Temora and Coolamon are planning a broad range of activities and events to be held as part of this year’s NAIDOC Week celebrations. NAIDOC Week, from 5 July to 12 July, is an annual Australian observance celebrating the history, culture, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The events are designed for all Australians to learn about and participate in celebrations of the world’s oldest continuous living culture and to honour the local Wiradjuri people and their customs, promoting cultural understanding. This year’s milestone event celebrates 50 years of NAIDOC Week with the theme - “Fifty Years of Deadly”. For five decades, NAIDOC Week has celebrated the voices of local communities and now it looks to the future – the next 50 years. Locally, the Temora Community Centre will host a free craft workshop on Tuesday 7 July from 10am to 11.30am. There will also be a free community meal on Thursday 9 July from 12 noon to 1pm. For more information and bookings contact 02 6978 0500. Meanwhile, Coolamon Shire Council’s community development and library team have developed free activities suitable for the local community to attend at the Coolamon Shire Library. The events and activities include: Monday 6 July: Yarning Stick Workshop - Participants can hand-craft their own Yarning Stick and learn how to use it. Tuesday 7 July: Dot Painting - Come along and learn the importance and history of dot painting with Rob Clark Friday 10 July: Candle Making Workshop - A two-hour journey into the art of candle-making using native scents 3–26 July: Country Connection Exhibition - Experience “Country Connection”, a three-week exhibition featuring artwork by local artist Rob Clark. 5–12 July: Book Display - Come and browse a display of powerful books by First Nations authors. Bookings are essential: Contact Coolamon Shire Library on 02 6727 2492. Another integral part of NAIDOC Week is the National NAIDOC Poster competition, which has become an iconic feature portraying a rich and significant history, starting in 1967 when the National Aboriginal and Islander Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) first began [A1.1] producing posters. Selected from submissions across the country, Paralpi by proud Yankunytjatjara man, Zaachariaha Fielding, from the APY Lands in South Australia, has been chosen as this year’s official poster. Recognised as one of the country’s leading contemporary First Nations artists and musicians, Zaachariaha is known internationally through the music duo Electric Fields. Paralpi reflects movement, energy and continuity, carrying the stories of ancestors forward while celebrating the creativity and cultural power of the next generation. The poster is available in Kmart and Target stores nationally.
