Community events headline NAIDOC Week on the Bellarine

THE Bellarine Peninsula community is invited to attend local NAIDOC Week celebration events, which begin this Sunday, July 2.

Australian communities will celebrate and recognise Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from July 2-9 as part of NAIDOC Week.

This year’s NAIDOC Week theme is “For Our Elders”, recognising the impact First Nations Elders have had on preserving Indigenous culture and advocating for First Nations rights.

Bellarine events include a Barwon Coast hosted NAIDOC Week celebration at the tip of Bukareeyoo (Ocean Grove Spit) on Monday, July 3, at 9.30am.

Representatives from the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation will be in attendance to perform a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony.

Barwon Coast chief executive officer Gary McPike said NAIDOC Week provides an opportunity for the coastal community to continue to learn about Wadawurrung traditions, culture and history.

“It is a great way for families to come together to connect with and participate in celebrating the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.

The ceremony on Bukareeyoo will be concluded by a didgeridoo performance.

Another free community NAICOC Week event will run on July 5 from 1.30pm at the Bellarine Training and Community Hub (BTACH) in Ocean Grove, in partnership with gforce.

Wadawurrung Traditional Owner Corrina Eccles will conduct a Smoking Ceremony, followed by an Aboriginal dance performance by local troupe the Deadly Dancers.

Narana Aboriginal Cultural Centre is catering the event with traditional Aboriginal cuisine, and will end with group Storytelling.

Grovedale resident, gforce Aboriginal community co-ordinator and Ewamian woman Adele Bruechert encouraged residents to attend next week’s NAIDOC Week event.

“It’s important to try and bring people together and connect, talk, appreciate, learn and share parts of our journeys,” she said.

“Truth telling is so important, but it means nothing if no one is listening and I think creating an event like this, a positive celebration, creates that opportunity.

“Days of significance for First Nations people haven’t always had the recognition that’s needed, but more now than ever, people are eager to learn.”

BTACH manager Chris James said the organisation’s sole responsibility was bringing the community together.

“Supporting, educating and informing the community with relevant and interesting programs/events such as this is what our purpose is at BTACH,” Mr James said.

“We hope this event can provide celebration and education, but more importantly start a conversation.”

For more information on what’s happening during NAIDOC Week in the Greater Geelong and the Bellarine, head to geelongaustralia.com.au/naidocweek