NAIDOC 2024 in Mossman
National NAIDOC Week celebrations are held across Australia in the first week of July each year (Sunday to Sunday), to celebrate and recognise the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.
‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud & Proud’
As the sun set on a week brimming with cultural celebrations, knowledge sharing, and historical reflection in Mossman, Rainforest Rescue had the opportunity to participate in the vibrant NAIDOC Week festivities. The week-long events, themed ‘Keep the Fire Burning, Blak, Loud and Proud’ finished with a bang in a street parade on Friday 19th July, which led to Bubu Kinkari (George Davis Park).
We were thrilled to have a stall set up so we could connect with the local community and contribute to the spirit of the day.
Hayden, Mark, Martin, and Sigrid were able to chat about the incredible biodiversity of the Daintree Rainforest, share information on some of the native trees we use for restoration, talk about our ‘Plant and Protect a Rainforest’ programs and show off a selection of beautiful local seeds.
Our ‘Guess the number of red Adenanthera seeds in the jar’ activity quickly became a crowd favourite!
Our stall was nestled amongst an array of other displays, including art from our good friend Sheryl J. Burchill and other talented local artists such as hand-made t-shirts, painted burnie beans, and woven baskets. Traditional dancing and music added to the atmosphere.
Prize packs, including coupons for our ‘Plant a Rainforest’ T-shirts, were awarded to the ‘Best Dressed Person’, ‘Best Dressed Shop’, ‘Best Dressed Group’, ‘Best Float’ and ‘Loudest School’. We would like to congratulate the winners (listed below) – we hope you enjoy your new t-shirts & other goodies!
- Best dressed person – Genie
- Best dressed shop – Pharaoh Care
- Best dressed group – Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation
- Best float – Jabalbina Yalanji Aboriginal Corporation
- Loudest School – Mossman State School
The spirit of NAIDOC Week was infectious – check out this video from Douglas Shire Council for a sneak peak of the parade.
We are already looking forward to attending again next year!
Big thanks to Brody, the Youth Development Coordinator at Mossman Support Services for inviting us to be part of this wonderful event – we are incredibly grateful.
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