CELEBRATING over 70,000 years of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture, NAIDOC Week festivities will be held around the region over the course of the week.
Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! is the theme of the week of events, organised by Mallee District Aboriginal Services, with the aim to bring Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities closer together.
MDAS Swan Hill Aboriginal liaison officer Jacinta Chaplin said NAIDOC Week was an important time for the community.
“It’s a time when we come together as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and enjoy the culture and traditions we’ve practised for tens of thousands of years – and we love sharing that with the wider community as well,” Ms Chaplin said.
“NAIDOC is an opportunity to understand each other better, show support and solidarity and to celebrate a culture that we should all be proud of and enjoy.”
The NAIDOC Week celebrations kicked off in Swan Hill on Sunday with the official opening of the Connections contemporary Aboriginal Art exhibition at the Swan Hill Regional Art Gallery.
Other Kerang-based events this week include a youth basketball tournament, and an elders’ luncheon in Kerang.
Ms Chaplin said the opportunity around a national celebration of First Nations culture was to amplify the voices and messages of the Indigenous community.
“This year’s theme is extremely powerful – it’s an opportunity for everyone to reflect and make a commitment to understanding,” Ms Chaplin said.
“It’s not just big-picture change that needs to happen – it’s up to every individual to hear each other’s voices and be willing to genuinely work together for understanding and change.
“Now is the time.”THURSDAY, JULY 7
Youth basketball
10am-3pm, Robinvale, Swan Hill and Kerang
Register your team for basketball tournament or for three-on-three matches.
Anyone under 12 years old must be supervised by an adult.
This is a free event, all welcome.
To register, call Jacinta Chaplin on 0408 665 788.FRIDAY, JULY 8
Elders’ luncheon
11am-3pm, Kerang Sporties, transport available.
This is a free event.
To reserve a place at the luncheon, call Toni at MDAS Kerang on 5450 3019.
