The Parrtjima Festival is set against the backdrop of the MacDonnell Ranges. Photograph courtesy of Parrtjima Parrtjima, the annual festival of light in Alice Springs (Mparntwe) is in full swing, marking 10 nights of large-scale art installations, talks, music and markets within Alice Springs Desert Park.
The free event, which runs until 21st April, celebrates the importance of interconnectedness across First Nations culture and is the only Aboriginal light festival of its kind in the world.
Against the backdrop of the MacDonnell Ranges – which acts like a 300-million-year-old natural canvas – Parrtjima (pronounced Par-Chee-ma) is about bringing people together and engaging with First Nations culture. Parrtjima means ‘lighting up’ and conveys two meanings: physically illuminating an object with light; and ‘lighting up’ as in to shed light and understanding on a subject.
This year, six-metre tall, 600 kilogram theatre puppet, Arelhe Urrperle, will stroll through the festival sharing language and stories. Arelhe Urrperle represents the matriarchs and knowledge holders in Aboriginal cultures.
Other new light installations include The Arrernte, a series of illuminated cars which celebrate a collage of work across Eastern, Western and Central language groups and Tjoritja Cockatoos, which brings the work of artist and director of Iltja Ntjarra Art Centre, Vanessa Inkamala, to three screens, showcasing the cyclical and seasonal work of Country.
