NAIDOC Week marked in region

“AFTER two-hundred-and-fifty years, our children and future generations deserve better.”

These are the words of chairperson of the Bendigo NAIDOC committee, and proud Yorta Yorta and Wemba Wemba woman Aunty Lyn Warren, speaking at a flag raising and smoking ceremony on Monday.

This year’s NAIDOC Week theme is heal country! and Ms Warren said the events are all about connecting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people back to traditions and language.

“We need to continue to protect our lands, our waters and our sacred sites and cultural heritage from exploitation, dissipation and destruction,” she said.

“For generations we’ve been calling for stronger messages to recognise, protect and maintain all aspects of our culture and heritage.

“Healing country means finally resolving many of the outstanding injustices which impact on the lives of our people.”

Chair of Dja Dja Wurrung Clans Aboriginal Corporation Trent Nelson said the region’s support of cultural practices is “really important.”

“We can’t heal country until we heal ourselves, but when we are out on country and we are taking in cultural practices and being on country with our family, that is healing our country,” he said.

“We’re a people that have been heavily colonised, you see it in central Victoria, across our country that has been disturbed and turned upside down.

“It’s our job now as Djaara people, to work with the wider community and show you how to heal our country again and heal ourselves.”

City mayor Councillor Jennifer Alden spoke on the work being done in collaboration with traditional owners to protect the natural environment and support First Nations people.

Cr Alden said work at Bendigo Creek is being done to preserve the waterway, and the City is working with the traditional owners to start work on “Aboriginal place naming with traditional owners and working with them to identify potential naming sites across Greater Bendigo”.