NAIDOC CELEBRATIONS ARE HELD AROUND AUSTRALIA EACH JULY TO CELEBRATE THE HISTORY, CULTURE AND ACHIEVEMENTS OF ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER PEOPLES.
NAIDOC is celebrated not only in Indigenous communities but by Australians from all walks of life. The week is a great opportunity to participate in a range of activities and to support your local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.
National NAIDOC Theme – Our Languages Matter
The importance, resilience and richness of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages will be the focus of national celebrations marking NAIDOC Week 2017.
The 2017 theme – Our Languages Matter – aims to emphasise and celebrate the unique and essential role that Indigenous languages play in cultural identity, linking people to their land and water and in the transmission of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander history, spirituality and rites, through story and song.
Some 250 distinct Indigenous language groups covered the continent at first (significant) European contact in the late eighteenth century. Most of these languages would have had several dialects so that the total number of named varieties would have run to many hundreds.
Today only around 120 of those languages are still spoken and many are at risk of being lost as Elders pass on.
National NAIDOC Committee Co-Chair Anne Martin said languages are the breath of life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and the theme will raise awareness of the status and importance of Indigenous languages across the country.
NAIDOC WEEK IS A TIME FOR THE GLADSTONE MURRI COMMUNITY TO CELEBRATE TOGETHER IN UNITY.
Our Celebration starts on the 2nd of July with a Church Service, Immanuel Fellowship with Pastor Jarrod Beezley. NAIDOC week has something for all ages. All Events apart from our Elders Luncheon is open to everyone. We finish our Week off with the NAIDOC Ball which will be held at Yaralla/ Gladstone Events Centre. This is going to be an Event not to be missed. Tickets are on sale either online or at the Yaralla reception desk.
Our NAIDOC theme for this year is Our Language Matters. I am a descendant of the Toolooa Tribe which is a part of the Gurang Nation and my Tribes Language is an important way for me to connect to my Country.
Gay Sirriss
Gladstone NAIDOC Co-ordinator