NAIDOC Week celebrations got underway in style at 10am on Monday, July 6 with the official flag raising ceremony on council’s front lawn at Moruya hosted by Eurobodalla Shire Council and the Eurobodalla Aboriginal Advisory Committee.
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This year’s NAIDOC theme ‘We all Stand on Sacred Ground: Learn, Respect and Celebrate’ highlights Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ strong spiritual connection to land and sea.
Di Riley, deputy chairperson of the Eurobodalla Aboriginal Advisory Committee will MC the event and Georgina Parsons, fondly known as Auntie Coop, will start the celebrations with a Welcome to Country.
Sonya Naylor from the Wallaga Lake community will talk about ‘Caring for Ancestors’, a collaborative project that sees the community working with council to mark and name burial sites at Wallaga Lake.
The celebration will conclude with a smoking ceremony performed by Thomas and Roderick Slockee and the raising of the Aboriginal flag.
Montague Arts and Crafts Society members meanwhile are delighted to be able to support NAIDOC Week, celebrated nationally from July 5 to 12 this year.
MACS is planning different exhibits and events at MACS largest showroom, the Plaza Gallery, starting Monday, July 6 right through to July 31.
This is a great chance for locals and visitors to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Locals of the Yuin people will contribute with arts and crafts and cultural displays from the Wallaga Lake Study Centre, Ngaardi Women’s Group, Little Yuin Preschool and the Djaadjawan Dancers.
Among the artists showing during July will be Cheryl Davison, Mary Moore and Alan Solomon.
There will be a Welcome to Country Ceremony and opening celebration at the MACS Plaza Gallery, from 12noon to 4pm on Sunday, July 12.
In other NAIDOC Week related celebrations, Sharon Bate will be hosting kids’ holiday workshops on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week and next week at the Wagonga Local Aboriginal Land Council offices on Canty Street, Narooma.
Sharon is a member of the Djaadjawan Dancers, who just returned from performing at the Alice Springs Beanie Festival, and the workshops will include making beanies as well as bark canoes.
There is also a school holiday workshop 11am to 12 noon Wednesday, July 8 at Narooma Library for preschool and primary age children centred on the locally produced “Our Little Yuin” children’s picture book. Please book ahead at Narooma Library.