Winds of Zenadth Kes Cultural Festival on NITV – This week, NITV and the Torres Strait Islander Media Association (TSIMA) are proud to stand together as the official media partners of the spectacular Winds of Zenadth Kes Cultural Festival, with the 2025 theme of Ngul Ukamka Kayib, Bathayngaka, Kerker Orwai Atug or Continuing Past, Present and Future.
Held every two years on Waiben (Thursday Island) in the Torres Strait Islands, this extraordinary celebration brings the heart and soul of Torres Strait Islander culture to life. The Winds of Zenadth marks a powerful shift in the seasons — from the southeast trade winds (Sager) to the northeast monsoon winds (Nager) — times that have always carried deep meaning for ceremony, trade, and renewal across the islands.
From breathtaking ceremonies and cultural dance with intricate headdresses and cultural adornments to vibrant parades, thrilling boat races and a recreated village showcasing life before colonisation, the Winds of Zenadth festival is a sensory journey into the continuous living history and Culture across the Torres Strait Islands.
NITV’s Head of Indigenous News and Current Affairs and proud Mudburra and Wagadagam woman Natalie Ahmat said
“NITV is thrilled to be back on Waiben in the Torres Strait Islands, connecting with our community. We can’t wait to share the songs, ceremony and stories of the Torres Strait to a national audience on NITV News, The Point and all of NITV’s digital platforms”
NITV and TSIMA’s broadcast will be hosted by Natalie Ahmat, The Point’s John Paul Janke, as well as TSIMA’s Diat Alferink and Sylvia Tabau, and supported by NITV Queensland’s Dan Rennie, and will transport audiences straight into the beating heart of the Winds of Zenadth. It will showcase the dances of island and clan groups, unveiling the powerful cultural stories behind every step and sound, and NITV News will deliver updates live from the Torres Strait Islands across TV, radio, and digital, as scheduled below:
- Wednesday 17 & Thurs 18 September – NITV News (1830 NITV, 1930 VICELAND)
- Friday 19 September – NULA, Live Broadcast on NITV & SBS (1500 SBS, 1730 NITV)
- Saturday 20 September. (1730 NITV) – Winds of Zenadth Cultural Festival
- Sunday 21 September (1730 NITV) – Winds of Zenadth Cultural Festival
Additionally, a special episode of The Point direct from the Torres Strait, “Crisis in Paradise”. will air on Tuesday November 4 at 7:30pm on NITV and SBS On Demand. In July, the Federal Court ruled that the Australian government does not have a legal duty to protect the islands from the impacts of climate change, so with the people of the Torres Strait fighting to hold back the rising tide, The Point’s JP Janke asks what’s next for the forgotten Australians on the front line of a global crisis, while Canberra plays politics over climate change.
Keep an eye on NITV’s social and digital platforms including: Winds of Zenadth Cultural Festival | Stream Free on SBS On Demand
Media Release – SBS
Link to SBS on Demand HERE
TV Central SBS content HERE
Winds of Zenadth Kes Cultural Festival on NITV
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