NAIDOC is an Australian celebration and stands for 'National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee'. I was very delighted to be able attend the NAIDOC celebrations that were held at my children's school- Mullumbimby State School. As a member of the P&C I had made a request that the school celebrate NAIDOC and the teachers took this up enthusiastically.
The morning began with the spectacular Dhinawan Dancers- that I mentioned last entry- but they were even better! It was wonderful to watch proudly as our local graceful teenagers danced all painted up. Two of the eldest boys evoked the kangaroo very powerfully as they moved.
I had also wanted local Arakwal storyteller Delta Kaye to come to the school for some years and finally we managed it. She was spectacular! She told and enacted a beautiful story about platypus that kept all the jarjum (children) transfixed.
Next Delta quizzed the students on what the two flags represent. They all knew the Aboriginal flag: gold for the sun, red for the Earth and black for the Aboriginal people, but she cleared up a misconception some people have -that black represents the people's skin. It does not, because different Aboriginal people have different coloured skin.
Then she explained The Torres Strait Islander flag. The students knew blue for the sea, green for the land, black for the people, but not many of us knew white is for peace.
The white traditional headdress featured on the flag is called a dhari . It represents Torres Strait Islander people and the five-pointed star represents the five island groups within the Torres Strait. The star is also a symbol for seafaring people because it was traditionally used in navigation. The dhari looks very spectacular when TSI men dance in them, their heads moving strongly from one side to the other.
In Byron the Arakwal are putting on an Aboriginal film festival this weekend and at Southern Cross University at the Lismore campus (where I teach and study) -where Gnibi Aboriginal College is based- there will be a family day on Wednesday. There will be celebrations all over the nation. Check them out and have a great NAIDOC week!
I'll be camping with my family and friends in a place where kangaroos laze about very close to our camp. They'll remind me of those graceful Dhinawan dancers!
Delta Kaye was interviewed by ABC Radio National about her work leading bush tucker walks on Arakwal land at Cosy Corner Byron Bay. Click on the purple underlined word 'interviewed' and you can read and listen to the interviews. Delta is interviewed last.
