Seabourn has named the Wunambal Gaambera Traditional Owners as godparents of the Seabourn Pursuit expedition ship.
"Traditional owners" is an Australian term describing native people whose ancestors had a connection to a particular area of land. The Wunambal Gaambera are traditional owners of a region in the Kimberley that includes Ngula Jar Island (Vansittart Bay), Yirinni (Hunter River) and Ngauwudu (Mitchell Plateau).
Representatives from the Wunambal Gaambera Aboriginal Corporation will welcome the Seabourn Pursuit at Ngula Jar Island on the Uunguu Coast and participate in the dedication ceremony on June 29.
The naming ceremony will take place during the ship's 10-day cruise in Australia's Kimberley region. The Pursuit will depart June 22 from Broome in Western Australia and conclude the voyage in Darwin, the capital of Australia's Northern Territory. The ceremony is scheduled for June 29, nearly a year after the ship was delivered in July 2023.
Seabourn will donate to the Wunambal Gaambera to help its production of arts and crafts to sell, as well as supply pearl shells, art supplies and polishing materials.
Godparent roles are normally reserved for individuals, but Seabourn said its decision to honor the group is a symbolic gesture of stewardship and responsibility toward the environment and the communities Seabourn visits.
"We believe no one can give a better blessing to our ship than the communities we visit," said Natalya Leahy, president of Seabourn.
The Wunambal Gaambera will share their culture with Seabourn guests through welcome and smoking ceremonies, rock art tours, native songs and dances. and stories from Uunguu Rangers.