News
9 July, 2024
Hoist the colours high
Kicking off this year’s National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week (from July 7 to 14), a community flag-raising ceremony was held at the Caboolture Town Square on Friday, July 5.
Featuring a smoking ceremony, Welcome to Country and Wajji-Walu Koomurri dancers, the event attracted many locals to celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, with the ceremony ending when the three flags were raised: Aboriginal, Torres Strait, and Australian.
Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery said Council is very proud to support NAIDOC Week, which it has been doing since 2009, as it’s an opportunity to understand the culture of First Nations people.
“It’s about education celebration, reflection and respect,” he said.
“NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for us to deepen our understanding of the rich culture of First Nations people, that shape this country.
“It’s a chance to listen to their stories, to learn from their experiences, and to honour the resilience of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people”.
Cr Flannery said it’s important for Council to stand with First Nation communities to help the ongoing process of reconciliation and understanding, to ensure their fi re continues burning brightly into the future, after facing many adversities in the past.
“It’s about sharing your (Aboriginal) culture, breaking those barriers of ignorance between the many different cultures we have in Australia,” he said. “We want to learn about the first culture because it’s what this place was built on.”
State Member for Morayfield, Mark Ryan, said the attendance of non-aboriginals at the event show how the community is filled with good-hearted people, with good intentions, despite what has happened in the past.
“This is an important day for all of us to acknowledge we have a strong connection to our First Nations people. They are part of us. They are part of this country. And that will be forever the case,” he said.
Happy NAIDOC Week!
