Sharon Winsor, a Ngemba Weilwan woman, has spent 30 years sharing her knowledge of native Australian food through her business Indigiearth. This month, she presents the first-of-its-kind Australian Native Food Festival at Sydney’s Carriageworks, an idea she first proposed five years ago.
The festival features more than 20 First Nations vendors, cooking demonstrations from renowned chefs including Kylie Kwong, Bruce Pascoe and Ben Shewry, and weaving workshops by Ngumpie Weaving. Winsor says she wanted to celebrate native foods and support the industry on a larger scale.
Winsor faced challenges finding a venue willing to host the event, noting that not everyone understands the vision. However, when she reached out to industry figures, she received enthusiastic support. The festival runs on 27 and 28 September, with Aunty Beryl Van-Oploo and Kerrie Saunders among those giving demonstrations.
Many aspects of the festival are free and open to the public, including market stalls and a pop-up cafe serving dishes such as oysters with green ants and finger lime pearls. There will also be a nursery selling native plants. Winsor curated the event for September, a time of new season and new beginnings, when ingredients like lemon myrtle and wattleseed are in season.
