Wathaurong’s NAIDOC Week kicks off with success

THE Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative kicked off NAIDOC Week with huge success earlier this week, selling out their 2023 NAIDOC Ball and hosting their popular community Flag Raising event.

Both events embraced and celebrated the history, achievements and stories of Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander people in the local community.

Saturday evening’s NAIDOC Ball was Wathaurong’s biggest one yet, with more than 400 people enjoying a night of dancing and celebrating their culture.

Uncle Glenn Shea was the MC for the evening, while live music from Deans of Soul, DJ Troy and Renee Howell had the party going on long into the night.

Wathaurong followed the successful NAIDOC Ball with their annual Flag Raising ceremony in North Geelong on Monday.

The ceremony was highlighted by the smoking of possum cloaks for Wathaurong’s board members and chief executive officer Simon Flagg.

Wathaurong also awarded hardworking locals Aunty Sandra Manning, Jay Hickey, Nicole Kirby, Vaughan Gray and Layla Boseley with Community NAIDOC Awards.

Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative chief executive officer Simon Flagg said it was great to see the NAIDOC events becoming more popular and celebrated.

“The Wathaurong NAIDOC Ball just gets bigger each year.

“It was such a fantastic night, and such a great way to kick off NAIDOC Week.

“Our Flag Raising event is always super special, not only do we get to celebrate our Community Award Winners for the year, but we get to come together and practice culture through traditions like our smoking ceremony.

“This year was even more special, as we started a new tradition – all of our Board Members, and myself as the CEO, were given possum skin cloaks, which we will etch with our own story of our involvement with Wathaurong, and then hand the cloak on to the next person in our position when it’s time for us to step down.”

Mr Flagg also added how fantastic it was to see so many people embracing the inaugural Blak Market which supported the work of local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and creators.

The Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative also hosted a Youth NAIDOC Ball, Elder’s Lunch and have and will continue to support a series of other local events during the remainder of NAIDOC Week.

For more information on NAIDOC Week at the Wathaurong Aboriginal Co-operative, head to wathaurong.org.au/NAIDOC2023