NAIDOC Week celebrations in the Armidale region have a new home this year, with A Day in the Dale to be held at the Aboriginal Cultural Centre & Keeping Place on Friday 6 September.
The Armidale venue will host activities from 11am to 2.30pm, including a formal ceremony and flag raising at 11am.
A day of celebrations will then be held in Guyra on Friday 13 September, starting with a morning tea at the preschool from 10am to 11am and continuing with a free barbecue and kids at 11am to 2pm.
Festivities at the Aboriginal Cultural Centre & Keeping Place also include traditional games and a free barbecue.
Local indigenous band Terra Firma will perform at both events.
NAIDOC Week events are held annually throughout Australia to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The theme of this year’s event is Voice. Treaty. Truth – three key elements to reform set out in the Uluru Statement from the Heart, which outlines the path forward for recognising Indigenous Australians in the nation’s constitution.
Council’s Aboriginal Community Development Officer, Cyril Green, said this year’s new location for the Armidale celebrations followed a particularly successful event in 2018, when wet weather prompted a change in venue from Civic Park to the Armidale Town Hall.
“While things were a little cramped for the large crowd and many activities, condensing it all into the hall really brought an energy and closeness to our celebrations,” Mr Green said.
“We believe the Aboriginal Cultural Centre & Keeping Place will also help to bring a lively energy and excitement to the event, while also turning a spotlight to the facility itself.
“We’re inviting everyone in the Aboriginal community and we would really like members of the broader community to come along and help us celebrate NAIDOC Week and all that it represents.”
