NAIDOC Week Celebrations in the Shoalhaven Begin

Published on 09 November 2020

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Today (Monday 9 November) Shoalhaven City Council kicked off NAIDOC week with a special morning tea celebrating this year’s theme – Always Was, Always Will Be.  

Celebrated across Australia each year NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.  

The week is a great opportunity to support local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and to participate in activities and events on offer throughout the Shoalhaven. 

A short video titled ‘Walking on Country’ was shown at the event.  

The video was developed in partnership with local Indigenous Elders and Shoalhaven City Council to capture the unique connection to Country means to a number of individual Aboriginal community members of the region.  

The video, funded by NSW Government, was promoted across Council’s social media channels in August 2020. It received more than 100,000 views.  

Shoalhaven City Council Mayor Amanda Findley said: “I encourage all residents of the Shoalhaven to connect with NAIDOC week and to embrace and enjoy the vital role it plays in celebrating the history, culture, talents, achievements and survival of the oldest continuing culture in the world.” 

"I am delighted the Walking on Country video has resonated with members of the community right across the region and Australia.  

We have received a lot of positive feedback and I’m proud that we get to recognise the many film participants who contributed to its production at today's event”, Clr Findley said.  

For more information on NAIDOC Week visit: https://www.naidoc.org.au/ or to view the Walking on Country video visit Council’s YouTube channel.

Image: Walking on Country video participants cut the NAIDOC cake; from left, Sonny Sims junior, Matt Sims, Aunty Pat Lester, Uncle Noel Butler with Mayor Amanda Findley.