NAIDOC Week on Wadawurrung Country

WADAWURRUNG Traditional Owner Barry Gilson loaned his talents to NAIDOC Week events across Moorabool last week.

The Gordon resident wowed crowds with local stories, historical anecdotes and poetry at a special storytelling session. Gilson, also a singer and award-winning poet, said he wanted to share the history of the local land and waterways.

“I wanted to inform people about its histories, and sometimes obscure stories that people might not know,” he said.

“I mix things up with a little humour and some serious stuff too.”

Among his stories was a poem dedicated to Yarramlok, also known as the Yarrowee River.

“We’ve got a legacy from our ancestors that tells us the importance of continuing to care for the land,” he said.

“It provides us with everything we’ve ever needed, and we should look after it in return.”

Moorabool Shire ran a raft of NAIDOC Week events from 7 to 14 July.

The annual week of celebration pays tribute to the culture, history and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

It has its roots in the 1938 Day of Mourning, before becoming a week-long event in 1975.

Locally, residents learned how to make gumnut wreathes, listened to special story times and took part in a smoking ceremony.

The 2024 NAIDOC Week theme of Keep the fire burning: Blak, loud and proud paid tribute to the ongoing strength of Indigenous Australians.

“The resilience of mob, our shared experiences, collective memories and kinship is a source of tremendous pride,” National NAIDOC committee co-chair Aunty Lynette Riley said.

“This year’s theme is a clarion call to continued unity and solidarity for all Australians to come together and celebrate.”

Gilson said it was essential to celebrate shared histories.

“It’s important for us to come together to respect what is, and what came before,” he said.

“NAIDOC Week is also a way for First Nations people to showcase our skills, talents and abilities.”