Locals gather to connect with indigenous culture

NAIDOC Week celebrations draw a crowd as theme of connecting and understanding bring local together

Artist Jandamarra Cadd with daughters Mindari and Nunyara at Cooroy's Butter Factory Arts Centre's NAIDOC Week celebrations. Picture: Caitlin Zerafa

LAST week NAIDOC Week was celebrated nationally and locals gathered to understand and embrace Aboriginal and indigenous Australian culture.

The lawns of Cooroy's Butter Factory Arts Centre came alive last on Thursday, July 11, with storytelling from Lyndon Davis and performances by the Gubbi Gubbi dance group.

Nearly 200 people, mostly families and children, attended, a response local indigenous artist Jandamarra Cadd said brought him immense joy.

"This week is a pertinent week for Aboriginal people to share their culture,” Mr Cadd said.

"Today is about inviting the community in again and really sharing and celebrating and understanding a deeper awareness and knowledge of indigenous culture but also what that means as walking as custodian together and the responsibility that comes with that.”

This year's theme was "Voice. Treaty. Truth. Let's work together”, something Mr Cadd said was an important part of healing and connecting cultures.

Gubbi Gubbi dancer Lyndon Davis at Cooroy's Butter Factory Arts Centre NAIDOC Week celebrations. Picture: Caitlin Zerafa

"My grandmother ... didn't have a voice, her voice was taken away, her voice oppressed and suppressed,” he said.

"(NAIDOC Week) brings me to a mixed emotion of tears, of joy, of complete elation that people are open and receptive.

"What a beautiful reflection of changing times of people seeing the value of what culture means.”

The event was a first at the BFAC and they hope to make it an annual tradition.

"Last year NAIDOC came and went without us celebrating it and I felt like it needed to be earmarked this year,” co-ordinator Alicia Sharples said.

"We reside on Gubbi Gubbi land and we pay homage to the traditional owners of the land.

"We want to bring their culture into the arts centre because the arts centre thrives on culture and community.”

Gubbi Gubbi dancer Lyndon Davis at Cooroy's Butter Factory Arts Centre NAIDOC Week celebrations. Picture: Caitlin Zerafa

The celebration coincided with a current NAIDOC Week-inspired exhibition, Hear My Voice, which is on display until July 23.

"We've got a lot of beautiful indigenous artists in the area and we are wanting to celebrate that,” Ms Sharples said.