What a huge and excellent day it was and thanks to everyone who contributed to the Smoke Free Inner City NAIDOC family sports and culture day at the NCIE.
Mob come in their thousands to join in the music, sport, art and dance; check out all the stalls and rides; and enjoy the sunshine and community. The Redfern Dance Company pictured below won the crowd’s hearts with their special opening performance blending dance, song, art, language and connection to land.
PHOTO: REDFERN DANCE COMPANY
The main stage delivered music and performances all day with MC Luke Carroll wrangling The Preatures, MC Dobby, Mi-kaisha, Shanell Dargan, Tribal Warrior Dancers and The Green Hand Band, who played into the sunset.
The 45 stall holders, like the FACS team (below), spent hours talking about the work they do and handing out information and items like caps and water bottles – in big demand on such a beautiful sunny winter’s day.
Photo: FACS event stall
A huge community health mural wall presenting positive anti-smoking messages was created on the NCIE’s sports field wall in the lead up to the Inner City NAIDOC by artists Emily Johnson and Jessica Johnson. The mural was completed on the day by children adding their painted hands to the wall, reflecting cultural unity and strength.
Photo: Community Health Mural Wall, children adding their painted hands.
This year’s NAIDOC theme was Our Languages Matter which emphasised the need to retain language for the benefit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Language plays a crucial part in identity, culture, and inter-generational connection, hence the need to preserve and protect language.
Photo: Martin Ballangarry, Gumbaynggirr man and a Director of Muurrbay Language Centre was one of the 5 000 attendees at this year’s NCIE NAIDOC.
Photo: Local MP Tanya Plibersek and NCIE CEO Kirstie Parker in the Eora TAFE Languages Tent in front of banners containing 600 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander language names.
Inner City NAIDOC Family Sports Day marked what makes our cultures great and the NCIE was once again proud to open our site to such an amazing community event for everyone.
Till next year!