Elsie Lange
Sunbury/Koorakoorakup sits on the lands of the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung peoples, and will celebrate National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) week on July 3.
Kamilaroi woman Lucy Webster is a community support worker at Sunbury Aboriginal Corporation and said the NAIDOC ceremony would be like “a great, big party”.
“Our event is going to have an Elder coming to do a Welcome to Country and a smoking ceremony… we’re going to have a little market place with some local Aboriginal people selling some arts and crafts and things they’ve created,” Ms Webster said.
The event, happening at Sunbury’s Hume Global Learning Centre, will take place from noon to 2pm and feature a First Nations performance, kids activities, a coffee van and an opportunity to try bush tucker.
A collection box will be at the door accepting donations of non-perishable items to assist those in need in the area.
Ms Webster said NAIDOC gave First Nations peoples a chance to share knowledge and culture, and to celebrate “that we are part of the oldest living culture in human history“.
“It’s all about people from different mobs coming together and celebrating our culture as a whole,“ she said.
The event is open to the whole community, “for anyone and everyone to come along to“.
“We’re hoping it’s a way for people to connect with each other, to share information about culture and how important it is to the Aboriginal community,“ Ms Webster said.
“It’s about sharing that awareness and celebrating together.”
Details: www.facebook.com/sunburyaboriginalgroup/.
