October 12th, 2024Malamiya Mang Festival on Melbourne Cup long weekend

Dja Dja Wurrung art, music, fashion design and culture will be on show in Bendigo over the Melbourne Cup long weekend, as Dja Dja Wurrung  enterprise Dumawul hosts the Malamiya Mang Arts Festival.    

Dumawul Creative Arts producer Maurial Spearim said Malamiya Mang, now in its second year, blended contemporary art and culture with traditional practice.    

“Malamiya Mang is about then and now,” Ms Spearim said.

“The festival draws  on the continuing connection between Dja Dja Wurrung people and country from the past to the here and now. In Dja Dja Wurrung language, ‘malamiya’ means ‘long ago before this time’ and ‘mang’ means ‘now’.”    

The three-day festival will launch with an exhibition of Dja Dja Wurrung art inspired by the revival of traditional burning practice, Djandak Wi (Country fire in Dja Dja Wurrung language).

Works by more than 12 artists include paintings and weavings and the exhibition, at the Dumawul Hub in Bendigo’s Hargreaves Mall, opens at 6pm on Thursday, October 31.

The exhibition will also open on Tuesdays and Wednesdays until November 27, 1pm – 4pm.    

A pop-up shop at the hub will open alongside the exhibition on Saturday. It’s an opportunity to explore and purchase a beautiful selection of art, jewellery, health products and fashions created by talented Dja Dja Wurrung artists.    

Children’s activities, including weaving workshops, will also be available from 11am to 1pm.    

The pop-up shop and exhibition will be open on Saturday and during the Moonlight Market in the Mall.    

Dumawul’s first fashion runway show, Marana Muyupilang (which means made by hand in Dja Dja Wurrung language) follows the exhibition opening in the hub on Thursday.    

Celebrating the ‘now’ theme, the Our Country, Our People concert at the Capital Theatre on Friday, November 1 includes headline acts DRMNGNOW and Yambra along with guest artists.

It follows an official opening ceremony from 6pm with performers from the Dja Dja Wurrung dance group.    Link: www.dumawul.com.au/malamiya-mang/