A variety of events have been planned to celebrate NAIDOC week across the Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council (CGRC) area this year. NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia each July to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The theme for 2019 is Voice. Treaty. Truth. Let’s work together.
The celebrations kick off in Gundagai on Thursday 11 July at 9.30am Mirrabooka will host the Official Flag Raising and Smoking Ceremony. Followed by Dreamtime Story and Morning Tea with Aunty Sonia Piper & Uncle Peter Smith. A Family Fun day will round out the day with talks from National Parks and Wildlife Service Aboriginal Discovery Rangers. An Aboriginal Art and Language Display, a free barbeque, stew and soup including damper and drinks. Children’s Art, Craft and Games and lots of information and activity stalls. At 2.00 pm the CGRC Gundagai Youth Council Archery Team Tag Competition will provide lots of excitement. Residents who would like to attend NAIDOC Week celebrations in Gundagai are advised that buses will be available from Tumut and Cootamundra.
There is limited seating, so please contact Mirrabooka on 69 440 290. Gundagai will also host the NAIDOC Ball and Awards Night on Saturday 27th July 2019 from 6.30 pm at the Gundagai District Services Club. Special Guest Speaker is Dr Anita Heiss. Anita is a contemporary Australian author. She is a Wiradjuri woman. She is an Indigenous Literacy Day Ambassador and an Adjunct Professor with Jumbunna Indigenous House of Learning, UTS amongst many other things. Further information, Award Nomination Forms and Ball tickets are available from Mirrabooka 69440290, Cooee Cottage and the Cootamundra Heritage Centre.
The Gundagai Elders would like these events to be inclusive of all people and cultures across the Gundagai, Cootamundra, Tumut and the Wiradjuri Region. It is also a fantastic opportunity to bring the two communities of Gundagai and Cootamundra together to celebrate our oldest culture.
Cootamundra NAIDOC Week celebrations will be held on Friday 12th July from 11.30am to 2.30pm at the Cootamundra Public School in Cooper Street. A barbeque lunch, art, weaving, language and Yarning Circles will be held for all community members to enjoy. CGRC mayor Cr Abb McAlister encourage all community members to participate in this year’s NAIDOC week celebrations. “NAIDOC Week is such an important event for all of us, it’s a time to come together, understand our indigenous culture, reflect on history and celebrate the achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, there are a variety of events across Gundagai and Cootamundra for all people to enjoy,” Cr McAlister said. For more information on events being held across the region please see the Cootamundra-Gundagai Regional Council website: www.cgrc.nsw.gov.au
