Celebrate NAIDOC Week in Waverley this 2—9 July

The origins of NAIDOC Week can be traced back to the 1920s to the emergence of Aboriginal groups who sought to increase awareness in the wider community of the status and treatment of Indigenous Australians. This year’s theme is For Our Elders.

Mayor of Waverley, Paula Masselos, said NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for the community to learn, engage, and appreciate the diverse contributions of Indigenous Australians in various fields to promote cultural understanding, respect, and unity within the community.

“It also serves as an opportunity to address the ongoing challenges faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and to work towards reconciliation and social justice,” Mayor Masselos said.

Waverley Council is proud to present the following NAIDOC Week events:

• Marang (Sand Dunes), Saturday 1 July, Garu Courtyard at Bondi Pavilion, 11am to 3pm, free: Marang, meaning sand dunes,pays respect to the Country on which the Bondi Pavilion now stands, traditionally a place of sand dunes, with an incredible day of workshops and performance to kick off Bondi Festival 2023. Enjoy a Welcome to Country, dance performances, music and First Nations market stalls, a food truck and free workshops throughout the day including shell art and weaving workshops with local knowledge holders. Click here for more information and to register for workshops.
• NAIDOC Spinning Tops, Monday 3 July, 10.30am to 11.30am and Thursday 6 July, Waverley Library, 2.30pm to 3.30pm: Learn about dot painting and create your own spinning top with Indigenous artist Michelle Napananka Earl, a proud Darkinjung women, in this craft session exploring the cultural significance of this ancient Aboriginal art technique. Suitable for ages 8+. Click here to book.
• Brenda Matthews: The Last Daughter, Tuesday 4 July, Bondi Pavilion Theatre, 6.15pm, free: Experience a powerful evening of storytelling with proud Wiradjuri women and Stolen Generations member, author Brenda Matthews and she shares her life story about being removed from not one, but two loving families. Brenda is the author of The Last Daughter (Text Publishing) and co-director of the feature film of the same name. Click here to register.
• IndigiGrow: Culture & Connection to Country, Thursday 6 July, Waverley Library, 6.30pm-7.30pm: Join Peter Cooley, CEO of IndigiGrow, a 100% Aboriginal-owned native plant nursery in La Perouse, on a journey of discovery of bush foods and native endangered plants. Click here to register
• NAIDOC Week at Centennial Parklands, Sunday 9 July, 3pm-6pm: Enjoy an afternoon of dance with Djaadjawan Dance and Culture Group, storytelling, weaving and shell art workshops around the fire at this community celebration of First Nations culture presented by Centennial Parklands and Randwick City and Waverley councils. At sunset, follow Centennial Park's educators on a tour around the wetlands that are home to the Flying Fox colony and many other nocturnal animals. Click here to register.

In November last year, Waverley Council unanimously voted to support the Uluru Statement From the Heart which calls for two substantive changes: the Voice to Parliament and a Makarrata Commission to supervise agreement making and truth-telling about our First Nations history. In February this year, Council also voted to support the ‘Yes’ case for the referendum through a community education strategy.