HONOURING the past and nurturing the future was the theme of National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) events launched at the Moss Vale Civic Centre on Monday morning.
More than 60 people joined Aboriginal elder Val Mulcahy and other members of the Wingecarribee Aboriginal Advisory Council at Moss Vale’s Civic Centre to open the 2009 Wingecarribee celebrations.
Mrs Mulcahy used her Welcome to Country to emphasise the theme: “Honouring Our Elders, Nurturing Our Youth”.
“The kids are the most important thing in our lives,” she said.
She also announced the opening of the Wingecarribee Aboriginal Centre in the old Bowral Court House on July 26.
Chevalier College’s Harley Winters and Rebecca Molloy and Bowral High School’s Rheanna Lotter raised the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags before Cr Whipper invited attendees indoors for the opening of the NAIDOC Week art exhibition.
Cr Whipper reinforced the NAIDOC theme, imploring attendees to set a good example for young people.
“If you want children and young people to do something, show them what to do, don’t just tell them what to do... there are among us the elders of our future,” he said.
“If our young people could connect and understand the struggle that many people undertake, they would appreciate the path that our elders are laying down for them.”
Mayor Duncan Gair said: “Since NAIDOC 2008. the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community of Wingecarribee has been extremely busy.
“I would like to congratulate all members of Council’s Aboriginal Advisory Committee and its steering committee for all the hard work and commitment.”
Kamilaroi woman Tanya Perry performed the Mornington Island dance to celebrate giant stingrays, and the Brolga Dance from North East Arnhem Land and Burrawang Public School performed Aboriginal language versions of “Heads, Shoulders, Knees and Toes” and “Kookaburra Sits in the Old Gum Tree”.
Mrs Mulcahy talked passionately about Goodjajah, a program being conducted by local Aboriginal people in local primary schools to educate children about Aboriginal culture,
Cr Jim Mauger, also a member of the Aboriginal Advisory Committee, said he had seen great moves forward since Council first raised the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags but that there was still a long way to go.