides an opportunity for the Baiyungu community to invite people of all cultures, communities and nationalities to “come together”, share their stories, experience their land and “sit a while”. The festival also provides capacity building opportunities for the Baiyungu people.
2024’s goal is to create new opportunities and connections by inviting all people interested in authentic experiences, from all communities to ‘come together’. The festival’s focus is on delivering intimate and inspirational cultural tourism activities shared by the Baiyungu people, Traditional Owners of the amazing World Heritage Nyniggulu (Ningaloo) region in WA.
The 2024 Jamba Nyinayi Festival will showcase a remarkable line up of both local and nationally recognised Indigenous performers, curating original music and dance to the festival’s theme – A Gathering Place.
2024 will also see the inclusion of new on-country camping and experience packages. These camping packages are extremely limited, so BOOK NOW!
The Baiyungu people
Traditional Owner country extends along the Nyinggulu (Ningaloo) coast from north of Carnarvon to Exmouth and inland about 100 – 150 km. A major area of significance for Baiyungu people is Coral Bay and neighbouring Cardabia Station. Cardabia has become the main place where people of Baiyungu heritage gather.
Murlanda, or Maud’s Landing, at Cardabia was one of the main traditional meeting places where people from all neighbouring language groups came together.
Linguistically, Baiyungu is a member of the Ganyara group of languages and is related to Dhalanyji, Burduna, and Binigura. It shares many words and grammatical structures with these other languages, as well as having its own unique characteristics.
