The Mingaan Wiradjuri Aboriginal Corporation has put together a weekend of cultural events to celebrate Lithgow’s NAIDOC week on October 21 and October 22.
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Activities such as Wiradjuri language workshops, roping and weaving classes and bush cooking will take place in Capertee National Park, with free entry and camping over Saturday night at the camping grounds near Port Macquarie Homestead.
The celebrations will begin at 10am on Saturday at the camping ground with a Welcome to Country, a smoking ceremony and traditional Wiradjuri dancers.
“The area around the Port Macquarie Homestead is a very special place for us and its down on the river,” organiser Aunty Helen Riley said.
“NAIDOC happens every year, it’s a cultural event and a family event. The importance of NAIDOC is also to reflect on the action the old fellas took in the government to get to the 1967 referendum. It is significant for us in particular, because our grandfather William Ferguson was one of those old fellas, so we have a direct family connection to the way NAIDOC came about.”
She said this year’s NAIDOC theme was particularly important.
"The theme is ‘our languages matter’, and that’s significant because those were taken from Aboriginal people through white assimilation processes. Myself, I’m born and raised in Lithgow, and I was taught our language from the day I was born, but equally I wasn’t allowed to speak it in public.
“This is a pretty important year, because it recognises our languages and that we are getting our culture back, and it’s a nice way to do it.”
The NAIDOC celebration in the Capertee Valley is free for everyone, and non-Indigenous people are welcome to participate.
“It gives that opportunity to get together and learn from each other,” Ms Riley said.
“This way they go home learning something new about culture and the natural environment. For those people who are new here they can learn about the hazards in the bush and the RFS will be providing fire education for the community as well.”
From 10.00am to 3.30pm on Saturday you can take part in a range of cultural activities such as Wiradjuri language workshops, roping and weaving classes, bush cooking, making stone tools, traditional bushcraft, making kangaroo and possum skin coats, ochre painting and dance workshops. Koori Radio will also be broadcasting from the campground.
At 6pm a dinner will be served using cultural flavours and native bush foods. This will be followed by a film screening of ‘The Sapphires’ and ‘Tent Boxers’, a spotlight wildlife tour and live music from Bob Sutor and the Wollemi Wombats. A bush breakfast will be served on Sunday morning.
If you would like to attend the dinner or breakfast you have to make a booking, call 0484 189 122.