General News
11 July, 2024
NAIDOC Week marked
Residents gathered at the Maryborough Community House on Wednesday to commemorate NAIDOC Week, honouring the traditions and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Attendants participated in a traditional smoking ceremony and...
Residents gathered at the Maryborough Community House on Wednesday to commemorate NAIDOC Week, honouring the traditions and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Attendants participated in a traditional smoking ceremony and took part in eating bush tucker, boomerang painting, craft stalls and much more.
The celebrations also marked the opening of the house’s Indigenous Garden, made official by Yorta Yorta-Wemba Wemba elder Aunty Lyn Warren OAM.
According to Aunty Lyn, NAIDOC Week continues to grow as a celebration of culture and togetherness.
“NAIDOC Week is all about people coming together and celebrating where we have been and where we are today,” she said.
“The theme for this year, ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud’, says it all — you keep the fires burning for our families that we have lost, but also educate our young children to learn what’s going on.
“The event was fantastic, this place has got so much potential and the people are so wonderful and warm — we will be back next year and I can’t wait to see how the new Indigenous Garden has grown.”
Maryborough Community House coordinator Jeannie Clark echoed Aunty Lyn’s sentiments, and said NAIDOC Week is a key event for the local community.
“It’s a very important day to celebrate the achievements of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, their care for the country and bringing people together,” she said.
“There is an underlying theme around socialisation and a lot of our programs aim to bridge gaps and connect people with our community.
“I would just like to thank everybody who has been involved in bringing it together to help make the event feel so special.”
For more information on NAIDOC Week, visit www.naidoc.org.au
