6/07/2022
Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! this NAIDOC Week
Time for pride and celebration
Celebration of 70,000 years of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and survival is centre stage this week, during Mallee District Aboriginal Services (MDAS) NAIDOC activities in Mildura, Swan Hill and Kerang.
Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! is the theme of a week of events for National Aboriginal and Islander Day of Celebration (NAIDOC) starting on Monday July 4, with organisers hoping the celebrations will bring Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal communities closer together.
Mildura NAIDOC celebrations will kick off with the traditional flag raising ceremony at MDAS Health Car Park (10 am), march and community day at Nowingi Place on the Mildura Riverfront on Monday 4 July (11.30 am).
The Community Day will include jumping castles and face painting; Cultural Painting with Elders; Jewellery making; a hat parade and boomerang painting for early years children; singing; traditional dancing; trapeze activities and wildlife experiences courtesy of EnviroEd.
NAIDOC celebrations at Swan Hill will kick off with a family and cultural day on Monday 4 July at Ken Harrison Reserve at 11am.
MDAS community engagement coordinator Pam McCormack said NAIDOC Week is a special and important time for our communities to celebrate and be proud.
“It’s a time when we come together as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and enjoy the culture and traditions we’ve practiced for tens of thousands of years – and we love sharing that with the wider community as well,” she 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.”
Ms McCormack said the opportunity around a national celebration of First Nations culture was to amplify the voices and messages of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Indigenous community.
“This year’s theme, Get Up, Stand Up and Show Up is extremely powerful – it’s an opportunity for everyone to reflect and make a commitment to understanding,” she 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.”
Other events during NAIDOC week would include painting workshops, a jiu jitsu session, the Indigenous Round in Sunraysia Football and Netball League and the traditional NAIDOC Ball and awards night at Club Da Vinci on Saturday May 9.
Ms McCormack said the return of the NAIDOC Ball and awards would be one of the highlights of the week.
“The NAIDOC Ball is something our Mob really look forward to,” she said.
“Not only is it an opportunity to get together and celebrate, but it’s a chance through our NAIDOC awards to recognise and thank community members who are making some amazing contributions and achieving great things.
“So no matter who you are or where you are, find a NAIDOC event near you and Get Up, Stand Up and Show Up!”
For more event details, or to organise transport, contact Pam on 0436 814 093.