NDRI marks NAIDOC Week 2022
Kaya
The NAIDOC theme for 2022 is Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!, a strong message about working together towards tangible reforms and urgently required systemic change for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
As the NDRI Aboriginal Research team finalise the important work of the Disability Royal Commission over the past 12 months, it is hoped that the findings of this important work will begin to make a difference for our First Nations women and families living with disabilities and support the outstanding frontline work undertaken by our Aboriginal Community Controlled Sectors.
NDRI's Aboriginal Research Team (Jocelyn Jones, Cathy Garlett & Juliet Brook), held a NAIDOC event at the Eco Education Centre on Friday July 8. The event hosted by the Aboriginal team staff included our special guests and participants from the NDRI Aboriginal team research projects and members of our Aboriginal community advisory groups. We were also privileged to host Professor Dorothy Badry, International expert in FASD from the University of Calgary. Guests and NDRI staff were invited to celebrate and enjoy the day with traditional food, yarning and participation in cultural activities.
The day started with a welcome and smoking ceremony by Whadjuk woman Vanessa Corunna a traditional Noongar Healer. Vanessa shared briefly about her connection to Noongar Boodjar (country) and the importance of passing down traditional cultural practices.
Our guest speaker was Gerald Ryder, a young Noongar/Yamatji man (currently studying medicine) who shared his inspirational journey and aspirations to be a voice for Aboriginal people and to use his platform to address the indifference and reforms required in improving healthcare for the Aboriginal community across Australia.
We also enjoyed a weaving session throughout the day with our elder, Aunty Coral Foley, with family connections to Nyikina, Gooniyandi and to Yamatji Country. Aunty Coral along with her helpers great grandchildren Shakana and Elijah shared and taught weaving skills as people gathered around on the yarning mat. Other activities included rock painting and wildflower stick incense and smudge sticks.
Noongar bush tucker was on the menu - a banquet of quandong jam tasting, native herbs and spices, Lemon Myrtle cake, macadamia biscuits and a feast of kangaroo and damper cuisine, home-made cooking by Jocelyn Jones and Cathy and Darren Garlett. A big thank you to everyone involved in making our NDRI NAIDOC day a huge success, and hope to see you all again next year.
Boordawan (Goodbye)
Supplied by NDRI Needs of Aboriginal Australians Program Leader Dr Jocelyn Jones.
Posted on: 11 Jul 2022
news list