Today, members of the local community came together at SuniTAFE to celebrate this year’s National NAIDOC.

The successful opening of the event involved an Acknowledgement to Country by the SuniTAFE students and a traditional smoking ceremony by Uncle Peter Peterson held at the Dulka Yuppata Indigenous Training Centre. A range of student awards were presented to accompany the theme of NAIDOC which included Get Up, Stand Up, Show Up as well as the winning t-shirt designs. 

A free delicious lunch was prepared and cooked by the students and staff featuring a Kangaroo Stew, BBQ and freshly made Johnny Cakes.

NAIDOC is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations culture and history and participate in the celebration of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.
The theme for this year’s event is Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up!

This reflects for Dulka Yuppata Students the ability to rise above circumstances, action to stand and declare identity or take an action against injustice or portray a consistent attendance with a positive attitude.

Local Aboriginal community providers such as Mildura District Aboriginal Services (MDAS) and Coomealla Health Aboriginal Corporation (CHAC) both attended the event. It was a fantastic day to come together dedicated to recognising and celebrating the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.