NAIDOC Week initiatives
Perrie Croshaw
05 July 2021, 4:32 AM
Gerringong artist Kay. A. below one of her worksTo mark NAIDOC Week, Councillor Neil Reilly has put forward the following notice of motion for Kiama Council’s July Meeting: That Council commence a Reconciliation Action Plan process for the Kiama Local Government Area, working collaboratively with interested members of our community, seeking direct assistance from the Gerringong First Stories Aboriginal Advisory Group.
His move appears to be supported by the policies of The Greens, SAFE Kiama and Kiama Labor for the next election, which all call for the development of a local framework to promote reconciliation.
“One of the nicest things that’s happened to me, not only in council life but in my life, were the words of a traditional custodian who was running a quad biking adventure on the Dunes at Port Stephens, in Worimi country,” says Cllr Reilly.
“He said that Aboriginal people have 65,000 years of culture, and that’s our history too. It means we have a duty to defend and protect that culture… to heal country, which is the theme of this current NAIDOC Week.
“Imagine that, after all the hatred, persecution and damage done to first nation’s people, they are generously including all of us as part of their heritage… the very recent bit, but we’re still included.”
Kathy Rice, a Greens Councillor, believes that by strengthening relations with First Nations people, learning from truth-telling, and celebrating their culture with them, we can help “Heal Country, heal our nation”.
“The Kiama community has recognised the Minnamurra Massacre of 1818 as part of that truth telling. As a community we need to extend this recognition into a greater understanding of the enduring impacts of dispossession of land and culture on First Nations people.”
The plaque at the massacre site on the Minnamurra River
As one of their policies for the September election, the Kiama Greens believe it is time for the development of a local framework, leading to a Reconciliation Action Plan for Kiama, ‘where our First Nations people are at the heart of this process and we can all be part of the healing’.
Karen Renkema-Lang, lead candidate for the SAFE Kiama team standing at the next Council election, says, “We recognise and support the need for initiatives, led by First Nations people, that will contribute to healing from past injustices, the Minnamurra Massacre of 1818 being just one.
“During NAIDOC Week, SAFE Kiama encourages all to celebrate First Nation history and cultures, and to learn from their deep understanding of and connection to land, sea and community.”
The Labor for Kiama Council team also believe greater engagement with the Aboriginal community is needed.
Labor candidate for Kiama Council and a member of the local Wodi Wodi community, Stuart Larkins, believes that improving recognition of Aboriginal heritage in the area is vital.
“NAIDOC is such an important week to celebrate Aboriginal culture and recognise the achievements of Aboriginal people in our community, and there is much more Council could be doing to foster that recognition,” he says
“Our local community groups, specifically our history and heritage organisations are doing a wonderful job by engaging and listening to members of local Aboriginal community to ensure heritage in our area is recognised. I’d like to see our council undertake work in this area, including improving the heritage signage in our major tourist areas, and displaying the meanings of our names in our area.
“Reconciliation is a continuous process. While I welcome a discussion by some councillors to have a Kiama Reconciliation Action Plan, it’s so important that our council fully endorse the Uluru Statement of the Heart. Our team looks forward to putting these initiatives into action following the council election in September.”
On another front, Councillor Don Watson, who has worked for Australia Post for 35 years, recently asked staff for information about the possibility of including the traditional place name on all Council correspondence.
“I saw the petition that went through Australia Post a while ago and I’ve been pushing Council to incorporate the same.
“Hopefully this move by Australia Post will spur Council on to make these changes.
“We just need to make sure we get it right, with the right name, so that we don’t offend.”
Heal Country is the theme for this year’s NAIDOC Week, from July 4-11, but once again COVID has impacted plans for any large gatherings to celebrate this most important celebration.
Councillor Kathy Rice notes that several NAIDOC events to our north have been cancelled due to COVID, but says there are some great online events still happening through the Better Futures website.
The Kiama arts community has also risen to the challenge, with socially distanced art exhibitions at the Old Fire Station in Terralong Street by local Indigenous artists and a small but beautiful exhibition at the Art Bar in Tingira Crescent.
Bruce Ferguson, owner of the Art Bar, was invited by the Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation some months ago to take part in this inaugural Illawarra Aboriginal Art Trail.
“We’ve always supported local indigenous artists and were really flattered to be asked to take part in this Trail, alongside arts spaces like Wollongong City Gallery and the Nan Tien Temple,” he says.
Aunty Phyllis Stewart, who has an unbroken connection to country through her mother’s Armidale ancestry and her ‘father’s father’s people’ of the Wallaga Lake region, has a work on display at the Art Bar depicting woven grass fish. This is an appropriate image for this years’ Heal Country theme, which is a call to action to protect and preserve land, water, culture and more – for the benefit of all Australians.
The Art Bar is open this week Thursday to Sunday. The best time to view the show is Friday or Saturday 12-3, or Sunday 1.30-6.30. On show until July 18.
An exhibition of traditional and contemporary Aboriginal art by local Indigenous artists at the Old Fire Station ends on Tuesday 5 July.
Organised by Auntie Trish Levitt, who was Kiama Council’s Aboriginal Liaison Officer for years, the exhibition includes work by a Gerringong artist who works under the name of Kay. A., who paints with echidna quills.
Kay’s ancestry is from the Wiradjuri Nation, out Cowra way. Her mixed race heritage and her use of her husband’s surname (Andonopoulos) has caused people to query her authenticity, and led her to her current fascination with pigmentation.
The Local Government Regional NAIDOC Awards will take place in Shellharbour on Saturday July 24. Kiama Council will join Shellharbour, Wollongong and Shoalhaven to celebrate the achievements of our local Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people and organisations.
Free online events: https://www.betterfutures.org.au/events
