Shire celebrates NAIDOC Week

PANELLISTS shared tears and laughter amid inspiring stories of strength at the Surf Coast Shire’s NAIDOC Week celebration at Anglesea.

Corrina Eccles, Aunty Colleen Howell, Ebony Hickey and Jodie Sizer spoke of personal challenges and powerful female influences on their lives as they reflected on the national NAIDOC theme “Because of Her, We Can!”.

Ms Sizer rated the theme as NAIDOC’s best yet. About 100 people attended the event at Anglesea Memorial Hall, marking the start of the national week of celebration, acknowledgment and learning.

NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) Week celebrations are held each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

“Because of Her, We Can!” focuses on the strength and leadership demonstrated by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women across generations.

Wadawurrung traditional owner Ms Eccles shared a Welcome To Country and smoking ceremony, accompanied by the Deadly Dancers.

Ms Sizer, a Djab Wurrung/Gunditjmara woman, lives in Torquay and is joint owner and chief executive officer of PricewaterhouseCoopers Indigenous Consulting and board member of the Australian Institute for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Studies.

She said she had been “horrible” when she left home at 15 and lived in a girls’ hostel, but completed year 12 and at a Koori jobs fair became inspired to attend university.

She paid tribute to the females who helped inspire and forge her path, from her nan to her daughters.

Mrs Howell, from the Arrernte tribe of Alice Springs and a member of the Stolen Generation, shared a poem telling her story of separation and eventual finding of belonging. She said the strength of her foster mum Joan Hart had been a central inspiration in her life.

Ms Hickey, a Gulidjan woman who works in Aboriginal community development in Wadawurrung country in Geelong and Gulidjan/Gadabanud country in Colac-Otway region, told of having overcome tough personal challenges.

She also spoke of her passion for her work –

“Challenges, success, pain, love, you wouldn’t do community work if you didn’t love the community you lived in.”

Cr Rose Hodge welcomed people on behalf of the Surf Coast Shire and hailed the annual NAIDOC celebrations as one of the highlights on the council event calendar, noting the municipality spans the lands of three Aboriginal nations: Wadawurrung, Gulidjan and Gadabanud.