Gilibanga Gathering 2027

A Gathering Grounded in Connection

Across generations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have gathered to share knowledge, strengthen relationships and carry culture forward.

The Gilibanga Gathering continues this tradition.

More than a conference, Gilibanga is a gathering of people, stories, ideas and experiences. It is a place where Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing guide how we learn, connect and imagine the future together.

This year, under the theme Weaving Our Light, we invite contributors from across Australia to help shape a gathering that celebrates Indigenous evaluation, honours the wisdom of those who have come before us, and lights pathways for those who will follow.

Whether you are an Elder, evaluator, researcher, artist, storyteller, practitioner, community leader or emerging changemaker, your knowledge has a place here.

We warmly invite you to become part of the next chapter of the Gilibanga story.

Gilibanga is a traditional word meaning Create. Make. Light. 

Create — imagining new possibilities and challenging systems that have never been designed for us.
Make — grounding that vision in practice, through lived experience, tools, and ways of working that centre community and culture.
Light — illuminating our stories, amplifying our voices, and carrying forward a collective mandate for change. 

Together, these form a cycle—one that honours where we come from, strengthens how we work, and guides where we are going. 

Gilibanga is a Blak Evaluators and Trusted Allies Network, bringing together First Nations evaluators, practitioners, communities, organisations, and trusted allies who are committed to strengthening Indigenous-led evaluation.

This is not a traditional gathering.

We are intentionally shifting away from rigid, transactional formats to create a space that reflects First Nations ways of knowing, being, and doing.

Rather than rushing into sessions and schedules, we begin with connection—grounding ourselves in place, in relationships, and in shared purpose.

Throughout the Gathering, we centre:

• Cultural integrity over credentials

• Yarning circles over panels

• Shared meals and movement over back-to-back PowerPoints

• Collective wisdom over individual expertise

Whether you are a Blak evaluator, a trusted ally, or someone committed to culturally grounded evaluation practice, Gilibanga offers a space to connect, learn, reflect, and contribute to strengthening Indigenous evaluation through relationships, reciprocity, and shared knowledge.

Across four days, participants will experience: 

• Cultural ceremonies and grounding practices 

• Yarning circles and collective discussions 

• Dedicated spaces for Blak voices, alongside spaces for allies to listen and learn 

• Opportunities for young people, Elders, men and women to gather in ways that feel right 

• Practice-based sessions, storytelling, and shared learning 

• A celebration of Blak excellence through culture, art, and community 

This is a space that will smell like smoke, taste like bushtucker, and feel like ochre—grounded in culture, connection, and collective strength. 

For too long, First Nations voices have been marginalised within evaluation and decision-making systems. 

Gilibanga is reclaiming that space. 

This Gathering brings together evaluators, practitioners, researchers, organisations, and allies from across the country to: 

• Strengthen culturally-led evaluation practice 

• Build relationships and community 

• Share knowledge and lived experience 

• Shape the future of how impact is understood and valued 

Be part of a national movement that is redefining evaluation through culture, connection, and collective leadership.