Survival ceremony to call for reflection

BALLARAT’s fifth annual survival day ceremony will be on next Friday at View Point, Lake Wendouree.

Starting at 5.30am, this year’s event will also be followed by a community reflection and a healing day program of activities.

Hosted by the City of Ballarat’s Koorie Engagement Action Group in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members, the ceremony will mark the survival and continuity of traditions and cultures.

Group member Liam Bosworth said the event is significant for him and his son Sebastian.

“To me it’s something important especially for my son as I didn’t have something like this growing up in Ballarat,” he said.

“Being able to acknowledge the culture and be able to come together with other mob and the Ballarat community and do some mourning and learning, to me that’s exciting.”

Anyone in the community is welcome to attend the event in solidarity.

After the ceremony there will be live performances, cultural crafting activities, a welcome weaving circle and yidaki workshops.

From 1.30pm there will be a botanical reflection and healing ceremony.

“It’s a very debated topic in Ballarat at the moment and in Australia so to come together and hear why it’s important to us as aboriginal people, I think that’s the only way to learn, to be a part of it and embrace the culture,” said Mr Bosworth.

“We can start being on that healing journey as a Ballarat community not just an aboriginal community.”