NAIDOC Day 2023
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 128, 25 August 2023, page no.24
NAIDOC week was held between 2 and 9 July. Many communities around Queensland have held local celebrations, with a range of activities to bring community members, First Nations, and non-Indigenous people together, including flag raising ceremonies, community marches and “Deadly Day Outs”.
NAIDOC 2023’s theme was “For our Elders”. Every generation of First Nations Peoples has Elders who we look up to and draw strength from as we look to overcome adversities. They are the holders of ancient knowledge systems, ensuring our songlines and Dreamings are afforded opportunities to thrive within contemporary societies.
This year we reflected on, and acknowledged, the tenacity of all Elders in our respective communities as they tirelessly continue the fight for equality. We draw on the strength of all Elders past and present, for it is from their spirits that we draw the strength required to ensure the survival of our peoples and cultures, ensuring that we remain the oldest, continuing living cultures on Earth.
Chancellor State College students celebrate NAIDOC
During the first week of Term 3, Chancellor State College community celebrated NAIDOC.
Students welcomed Elders, community members and special guests from the University of the Sunshine Coast for an official ceremony and a day of festivities/activities, including live performances, face painting, rock painting, plaiting head bands, a colouring-in competition, and the opportunity for sharing knowledge.
The college marked the day with an unveiling of a large Aboriginal languages map, painted by students and staff. The initiative, made possible with the guidance of Aboriginal teacher Jackie Newton and art teacher Marika Hayes, aims to increase the awareness of the many different and distinct groups, each with its own culture, customs, language, and lore.
Two groups of dance students presented Indigenous stories through contemporary dance.
A NAIDOC lunch was catered for by Year 11 hospitality students, who have been learning about Indigenous foods as part of their studies. They served up a big bush curry and rice with other delicious foods.
Aboriginal teacher Tennille Bainbridge said the event “not only acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples ongoing connections to country, it recognises the significant, unwavering, and ongoing contributions of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples to Australia’s social, cultural, political, and economic landscapes”.