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Respect the past - believe in the future

By Kylie Velder

4 July 2006 - NAIDOC Week celebrations will be held around Australia in the coming week to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

For the third year, Maitland lat Friday hosted an introduction to nationwide NAIDOC celebrations by uniting black and white to raise our national and Aboriginal flags and walk together as one in celebration of our local indigenous people's history and future.

Memories of last year's walk in the rain faded as the light drizzle cleared enough to allow the walk to be enjoyed by participants and those watching from the footpaths. As with each previous year, children representing local schools carried the Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islands and Australian flags with pride, followed by local community members.

This year's theme focused on respecting the past and believing in the future, through learning about and acknowledging our local area's history and celebrating today's young people.

Master of Ceremonies, Leona Holloway, along with Maitland Area School student Tristan Power, opened the day's activities at the Maitland Town Hall-which included viewing a locally produced video, "Road to Wallaroo", which tells the story of indigenous birthing on the Yorke Peninsula; music by Robert Champion and Sonia Rankine and dancing by Kurruru Indigenous Performing Arts group and local indigenous dancers, followed by bush tucker tasting.

YP Health CEO Barb Carlin presented the "Aboriginal Local Achievers Award", this year contested by 11 nominees and awarded to Elizabeth Newchurch, of Port Victoria, recognised for 30 years of service to the community through her role with the Point Pearce Aboriginal School.

Source Yorke Peninsular Country Times

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