COVIDSafe protocols will be in place for a flag-raising ceremony at 10 am on Tuesday, at Njernda Medical Centre at 84 Hare St. Everyone is welcome to attend, hear Elders speak and enjoy refreshments afterwards.
The annual NAIDOC Week celebration of indigenous people and culture runs from July 4 to 11, although COVID-19 restrictions have forced major community celebrations to be postponed.
“The emphasis of this week is bringing people together and sharing the rich history of our First Nations people,” Njernda chief executive Aaron Wallace-Peters said.
“We had plans for some major community-wide celebrations, but with the uncertainty around the COVID situation, we had no choice but to shelve those plans.
“We will have our flag-raising and smaller events with our client base, but we will hope to reschedule community events later in the year when we hope we can have a truly community-wide celebration.”
The NAIDOC theme this year is “heal country, heal our nation”, which is a call for stronger measures to recognise, protect and maintain all aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture and heritage.
Mr Wallace-Peters said the week would still be an opportunity for people to reflect on the importance of Aboriginal and Torres Strait heritage and their rich cultural and community contributions to the Echuca and Moama region.
“Our indigenous heritage is something that belongs to all of us, and that we can all be proud of, learn about and celebrate together,” he said.
“Bringing people together is what NAIDOC is about, and while we can’t do that physically at this stage at a local level — there are many ways people can learn more and think about that can still take us forward as a community.”
The National NAIDOC Committee explained that Country was inherent to the identity of indigenous people.
“It is more than a place. It sustains our lives in every aspect — spiritually, physically, emotionally, socially and culturally. When we talk about Country it is spoken of like a person,” the committee said.
“To heal Country, we must properly work towards redressing historical injustice. It is more than changing a word in our national anthem — it is about the historical, political and administrative landscapes adapting to successfully empower and celebrate Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities, nations and heritage.
“We are all looking for significant and lasting change. We cannot afford to let pass the very real opportunity that now presents itself for reform based on a fundamental change in the relationship Australia has with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.”
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