NAIDOC WEEK CELEBRATIONS A number of our local aboriginal community gathered today at Tumut Shire Councils administration building to raise the new Aboriginal and Australia Flags to start celebrations for NAIDOC week. Councillor Sue Bulger delivered the Welcome to Country and a moments silence followed before the new flags were raised. This year’s National NAIDOC theme is “Centenary & Beyond” to honour all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander men and women who have fought in defence of country. Councillor, Sue Bulger provided the gathering some background on Indigenous Australia’s taking up arms: “Loyalty and patriotism may have encouraged Indigenous Australians to enlist. Some saw it as a chance to prove themselves the equal of Europeans or to push for better treatment after the war. Over 400 Indigenous Australians fought in the First World War. They came from a section of society with few rights, low wages, and poor living conditions. Most Indigenous Australians could not vote and none were counted in the census. But once in the AIF, they were treated as equals. They were paid the same as other soldiers and generally accepted without prejudice. I pay my respects to them and other service men and women who were of Aboriginal decent or Identified as an Aboriginal person, and honour them now for their strength of character”. Tumut Shire Council acknowledges that Aboriginal Australians were the first people of this land and that Wiradjuri and Wolgalu people have a special association with the region. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Aboriginal Community of Tumut Shire and the Tumut Shire Council was re-signed by three elders of the Aboriginal Community of Tumut Shire, Margaret Berg, Sonia Piper and Neil Bulger along with Deputy Mayor of Tumut Shire Council, James Hayes, and General Manager, Bob Stewart. Mayor Trina Thomson was an apology for the morning tea due to commitments in Wagga. The MoU binds the commitment and agreement of both parties to work together to: • promote an understanding and awareness of Aboriginal heritage; • the celebration of NAIDOC week; • ensuring the Aboriginal community of the Shire is included and involved in civic events; and • have an open communication relationship on various matters. After morning tea the Aboriginal community then attended a book launch held up at TAFE.
Posted on: Mon, 07 Jul 2014 03:50:08 +0000
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