NAIDOC Week, the annual celebration of the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples has been marked with events in Narrabri schools and the Narrabri Shire council. NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee and the week is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities, but by people from all walks of life.
The annual Narrabri observances are held in schools, the council and other agencies.
The theme of NAIDOC Week is ‘Voice. Treaty. Truth. Let’s work together for a shared future’.
The official launch of the week’s activities was held at Narrabri Shire Council Chambers on Tuesday, attended by representatives of the Narrabri Local Aboriginal Lands Council, the Shire Council, Narrabri Public School and Kogil street pre school.
The NAIDOC celebration at the council chambers was MC’d by deputy mayor Robert Kneale, with Michael Trindall and Matilda Trindall raising the Aboriginal flag, an acknowledgement from Elder Stephen Booby, a ‘smoking ceremony’, songs from Kogil Street children and Pattie Lettice’s Gommeroi vocalists, and a presentation by Menzie Baker-Harvey and Kishaya Gibbs-Eulo.
The mayor Cathy Redding recalled Reconciliation Week held five weeks ago, themed ‘Grounded in Truth: Walk Together in Courage’.
“The theme was all about truth telling regarding Australia’s colonial history and a call for healing of historical wounds” the mayor said in her address.
“The 2019 NAIDOC Week theme is Voice, Treaty, Truth. Let’s work together for a shared future.
“This too is asking for the true story of colonisation to be told, heard and acknowledged.”
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