The remote community of Santa Teresa (Ltyentye Apurte) in Central Australia has once again lit up the desert sky with its now-famous Christmas lights display.
For more than 20 years the people of Santa Teresa have gone all out on the Christmas lights front, bringing the joy of the season to the Indigenous community of around 500 people.
Organised by the Atyenhenge Atherre Aboriginal Corporation, the competition attracts prizes for first, second and third, as well as participation awards. This year’s competition was won by the Williams family.
Parish Priest at Santa Teresa, Fr Elmer Ibarra SVD, says the Christmas lights competition is a highlight of what can be a hot and challenging festive season.
“It was 47 degrees Celsius here this week,” Fr Elmer says. “So, the purpose of the lights is to cheer us all up and help get us into the spirit of Christmas.”
The church itself is also lit up and Fr Elmer says that along with all the lights featuring Santa and the reindeer, the nativity scene, representing the Christian view of Christmas is also popular.
“The people of Santa Teresa are very spiritual,” he says. “Some of the lights displays would feature a cross and others have a nativity scene. It’s very much part of the whole thing.
“It’s quite inspiring actually, because in the big cities you don’t always see a lot of nativity scenes in amongst the Christmas lights.”
Fr Elmer has also been getting into the spirit of Advent and Christmas by appearing as Santa at the local school and, by popular request, playing Christmas songs on the church speakers throughout the community each evening from 6pm-9pm.
“It’s so quiet out here at night that the whole community can hear them if we use the speakers and some people requested that we do it, so between the lights and the Christmas songs, our community is really preparing well to celebrate Christmas,” he said.
PHOTOS
Top Right: Nativity scenes are popular additions to the Santa Teresa Christmas light displays.
Middle Left: The remote community is renowned for its elaborate festive lights.
Bottom Right: Santa dropped in to the local school to spread some cheer.