Celebrate NAIDOC Week
Queensland Teachers' Journal, Vol 125 No 5, 10 July 2020, page no.6
Proud Noongar and Saibai Islander Tyrown Waigana’s winning entry - Shape of Land - was judged by the National NAIDOC Committee to have best illustrated this year’s NAIDOC Week theme: “Always Was Always Will Be”, which recognises and celebrates that First Nations people have occupied and cared for this continent for more than 65,000 years.
The 23-year-old Perth based artist and designer explained: “The Rainbow Serpent is represented by the snake and it forms the shape of Australia, which symbolises how it created our lands. The colour from the Rainbow Serpent is reflected on to the figure to display our connection to the Rainbow Serpent, thus our connection to country. The overlapping colours on the outside represent the Dreamtime.The figure inside the shape of Australia is a representation of Indigenous Australians showing that this country - since the dawn of time - always was, and always will be Aboriginal land,”
As the winner, Mr Waigana’s Shape of Land will be on the100,000 posters distributed across the country and seen in schools, kindergartens and universities as well as government departments, organisations and shopping centres.
While NAIDOC Week usually occurs in early July, this year’s celebrations will now be held from the 8-15 November. Information, teaching guides and resources can be found at https://www.naidoc.org.au