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For the Wulgurukaba people, Yabu Gugay is a sunrise gathering that brings people together through song, story, dance and connection to Country.As dawn breaks over the Coral Sea on Wulgurukaba Country, Yabu Gugay (meaning Sun Gathering in Wulgurukaba language) returns to open North Australian Festival of Arts (NAFA) 2026 with a powerful celebration of culture, community and spirit.
This year, NAFA is honoured to welcome acclaimed Numburindi songmen Ngulmiya Nundhirribala and Nayurryurr Nundhirribala from Arnhem Land, who join Wulgurukaba Traditional Custodians and Wulgurukaba Walkabouts in a celebration of Country, culture and connection.
Carrying songs that have travelled through countless generations, Ngulmiya and Nayurryurr share ancient knowledge, memory and belonging through voices that resonate far beyond the moment. Set against the rising sun, their songs create a rare meeting of northern cultures, connecting saltwater peoples across waterways, lands, languages and time.
Yabu Gugay, presented in partnership with Dancenorth Australia, is an invitation to gather, listen deeply, and honour the stories carried by Country.
Grounded in Wulgurukaba wisdom and guided by the enduring strength of First Nations culture, we come together at first light as the sun rises, voices carry across the water, and NAFA begins.
Location: The Strand Park Beach
37-43 The Strand, North Ward QLD 4810
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The Strand Park, The Local Sauna, The Strand, North Ward QLD 4810, Australia, North Ward
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