Toowoomba celebrates and reflects this NAIDOC Week
Residents across Toowoomba and Australia are starting to recognise NAIDOC Week’s significance more than in previous years, according to a proud Jarowair man at one of the final events for 2022. Check out our gallery of photos here.
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Conrad Bauwens is passionate about his indigenous heritage and culture — and he’s glad to see more Australians embracing its 40,000-year history.
The proud Jarowair man of the Wakka Wakka nation performed the smoking ceremony at Grand Central Shopping Centre’s NAIDOC Arts and Craft Market on Saturday.
Mr Bauwens, who works as a cultural heritage officer, said NAIDOC Week was growing in stature.
“It’s definitely becoming more recognised and more people are taking it on board, which is a good thing as we move towards reconciliation,” he said.
“People are more sympathetic and want to be involved, so it’s a good thing as we look to a shared future.”
Check out our gallery from the markets below:
‘They were afraid’: Generations struggle to regain Indigenous languages
Imagine locking yourself in a 45-degree room just to talk your traditional tongue, afraid of the consequences if heard by others.
Sadly, the threat of punishment was a reality for many Indigenous Australians. Today, passing on culture and language to younger generations is of vital importance.
“Language is everything. It is a huge part if not one of the main parts of our identity,” cultural educator and trainer with Goondir Health Services Thira-Mayinj said.
“When it comes to traditional languages being spoken, there is next to none that is spoken in our district.
“However, I’m currently revitalising Muruwarri language which is my Mother’s language and also my Father’s language which is Mardigan.”
Thira-Mayinj said he and his partner spoke Muruwarri language to their children, and sang the language when performing with his Mura Biri Gururu Aboriginal Dancers group.
“Passing it on to my children is the best thing I could’ve done,” he said.
“It helps strengthen their identity and grounds them to their roots and where their traditional home is.”
Thira-Mayinj said two other men, Ngarrumban Thulaida and Miri Thaata Pakul, also spoke their languages.
“Ngarrumban Thulaida is revitalising and speaking his language Mandandanji/Gungari language, and Miri Thaata Pakul speaks and teaches Waka Waka language which is the mother tongue language and local language of this area,” he said.
Thira-Mayinj said the stolen generation had been forbidden to speak and practise their language.
As a result, it had a “massive impact” on the way it is taught today.
“The difficulties most people face is probably the fact that we all have been so influenced by the English language that a lot of mobs’ tongues aren’t trained enough to wrap around a lot of our language, which is very different,” he said. “This has changed the pronunciation in a lot of words in many ways which has caused mob to say the words the wrong way.
“This is why it’s really important to listen to the old tapes as traditional Aboriginal mobs of Australia never had a written language, everything was taught orally.
“Also locally, traditional language isn’t natural, and we have no natural speakers, so for locals in the district it’s hard to learn and talk language when there has been no exposure to it.”
Looking to the stars and future together
Darling Downs Police have made a commitment to acknowledge, reconcile and collaborate with First Nations people, with the unveiling of a plaque.
Crime Prevention Officer Sergeant Tony Rehn said the Look to the stars plaque at Oakey Police Station was a symbol of acknowledging the Aboriginal land we live on and connecting with Indigenous Australians.
“This is about meeting First Nations people halfway and acknowledging that while our history hasn’t been the greatest, by being here together and working together we can make the future better,” he said.
Bigambul elder and Oakey resident Clara Munn was hopeful the move by Queensland Police would help the community assist youth.
“Here in Oakey, we’ve been waiting for this for a long time,” she said.
“A lot of the youths are breaking in and stealing things.
“We can’t control them anymore, as much as we try, and the police can’t do much either, because they’re youths.
“Doing this I think (can) give us confidence that we can trust them and work on it (together).
“I reckon this is awesome.”
Go to looktothestars.mypolice.qld.gov.au for more information.
‘Our story’: Indigenous artists and students collab on shopping centre mural
Culture, storytelling and community connection have come alive with a live-painted mural.
Grand Central community relations manager Georgina Bayly was thrilled to work closely with Indigenous artists, school students and a curator to bring a mural of Indigenous art to life at the centre’s community library.
