Every year, KARI staff participate in an activity to celebrate NAIDOC Week. In order to celebrate 2017 NAIDOC Week, all staff embarked on an Aboriginal Walkabout in the Blue Mountains.
A group of staff set off each day of the week during NAIDOC Week to participate in the bushwalk, starting at Faulconbridge. While a little on the chilly side, each day the sun was shining. Each group set off on two kilometer loop through the bush, guided by a local Aboriginal man.
Pit stops were made along the way as the guide pointed out native bush tucker and shared his knowledge about the traditions of the nation’s First People.
There were two main learning outcomes for staff from the walk. The first was to learn about our pre-colonial history and how Indigenous Australians lived before colonisation. The second was how to practice the old ways in the modern day.
This is just one of the many ways you can celebrate NAIDOC Week.
If you’re looking for ideas on how you can mark the occasion for 2018 here are some suggestions:
- Participate in a traditional sand art workshop
- Attend a hands on bush tucker cooking demonstration such as the one run by Fred’s Bush Tucker
- Invite a local Indigenous Elder to speak or give a Welcome to Country at your workplace
- Attend a smoking ceremony
- Host a morning tea
For more ideas head to naidoc.org.au.
Community Involvement
Each year, our Carer Recruitment team head out to the community with stalls in various locations.
The team had a stall at NAIDOC events at the following locations this year:
- National Centre Indigenous Excellence, Redfern
- Jamieson Park, Penrith
- Gunnamatta Bay, Kurranulla (Cronulla)
- Tharawal Aboriginal Medical Centre, Airds
- Bradbury Oval, Campbelltown
There are a number of reasons why we attend these events. “First and foremost, the presence of these stalls are to highlight the need for more Aboriginal foster carers,” said Denis Thorne, Carer Recruitment and Assessment Coordinator.
Aside from this the stalls also play in important role in:
- Recruiting more Aboriginal foster carers
- Promoting KARI as an organisation as well as the services we offer
- Networking with other agencies, sharing resources and knowledge
We look forward to celebrating NAIDOC Week again in 2018!
