Celebrate NAIDOC Week with Canada Bay
NAIDOC Week 2009 will be held from 5-12 July and City of Canada Bay is holding a number of activities to celebrate.
NAIDOC Week is a celebration of the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and an opportunity for the community to learn, celebrate and get involved in a variety of activities which celebrate and promote indigenous culture. The theme for NAIDOC Week 2009 is Honouring our Elders, Nurturing our Youth.
"Council has developed an educational and fun calendar of events for NAIDOC Week this year and the Canada Bay community is invited to come along and join in the celebrations," said Mayor Angelo Tsirekas.
City of Canada Bay will officially launch NAIDOC Week on Monday, 6 July at Five Dock Library. This event will feature a welcome to country and traditional performance by Indigenous dance group the Djhan Djhan Dancers, an official acknowledgement and launch of the event by Council and the opening of an art exhibition which will run throughout July. Emerging artists involved in the exhibition will be at the launch to discuss their work. This event runs from 6.30-8.30pm and wine and cheese will be served.
Our local libraries will recognise NAIDOC Week with Indigenous inspired preschool story time. Two sessions of Aboriginal stories and craft will be held at Concord Library on Tuesday, 7 July at 10.15am and 11.15am and at Five Dock Library on Thursday, 9 July at 10.15am and 11.15am. An after school book group with Aboriginal stories, craft and afternoon tea will be held at Concord Library on Wednesday, 8 July at 3.45pm.
A special film screening and discussion of two Aboriginal short documentary pieces will be held on Wednesday, 8 July at Concord Library. A Walk Through Country and Around the Kitchen Table have been chosen for their insight and experience on Aboriginal culture and the contemporary thoughts and discussions currently occurring around Australia. Beginning at 7pm, attendees are invited to enjoy a light supper following the screening and discussion.
On Friday, 10 July Five Dock Library will host a special author talk at 1pm. Dr Allison Cadzow will discuss some of the personal stories and histories from the forthcoming book Rivers and Resilience: Aboriginal people on Sydney's Georges River (UNSW Press, forthcoming), which she and Professor Heather Goodall researched and wrote. This book traces the history of Aboriginal people along Sydney’s Georges River from the early periods of British and Irish settlement to the present and offers a dramatic new approach to Aboriginal history in an urban setting.
From 6 to 12 July the DVD series The Dreaming will be available to view at Concord Library. The Dreaming is a beautiful series documenting and reflecting on Indigenous Dreamtime stories.
Also from 6 to 12 July, access the Sea of Hands online and show your support for reconciliation in Australia. The Sea of Hands was created in 1997 as a powerful, physical representation of the Citizen's Statement on Native Title and has become a symbol of the People's Movement for reconciliation. Log on to the Sea of Hands website from Concord Library and decorate your own virtual hand to show your support.
NAIDOC Week events are free to attend however bookings are essential. For further information and to book, contact Council’s Community Project Officer on 9911 6555 or email lisa.wilsonwhatley@canadabay.nsw.gov.au.
In keeping with the NAIDOC Week theme, Council's school holiday workshop on Monday, 20 July at 10-11am at Concord Library features renowned Aboriginal performer Matthew Doyle. Through a fun and engaging workshop Matthew explains and demonstrates the symbolism and significance of Aboriginal dance. Children will learn two traditional dances and an improvised piece. Bookings are essential and will be taken from Monday, 29 June. This workshop is free to attend however tickets are limited to four per family and a $2 per ticket non-refundable booking fee is required. Please contact the library on 9911 6210 to book tickets.
