Check out the cringe pics of Wave Rock Weekender festival goers at Katter Kich at your own peril
The annual Wave Rock Weekender in Western Australia turned into a bit of a cultural clash, and not the cool kind you find in the mosh pit.
The 2.7-billion-year-old Wave Rock, aka Katter Kich, a spot considered sacred by our First Nations People.
A night of stellar music entertainment, with Spacey Jane and Stella Donnelly performing against the iconic scenery of Wave Rock. Our very own Red Rock if you will.
Sounds pretty sweet, right? Well, it would’ve been if festival-goers hadn’t thrown a massive party on this ancient site, right next to Aboriginal rock art and ancient caves.
Senior Ballardong elder Farley Garlett, chair of the Ballardong Cultural Heritage Committee, is not thrilled with the disrespect shown to Katter Kich.
Watching the party get out of hand, he didn’t hold back, calling out the lack of protection for the area and demanding authorities step in.
Festival organizers tried to do some damage control, saying they’ve been consulting with the Collard family, the traditional owners, for almost two decades.
But Garlett didn’t buy it. A Welcome to Country, he argued, doesn’t give anyone a free pass to treat the sacred rock like a college kegger. He’s got a point and suggested everyone involved needs a crash course in cultural awareness.
Paul Sloan, the brains behind the festival, piped up, saying their crowd is way more respectful than your average tourist.
Yet, if you scrolled through social media, you’d spot pics of people sipping drinks on the rock during the festival’s so-called “sunset experience.”
Now, the debate’s heating up. People are shouting for more cultural sensitivity training and better protection for Wave Rock.
The future of the festival might just depend on how well they tackle these concerns. Farley Garlett and other elders are standing firm, saying it’s not just about Aboriginal heritage; it’s about respecting a shared cultural treasure for all Aussies.
