Taste of culture served up

A popular event that has become a highlight of Broome’s tourism calendar will celebrate the role of local indigenous women and their creation of the community's identity through pearling and cultural development.

This year’s A Taste Of Broome will involve their stories and enable people to experience Broome’s history through the eyes of her mothers, sisters and daughters.

Guests will hear of their heartbreak of loss and suffering as well as the joys at seeing family return home after long dives away.

The event, now in its fourth year, has three nights of festivities scheduled across July, August and September in 2016.

The first night of celebration is tonight.

ATOB is a unique music and picture show experience combining Broome's indigenous culture and its multicultural community to promote vibrant soul through music, dance, food, arts and crafts, tradition and heritage.

Building on the success of the 2015 event, this year’s ATOB will not only celebrate local women but will also feature several new performances, artists and cuisine.

Goolarri Media Enterprises chief operations officer Kira Fong said ATOB continued to promote Broome’s unique lifestyle and cultural history, and was the region’s premier indigenous arts event.

“ATOB is an award-winning multi-arts performance and cuisine-based project, primarily focused on the unique multiculturalism within the community of Broome and the indigenous heritage and culture inherent in the region,” she said.

“It combines the performing arts mediums of dance, music and film to create a dynamic and rich production that celebrates Broome’s identity.

The 2016 ATOB season will see Guy Ghouse taking over from Stephen Pigram as creative director.

His history in Broome started when he was 13 years old, watching bands perform at the Roebuck Hotel.

Mr Ghouse has since studied at the WA Academy of Performing Arts, toured nationally and internationally, and is a four-times WAMI award winner, producer, recording artist, educator and facilitator.

“To be back in Broome is an honour and a chance to give back to the town that has taught me so much,” he said.

A number of other acclaimed artists are taking part in this year’s show including long-time favourites Stephen “Baamba” Albert, Naomi Pigram, Bojesse Pigram, Lorrae Coffin, Susie Quicke, Tania Mckenna, Arnhem Hunter and Mick Stevens.

New talent includes Emma Sibosado and Pauline Bin Sali, who come from a family with pearling history back to the hard hat days of the old luggers.

This year, there will also be a new food stall called “Little Feed” featuring desserts made from locally collected bush foods.

A Taste of Broome is supported by Tourism WA’s Regional Events Program, which is funded by the State Government’s Royalties for Regions.

Local partnerships have been developed with the Broome Visitor Centre and Australia’s North West Tourism with State partnerships including the Department of Communities through the Social Enterprise Fund.

The funding and support has allowed the continued training and employment for indigenous people through event management and media and further strengthens connection between industry and community.

For ticket information, go to www.atasteofbroome.com.au .