Happy NAIDOC Week everyone!

NAIDOC Week, or the National Aboriginal and Islanders Day of Celebration (week) is a very important event in Balgo and encompasses many traditional and cultural beliefs and customs of which being a part of was a true honor.  Today kicked off the celebrations and we’re set to have more and more chances to party later in the week, a great way to end the term.

Last Friday in Primary C, the students traced their hands and cut them out, painting them red, black and yellow to signify the Aboriginal people and green, yellow and blue, culturally important colours to the Torres Strait Islander people. I myself cut out and painted about twenty over the weekend to have enough for all the Luurnpa students, a true test of my lack of art skills (I failed Year 7 art, awkward!) However, the hands proved to be a great way to not only get the kids in the right frame of mind for celebrations but teach them the importance of NAIDOC week and why it is special to their people.

This morning was when the real celebrations kicked off. School began as normal, however not soon after the bell preparations were underway for the traditional dancing that was to occur later in the morning. This entailed paint, and lots of it! The girls and boys were split up and painted by the elders while Sophie and I gave face paint to any Kartiya people that wished to get into the celebrations. It was a lot of fun! However been hugged by a freshly painted five year old with a whole torso of paint was less than amusing and I was glad it was ochre and water instead of synthetic paint! The kids were so excited and posed for photos with immense pride, very much taking seriously the beliefs of their elders and the importance of the day.

Sophie painting Corryanne

We did each others' stripes

Robyn

Ezekiel (Segel) and Evander

The children got split into their lines and for once, we had way more boys than girls; a very rare occurrence! The flag raising ceremony kicked off the day’s events and we prayed as the Aboriginal flag was raised, a very significant and special act. Then the march was on! We all marched over to the shop where the remainder of the celebrations was going to occur, the whole community walking over with great pride, waving the painted hands and having a great time. The police car, leading the way looked exceptionally festive laden with balloons and lights a blazing. Everyone was laughing and smiling, enjoying everyone’s company and having the best time. It was just amazing!

  

Hazin and Frances

Trent

Noah

Clinton

Brianna with one of the hands I made

Croydon, Jarman and Julian

Parading to the shop

Once outside the shop, the traditional dancing occurred; men and women separately. The ladies and those girls that were painted sung time-honored words and danced accordingly and it was really a humbling experience and something I was very excited to be witnessing. Once the women had finished, the boys and men did their part, a song and dance that occurred around three boys holding spears; Julian, Jarman and Croydon acting like exceptional young men and potential leaders of the community.

Kane and Bede, solid sign holders

The women dancing

Some of the hands

Croydon, Jarman and Julian holding the spears

Julian

The men dancing

Zac; so cute!

Kamus

Jakey

The atmosphere was just amazing! There was so much love and friendship in the air as everyone mingled and enjoyed the day, no matter the colour of their skin. The weather was just perfect and the lunch that followed very much ended today’s festivities with a bang. I really can’t describe it as well as I want to, but everyone is just so cheerful and brimming with excitement and happiness. It was just so lovely!!

The rest of the week is going to be filled with traditional storytelling (which I hope are in English!) and a community BBQ and disco on Wednesday so I’m looking forward to more happiness and friendship to follow and very much encompass the importance of NAIDOC week!