Celebrating NAIDOC Week 2020 • Always Was Always Will Be

NAIDOC Week 2020 is celebrated under the motto 'Always Was, Always Will Be' recognising that First Nations people have for over 65,000 years occupied, cared for and been spiritually and culturally connected to this country.
Burrinja board members Aunty Janet Turpie-Johnstone and Jake Berthelot, together with Creative Director Gareth Hart, gathered at Burrinja's Art of Place Garden to acknowledge the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Wurundjeri woman Julie Coombs performed a Welcome to Country, followed by a Smoking Ceremony led by Aunty Janet, who recalled the significance and origins of NAIDOC Week.
The ceremony was followed by the performance of poetry by Nikki Madgwick, a proud Worimi-Biripi woman from coastal NSW who works and lives on Wurundjeri Country. Nikki took part remotely and shared three powerful and moving poems: 'Always was always will be', 'Languages matter', and 'Does my heritage offend you?'
Jake, proud Potaruwutj Padthaway man acted as our MC and behind the scenes, JD Mittmann, Burrinja’s Curator, captured the event, on camera, Burrinja Technician Henry Barratt helped with technical assistance.
It is Burrinja’s honour to operate on Wurundjeri country. We acknowledge the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin Nations as the traditional custodians and pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. It is through valuing their history, traditions, culture and beliefs that we strive to stimulate awareness and promote respect for Indigenous contemporary art and culture and create a positive future for Indigenous and non-indigenous communities together.
For more information on NAIDOC week and other events go to: www.naidoc.org.au/about/naido....

[@artgareth]

Thankyou Jake, Aunty Janet, Julie, Nikki and JD! Happy NAIDOC week to all