National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee celebrations took place last week across the country and included an event at Gisborne Secondary College on Saturday.
It was organised by the Sunbury Aboriginal Committee and sponsored by the Macedon Ranges Shire Council and Sunbury and Cobaw Community Health.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC and the theme was ‘The Next Generation: Strength, Vision and Legacy’.
Rob Hyatt, chair of Sunbury Aboriginal Cooperation, said it was important to include everyone wanting to participate.
“By the broader community, we’re looked upon quite often from a deficit point of view, that the Aboriginal community is full of issues, full of, you know, whatever the media might drive, unfortunately. But the culture itself is strong, and it’s vibrant. It continues to be practised,” Hyatt said.
“So NAIDOC week gives us an opportunity to actually celebrate the best of who we are, as a culture and as a people. But where I think it’s become really important is that it’s not just Aboriginal community here. You know, there’s the local Gisborne community here. There’s even some community from Sunbury that are here.
“When they get to celebrate with us, what they actually do see is the best of our communities, the best of our cultures. And actually, no, it’s okay to engage with Aboriginal people and their culture as a broader community.”
The event included free snacks made of native ingredients, a yarning circle, performances and workshops, arts and crafts, and a barbeque. Sunbury’s Graffix Tees were also on hand making one-of-a-kind t-shirts with designs made by local Mob.
Micheal Charles from Indigenous Outreach Projects was present with a dance crew and provided entertainment on the day with stories and dance from “65,000 years ago right through till 2025”.
“NAIDOC week is important, especially this year, because it is about the next generation,” he said.
“Dance in Indigenous culture – it’s stories. It’s passing down your song lines, your dances. It’s all about telling who came before us and telling the story of where we are going.”
NAIDOC Week is an Australian observance lasting from the first Sunday in July until the following Sunday. Its roots stem from the 1938 Day of Mourning and became recognised as a week-long event in 1975.
