Aboriginal dancers, singers, artists and didgeridoo players took centre stage at a family fun day in Warrawong on Tuesday.
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A host of locals also dropped by Greene St Reserve to enjoy all the festivities Barnardos South Coast organised as part of their NAIDOC Week celebrations.
The annual event celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
The July 4 celebration featured performances from Aboriginal dance group Yurungai children and the Port Kembla Public School choir.
Local elder Aunty Bev Armor did the Welcome to Country, while singers Matt Walker, Jess Rees, Dale Wright and Two Deadly also entertained the crowd.
The successful event came a day after Shellharbour City Council held their NAIDOC community celebration at Albion Oval in Albion Park Rail.
![Uncle Laddie Timbery of Huskisson showing children how to throw a boomerang at the NAIDOC Community Day at Albion Oval, in Albion Park. Photo: Adam McLean
Uncle Laddie Timbery of Huskisson showing children how to throw a boomerang at the NAIDOC Community Day at Albion Oval, in Albion Park. Photo: Adam McLean](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/rdPnbxNSt95RbDXSGgzrdz/7c498453-a662-44c2-b73f-88f6e4c9e54a.jpg/r0_403_3939_2626_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the council’s statement of commitment to Aboriginal Australians of our region.
Shellharbour Mayor Marianne Saliba said council’s statement acknowledged that Indigenous Australians were the first people of the Australian continent.
‘’Council is this year also celebrating the 20th anniversary of the Aboriginal Advisory Committee and the appointment of the first Aboriginal Community Liaison Officer position at Council,’’ Cr Saliba said.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait languages are not just a means of communication.
- Anne Martin
Shellharbour is also joining Wollongong, Kiama and Shoalhaven councils in the region’s annual NAIDOC awards dinner at the Fraternity Club on Saturday, July 22.
‘Our Languages Matter’ is the 2017 NAIDOC Week theme.
National NAIDOC Committee co-chair Anne Martin said languages were the breath of life for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and that the theme would raise awareness of the status and importance of Indigenous languages.
‘’Aboriginal and Torres Strait languages are not just a means of communication. They express knowledge about everything,’’ Ms Martin said.
Tickets for the July 22 dinner can be purchased through the Wollongong Council website.