NAIDOC 2018

The 2018 NAIDOC theme was ‘Because of Her We Can!’  It was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the vital role women have played and of course continue to play in our community, our families, our culture and our lives. We honoured all women past, present and future who have impacted our lives in some way.  It was also a time to celebrate our Bardi culture and enjoy the beautiful country of Djarindjin Lombadina. We began the week with our traditional Community Walk and welcome ceremony.  It was wonderful to see so many community members join in as we walked around the communities with the Aboriginal, Torres Strait, Australian and Christ the King school flags.   We were very lucky to have the Bardi Jawi and Oorany Rangers, Michael Alvares (AKA Kite Man) and his wife Jan come and work with us throughout the week.  On Wednesday we celebrated the Feast Day of Saint Mary MacKillop, who was an educator and social reformer and the first Australian to be recognised as a saint. If that was not enough we ended the week with our book launch ‘Djarindjin Gorna Jawal’.  We acknowledged the participation of some students through our very own NAIDOC and Gorna Liyan Awards.   Before we handed over the celebrations to the community, we feasted on fish curry, goolil, chicken curry, oxtail stew, roo tail, seafood marinara and damper, and watched the children sing a song, read the story in Bard language and perform traditional dances.   I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who helped make NAIDOC 2018 a great week.  Father Hilary, the Bardi Jawi and Oorany Rangers, The Kite Man and his wife aka: Michael and Jan Alvares and of course all the staff at Christ the King J without you this week would not have been possible. My last acknowledgement must go to ‘our mothers, our Elders, our grandmothers, our aunties, our sisters and our daughters’ for it is Because of Her We Can!