Mount Barker celebrates NAIDOC Week with a family fun day
Organised by the NAIDOC Week Working Committee – a collaboration between Mount Barker District Council, Adelaide Hills Council, Landscapes Hills and Fleurieu, Mount Barker Community Centre as well as the State Government Departments for Health, Education and Child Protection – the event was the result of weeks of planning and shared commitment to honouring and celebrating First Nations cultures.
The community event attracted around 300 people and featured market stalls, cultural workshops, food, family activities and performances from Sonia Smith, Katie Aspel and Escatology.
Mayor David Leach praised NAIDOC Week - now in its 50th year - for recognising the importance of resilience, pride, and truth-telling for First Nations people.
“NAIDOC Week gives us all the opportunity to reflect on the history, achievements and enduring culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples,” Mayor Leach said.
“This year’s event at Laratinga Pavilion brought people of all ages and backgrounds together in a spirit of respect, celebration and learning. It was a joyful and meaningful day that highlighted the strength of community partnerships and the value of cultural connection.”
This year’s NAIDOC Week theme ‘The Next Generation – Strength, Vision and Legacy’ celebrated the emerging leaders of First Nations culture and served as a reminder that a society sustained for more than 60,000 years on Country grows stronger when its young people are guided by their respected Elders.
This theme was reflected in a dance performance, coordinated by Sarah Booth from the Department for Child Protection, which was the culmination of a five-week cultural program involving young people aged 3 to 15 from the Fleurieu, Adelaide Hills, and metropolitan Adelaide.
The children met weekly in Mount Barker to explore Aboriginal culture through rhythm, music, storytelling and dance. Their performance combined traditional dance elements with contemporary movement and was warmly received by the audience.
With Peramangk Elders in attendance, the event began with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony led by Courtney Hunter Hebberman followed by a moving performance from Jade Brook’s Third Camp on the Pavilion lawn.
“This was truly a celebration of togetherness,” Mayor Leach said.
“Council is proud to work alongside so many dedicated partners and community members to deliver events like this, where learning, culture and community go hand in hand. It is especially heartening to see young people engaged in culture and creativity in such a positive and powerful way.”
The family fun day was part of a wider NAIDOC Week program supported by Mount Barker District Council, which also included:
- A First Nations community dinner held at Auchendarroch House on Tuesday evening, bringing together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people from across the Adelaide Hills and Fleurieu to mark the 50th anniversary of NAIDOC Week; and
- A display of NAIDOC Week poster art from the 1970s onwards and screenings of a series of short films created through Country Arts SA's Nunga Screen initiative at the Mount Barker Community Library.
