The November Castlemaine Farmers Market was historic. Market organisers sought permission from the Dja Dja Wurrung Aboriginal Corporation to adopt the traditional boundaries of Djaara Country for sourcing produce for the market.
Market president Claire Moore said “local has never been clearly defined but now the market has found its true home”.
The boundaries of Djaara Country cover land north to Boort, west to Donald, east to Rochester and south to Creswick. The market will now give clear preference to stallholders who grow produce from within these boundaries.
Uncle Rick Nelson, local Elder, Djaara descendant and Dja Dja Wurrung Traditional Owner, performed a smoking ceremony and ‘Welcome to Country’ to mark the historic event. The smoking ceremony was also shared with all the stallholders.
The large crowd present was privileged to have cultural learning through the speech from CEO of the Dja Dja Wurrung Aboriginal Corporation Rodney Carter.
Uncle Ron Murray, Wamba Wamba elder and cultural educator, also shared a cultural story and played the didgeridoo.
Castlemaine Farmers Market is now working to develop this partnership in many ways.