“Leading into NAIDOC Week, we wanted to have a lasting impression for our Indigenous community, as well as our shoppers and people who come into visit,” she said.
“We’re strengthening our community ties across all aspects … this will be our key space.”
Cultural leader of the project Cheryl Moggs said the collaboration with Indigenous Rockville State students, artists David “Dook” McCarthy, Aaron (Dhuril) Blades, and curator Jennifer Wright (Summers) was truly special.
“It’s all about freshwater country, which is where we’re all from,” she said.
“It’s a local interpretation of traditional owners from this region. It’s not something from somewhere else. It’s local stories.
“When they see the works, they’ll know what it means.”
The mural, near Athletes Foot, will be completed by Saturday morning, in time for Grand Central’s NAIDOC Week markets.
Toowoomba celebrates NAIDOC Week
Get up, stand up and show up with pride and respect for your culture is something Aboriginal leader Lizzie Adams wants to scream from the roof tops.
This NAIDOC Week, Ms Adams said representing and sharing the oldest culture in the world, while acknowledging the past, would help it grow into the future.
“When I was born, I wasn’t even registered as a human being. I was born as flora and fauna,” she said.
“To be here and doing what I am doing, I’m very proud.
“In the march, other people see us doing this, and it’s us doing it in a way that our ancestors would like us to do it.
“Be proud, be energetic and get our message across that we’re here and we’re here to stay.”
Ms Adams is the CEO of Goolburri Aboriginal Health, founder and executive director of the Jaydon Adams Memorial Foundation, director of the Rural Medical Education Australia and a founding member of Protea Place.
On a larger scale, Ms Adams is a director of Queensland Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Child Protection Peak.
Ms Adams said while her culture should be celebrated daily, NAIDOC Week was an opportunity to display pride in full strength.
“It’s the one week where we feel it’s ours,” she said.
“This is one week that gives us the confidence to say our culture is still here.
“We can only talk and try and educate the non-Indigenous people of Australia of why we are the way we are.
“Are we unique? Yes. Are we strong? Yes. We’re very resilient people, but understand where we’re coming from too.”
Ms Adams said the family fun day at the Goods Shed on Monday was an opportunity to see the services available in the region.
“We’re visual people,” she said.
“When we see something and we relate to it, you can bet your bottom dollar that we will go there because we know now.”
We're excited to announce the #NAIDOC2022 Theme - Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!
— NAIDOC (@naidocweek) January 10, 2022
We have a proud history of getting up, standing up, and showing up.
For more info on the theme, visit: https://t.co/jkXKu8m5nBpic.twitter.com/hiRSRx3kDF
While health services are assisting Indigenous residents, Ms Adams said greater focus on our youth was critical.
“Right now, I think our youth are off track around the youth crime in Toowoomba,” she said.
“While it may seem like we don’t have homeless people, but we have a lot of our mob couch surfing because we look after our own.
“We don't kick our people out on the streets. That’s where the overcrowding comes from because we like to look after a lot of our own.
“There’s always problems, but invest in us and engage us, and genuinely consult with us to make these changes and better for our people in the future.”
NAIDOC Week is until Sunday.
NAIDOC week events in Darling Downs
- Look to the Stars commemorative plaque, at Newtown Police Station, invitation only. Tuesday, July 5.
- NAIDOC Trivia at Jack Martin Centre, doors open 5pm for 6pm start. Tuesday, July 5.
- Queensland Police Flag Raising and Morning Tea, at Toowoomba Police Station. Wednesday, July 6, at 10am.
- NAIDOC Bowls Night at Club Toowoomba. Thursday, July 7 at 5pm. Entry is $10 in teams of four. Contact Janet on 0413 760 926.
- NAIDOC Bingo at St Patrick’s Church. Contact Alfred on 0421132507.
- Art Display and Markets at Grand Central front entrance on Margaret Street. Saturday July 9, 9am to 5pm.
- Murioke at the Jack Martin Centre. No BYO, with bar and refreshments available. Free entry, with doors open at 8pm. Saturday, July 9.
- NAIDOC Golf Day at Toowoomba Golf Club from 8am. Friday, July 22.
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