The countdown is on for the 26th annual Garma Festival, with thousands set to gather at the Gulkula ceremonial site in northeast Arnhem Land from 31 July to 3 August.
Hosted by the Yothu Yindi Foundation, Garma is Australia's largest Indigenous gathering and celebrates Yolngu culture through traditional dance, song, art, storytelling and ceremony, while also bringing together leaders from across politics, business, education and community for important conversations shaping the future.
This year's theme, 'Bukmak' (Everyone), celebrates unity, diversity and the shared values that connect us all.
Ahead of this year's festival, NITV Radio caught up with Denise Bowden, Chief Executive Officer of the Yothu Yindi Foundation, to talk about what people can expect from Garma 2026, the significance of this year's theme, the festival's cultural and political importance, and to clear up some common misconceptions about who can attend.
Listen to the full interview to find out why Garma continues to be one of the most significant events on the First Nations calendar and why so many people describe the experience as life-changing.
