Garma Festival: a retrospective from our volunteers

With the support of our parent company RGF Staffing ANZ, we were able to send two of our Aurion team members to volunteer at Garma, the largest Indigenous gathering in Australia.

All of the volunteers sent to represent their respective business units from RGF Staffing ANZ did so while receiving their regular salary, no use of annual leave and having the travel costs paid for as we continue to support our commitment to reconciliation.

A once in a lifetime experience, Garma presents the ideal opportunity for volunteers to immerse themselves in the rich Indigenous culture.

What is the meaning of Garma Festival?

As Australia’s largest Indigenous cultural gathering, the Garma festival is held over a four day period every August. The Gulkula ceremonial site in Northeast Arnhem Land, Northern Territory is the location of the Garma Festival with the purpose of celebrating and showcasing the cultural heritage of the traditional custodians of the land, the Yolngu people.

The word “Garma” is a Yolngu Matha term which means “two-way learning process” and is a true reflection of the purpose of this gathering.

Learnings for a lifetime

We had a chat with our Aurion team members who volunteered to attend this year’s event to discover more about their experience at the Garma Festival.

Our Project Delivery Lead, Ed Connolly spoke about his motivation for volunteering at the event, “I truly believe there is no better way to learn more about a culture than to immerse yourself completely.”

As one of the volunteers in the Site Management & Rapid Response Group, Ed was a part of the team that was responsible for setting up and packing down the Garma site. In addition to being called upon for any urgent or short notice requests that arose and required an immediate solution. This included a range of tasks such as putting in pickets, setting up signs, maintenance work and re-arranging camp sites at short notice.

Immersed in culture – Never before seen Australian Aboriginal Artwork

Reflecting on his experience at Garma, Ed talks about one of the highlights of his volunteering experience and being immersed in Indigenous culture beyond the event, “We went and visited an art gallery and were given a bit of a tour of all the Aboriginal artwork that was there.

What was really cool is that there was one piece there that is never shown publicly and you aren’t allowed to take photos of it. The only way to see this Aboriginal art is to go to Northeast Arnhem Land and see it in person.

It’s something that I was quite humbled and fortunate enough to see and will remember it for a lifetime.”

An eye-opening experience fuelled by a dedication to make a difference

Another one of our Aurion representatives was Project Planning Manager, Jayne Poulter. Describing her motivations to be a part of Garma Festival 2024, Jayne explains, “I wanted to take the opportunity to go and visit somewhere in Australia that I will probably not be able to visit again as it’s really difficult to travel to and is quite remote.”

Around 75 organisations sent members of their team to volunteer at the festival, with RGF Staffing ANZ being one of them. Speaking to her experience of meeting and collaborating with the volunteers at the festival Jayne says,

“We really bonded and supported each other and have made lifelong friends out of the experience. Everyone was welcoming even though we came from all different roles and business units within the organisation. ‘Comradery’ is the word I would use to describe it.”

We asked Jayne what wisdom she would impasse onto others interested in volunteering for Garma in the future and what to expect, “Go in with an open mind and no expectations. Don’t go in with any preconceived ideas as the Garma Festival surprises you in so many ways. Some of the best experiences and moments were unplanned. That and bring some good walking shoes!”

Joining Garma Festival as a volunteer is a unique opportunity, one that would not be possible without the investment and support from our executive leadership team. This includes the continued evolution and advancement of our Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP).

Jackie Reilly our RAP Strategy Manager, reiterated the importance of corporate organisations and volunteers being involved in significant cultural events such as Garma, “Without the volunteers at Garma, the festival wouldn’t happen. One of the most valuable outcomes of being involved in Garma is the cultural immersion and hands-on experience. Which is very different to online training or something similar you would see in a corporate environment. You won’t get that experience to connect with the Indigenous community anywhere else, it’s a one-of-a-kind.”

Let’s chat!

If you’re looking to partner with a people and payroll provider that is committed to reconciliation, then reach out to learn more! Our Aurion payroll specialists are available to discuss how we can create an optimised payroll solution to let your workforce thrive! You can reach our team by:

• calling 1300 287 466
• sending an email to [email protected]
• filling out this contact form and we’ll reach out to you

We’re excited to partner with you to make life work better!