Boggabri John Prior Multi Purpose Service celebrated their first ever NAIDOC week on Wednesday with staff, residents and community members from Gunnedah, Narrabri, Pilliga and Boggabri.
Those attending gathered in the front entrance as Mitchem Neave conducted the smoking ceremony and Welcome to Country.
The NAIDOC 2024 theme is ‘Keep the Fire Burnin! Blak, Loud and Proud. Hollie Crawford addressed the gathering.
“As a proud Gomeroi yinarr, I stand here today with pride, gratitude, and a deep sense of connection to this country,” Ms Crawford said.
“NAIDOC Week is not just a date on the calendar; it’s a heartbeat – a rhythm that resonates through our veins, echoing the stories of our ancestors.
“From July 7 to 14, we come together to recognise the rich history, culture, and remarkable achievements of our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”
Ms Crawford went on to explain their culture: “Keep the fires burning! These words evoke memories of campfires under star-studded skies, where elders shared wisdom, laughter, and dreams.
“Our fire is more than flames; it’s the spirit of resilience that has carried us through centuries of struggles, survival, and celebration.
“As we gather around the fire, let us reflect on the resilience of our communities – the shared experiences, collective memories, and kinship that binds us. Our elders, the keepers of wisdom, play a vital role in passing down stories, language, and cultural practices.
“They are the living torchbearers, ensuring that the fire of pride and unity continues to burn brightly.”
“Our fire comprises of three parts – cultural continuity – our fire burns with the knowledge that we are the custodians of the world’s oldest living cultures.
“We carry the songs, dances, and languages -the threads that weave our identity. Our fire whispers, remember who you are.
“Connection to country – our feet touch the same soil where our ancestors’ dances, hunted and loved.
“The fire within us is fuelled by the land, the river, and the rustle of eucalyptus leaves.
“It’s the heartbeat of our land – the heartbeat of us.
“Resilience. Our fire survived colonisation, dispossession, and policies that aimed to extinguish it. But like a hidden ember, we rekindled our traditions, languages, and kinship.
“Our fire roared back to life, unyielding.”
Ms Crawford finished her presentation with an explanation of the 2024 theme of Blak, Loud and Proud.
“Blak, our skin, our stories, our art.
“We wear our melanin like a badge of honour. Our voices rise, reclaiming narratives that were silences.
“We are loud – loud with laughter, with pain, with truth.
“We are the echoes of ancestors who dared to dream.
“Proud, not arrogance, but a quiet knowing. We stand tall, even when the world tries to shrink us.
“Our pride is in our resilience, our survival, our ability to dance despite the storms. We are proud because we exist, because our fire still burns.”
Nicola Seton and Caitlin Jamieson raised the Aboriginal and Australian flags prior to PJay and the boys performing their dances.
Aunty Kath Baker with the help of her son Mark Baker cut the enormous cake. Caitlin Jamieson thanked everyone who took part in the celebration, the crowd for attending, and invited everyone to enjoy morning tea and have a yarn.
