When communities from across remote areas of the Top End come together for a unique weekend of footy and basketball, the significance extends beyond sport, West Arnhem Regional Council mayor James Woods says.
Jabiru hosted the 2026 Kurrung Sports Carnival at the weekend, bringing over 200 athletes into town.
For the first time in a decade, it ran alongside the Mahbilil music, dance and culture festival.
Kurrung takes its name from the local Aboriginal word for the season when the afternoon breeze, mahbilil, rises, and the magpie geese cross over the wetlands to lay their eggs.
Footballers and basketballers came from Minjilang, Maningrida and Gunbalanya from across Arnhem Land, Warruwi just off the coast on Goulburn Island, from Numbulwar on the Gulf of Carpentaria, and more locally from Kakadu.
"Kurrung brings our communities together through sport. It gives our athletes the chance to compete, showcase their talent and proudly represent their families and communities," Mayor Woods said.
"For many of our 200 athletes, Kurrung may be the only major sporting carnival they get to compete in all year, so having that opportunity here in our region is incredibly important."
West Arnhem Regional Council hosted the event.
Men's football took place on Brockman Oval, with Jabiru Bombers secured back- to-back titles downing Warruwi Storm on Saturday.
In a women's showcase match, the Bombers got another win over Arnhem Land Wildfires.
A day earlier, the local basketball courts played host to Numbulwar Green Ants going all the way to clinch the women's title.
Before their success in footy, the Bombers men's had already taken bragging rights in the men's basketball getting the better of Minjilang Eagles.
The Spirit of Kurrung Cup went to Warruwi in recognition of respect, fair play and community spirit played throughout what's championed as one of the region's biggest events.
Still, there's much more to the festival than what happens on the field and the court.
"But Kurrung is bigger than sport. It gives families from across the region a chance to reconnect, support their athletes and celebrate their communities," Mayor Woods said.
"Sport creates connections that reach well beyond the court or the footy field. These communities share friendships, memories and triumphs, and events like Kurrung strengthen those connections across our whole region."
