Traditions of Arnhem Land Shared by Yolngu Women

Yolngu women in Arnhem Land are preparing to host their first tours created especially for other women, offering a unique insight into the Indigenous culture and traditions of Australia’s remote north.

The tours will provide a chance to learn first-hand about the culture, skills and ceremonies of Yolngu women, while at the same time taking part in activities like weaving, food gathering, cooking and crafts. 

The Gay'wu Dilly Bag Women's Tours depart on July 20 and August 24, 2015, for seven nights and cost AUS$3,000 per person including all meals, transport, activities, accommodation, equipment, guides and permits. Cost excludes airfares.

Lirrwi Tourism’s new Gay'wu Dilly Bag Women's Tours give small groups an opportunity to stay with Yolngu women in their traditional homelands while taking part in customs and practices passed down by mothers and grandmothers over millennia.

Participants will be able to spend time with Yolngu women and children around the campfire to learn about aspects of their lives, land and spirituality. After helping to gather pandanus, dyes and shells to create materials for weaving, they will learn how to make baskets and other woven materials while hearing the stories traditionally told as part of the weaving process.

A highlight will be an opportunity to witness a Crying for Country ceremony, performed at dawn on a point overlooking the Gulf of Carpentaria. Crying for Country is a sacred ritual for Yolngu women, conducted exclusively in the absence of men.

The seven-night Gay'wu Dilly Bag Women's Tours begin in Nhulunbuy and visit several homelands in north-east Arnhem Land, staying in simple lodge-style accommodation or tents and travelling by modern, air-conditioned four-wheel-drive minibus.

The tours are operated and guided by Yolngu, providing direct income for communities and a path to future economic independence. They have been created as part of Lirrwi Tourism’s long-term plan to foster a thriving Indigenous tourism industry in Arnhem Land and create dozens of Indigenous-owned tourism businesses in Yolngu communities.

Other tours available from Lirrwi Tourism include the Crossing Country Yolngu Dhukarr expedition for both men and women, visiting three different Yolngu homelands over seven days.

For more information visit www.lirrwitourism.com.au or phone Lirrwi Tourism on 08 8987 2828.

Alison Carmichael-Rulten

Hi, I'm Alison Carmichael-Rulten the Publisher of Vacation Goddess, and I want to thank you for visiting Vacation Goddess – the one-stop shop for insider travel news, deals, 'Guest Goddes's stories, and of course our personal travel experiences. Plus, as we love to cruise we also try to find some amazing cruise deals for you too. From luxury, longer escapes right down to weekend breaks we know you love everything travel related. Here at Vacation Goddess, we hope you will find loads of inspiration and of course some amazing travel deals. We love a holiday at a great price and that's why we seek out what we call 'Champagne Experiences, on a Sparkling Wine Budget.' We constantly showcase a variety of special deals and offers and from time to time some very special competitions. Our recent 'Win a Trip to London' competition received over 24,00 entries. We invite you to visit us often, join our mailing list and please tell your friends