Townsville NAIDOC Booklet 2023

TOWNSVILLE NAIDOC WEEK

Welcome to Country

The traditional custodians of the Townsville Region are the Wulgurukaba & Bindal people.

When Europeans first arrived in Townsville, they assumed that no one occupied or owned the land because there were no boundaries marked by fences and farms. But the Wulgurukaba and Bindal people had already been living here for many years - hundreds of generations. Archaeological sites near Townsville have been dated over 10,000 years ago.

The Wulgurukaba People

The Wulgurukaba people call their country Gurrumbilbarra. Wulgurukaba means “canoe people”. An important symbol for the Wulgurukaba People is the carpet snake. The creation story tells of the creation snake that comes down from the Herbert River (Ingham area), went outside to sea creation the Hinchinbrook Channel and down to Palm and Magnetic Islands. His body broke up leaving parts along the coast. The tail of the snake is at Halifax Bay; his body is at Palm Island; and his head rests at Arcadia on Magnetic Island.

The Bindal People

The Bindal people call their country Thulgaree Waja. An important symbol for the Bindal people is the shooting star. They believe that wherever the star fell or the direction the star fell, there was either danger coming from that direction or someone from the direction was in need of help or in danger.

NOTE: Welcome to Wulgurukaba and Bindal Land. The Wulgurukaba People and The Bindal People intellectual property contained within this booklet is held with the traditional owner groups and permission should be sought to reproduce this text.

Across every generation, our Elders have played, and continue to play, an important role and hold a prominent place in our communities and families.

They are cultural knowledge holders, trailblazers, nurturers, advocates, teachers, survivors, leaders, hard workers and our loved ones.

Our loved ones who pick us up in our low moments and celebrate us in our high ones. Who cook us a feed to comfort us and pull us into line, when we need them too.

They guide our generations and pave the way for us to take the paths we can take today. Guidance, not only through generations of advocacy and activism, but in everyday life and how to place ourselves in the world.

We draw strength from their knowledge and experience, in everything from land management, cultural knowledge to justice and human rights. Across multiple sectors like health, education, the arts, politics and everything in between, they have set the many courses we follow.

The struggles of our Elders help to move us forward today. The equality we continue to fight for is found in their fight. Their tenacity and strength has carried the survival of our people.

It is their influence and through their learnings that we must ensure that when it comes to future decision making for our people, there is nothing about us - without us.

We pay our respects to the Elders we’ve lost and to those who continue fighting for us across all our Nations and we pay homage to them.

(www.naidoc.org.au)

2023 TOWNSVILLE NAIDOC EVENTS ARE AUSPICED BY COMMUNITY GRO

TOWNSVILLE NAIDOC SPONSORS

PLATINUM SPONSORS

GOLD SPONSORS

SILVER. SPONSO

The Townsville NAIDOC Committee wish to acknowledge the below departments & organisations for their contribution & support towards Townsville NAIDOC Week 2023.

Lyn Devow Elders for Change

Rikisha Phineasa Cliff Cobbo

FLORENCEONUS&LYNDEVOW ELDERS FOR CHANGE

Elders for Change, founded in 2020, are a group of Elders that consists of Traditional Owners, Historical Elders and Elders from across the North West Queensland Region and the Torres Strait Islands. Elders for Change originally came together to support and share their cultural knowledge with the women inside Townsville Women's Correctional Centre (TWCC), focusing on enhancing cultural wellbeing and safety. The Elders worked closely with the Australian Red Cross and the Cultural Team from the TWCC to support First Nations Peoples in the justice system and keep them connected to community.

Further to the work the Elders for Change do within the TWCC they now also provide their cultural knowledge to various initiatives in education, housing, juvenile justice and within the Bureau of Statistics, where they give their advice and recommendations.

The guest speakers from Elders for Change are Aunty Florence Onus, a Bindal, Bidjara, Kairi and Yagalingu woman and Aunty Lyn Devow, a Miriam Mer and Erub Torres Strait Islander woman.

Together with all the Elders for Change, they bring with them amazing life experiences, cultural knowledge and outstanding stills and qualifications to share with the Townsville community.

RIKISHA PHINEASA

Rikisha Phineasa is a proud Torres Strait Islander woman, with her family ties spanning across Sabai and Dauan to Murray Island and Mabuiag, going as far as Bamaga. Having grown up in Cairns, Rikisha has since moved to Townsville and made it home.

Rikisha is a full-time student at James Cook University, studying a Bachelor of Laws and Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Indigenous studies. She works as an Indigenous ambassador for JCU, law tutor, and is an active member of the Townsville First Nations Youth Council. Rikisha’s ultimate passion and drive comes from her desire to see First Nations people thrive, excel and progress. Rikisha says, ‘I want to work in the legal profession so I can help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people move forward with hope to a brighter future’.

CORPORATE BREAKFAST | GUEST SPEAKER

CLIFF COBBO

I am a proud Wakka Wakka man born and raised on my traditional homelands of what we now call South Burnett. My values, passion, and commitment in working for my people comes from the nurturing, love and support of my family. I have worked in both the private and public sectors including, Australia Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), Commonwealth Employment Services (CES), Chamber of Commerce & Industry, ATSIC and Natural Resource Management (NRM) bodies.

For the past 14 years, I have been employed by World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF-Aust) as the Senior Manager - Indigenous Engagement. I lead our team to engage in a meaningful impactful and transformational way with many communities across Australia and Internationally. Our engagement amplifies the voices of Indigenous people and their local communities. One of the initiatives I lead is the Oceania First Voices across the Pacific & New Zealand. Elders play a critical role in this initiative. Our relationship both physical and spiritual with our country is a common theme I continue to hear when yarning with first peoples across the world that people and nature are the one in the same.

NAIDOC WEEK

2022 HIGHLIGHTS

2022 Elders Luncheon

Photo Booth Moments

The design is based on the 2023 NAIDOC theme, “For Our Elders”. The artwork depicts the respect we have For Our Elders, for what they have achieved for us to date. It shows the younger generation continuing on working for a better lifestyle and a better world for us all.

Robert was born in Bowen, North Queensland, home of the JURU people. He has always had an interest in art, practising art at home as a hobby, painting local murals, and finally exhibiting his own paintings.

In 2003, Robert started his own business in Graphic Design, Illustration and Murals. While in business, he has now painted over 20 Murals for many schools throughout Townsville and Bowen. Robert has also been involved in numerous publications of Indigenous works, including illustrating a Children’s Book called “Biddy’s Fishing Line”, (This book became part of the Queensland School Curriculum) and an Indigenous Poetry Book called “Crows Feathers”. In 2004, he won an Indigenous National Award, the “Henry Mayer Media Prize” for his work in Crows Feathers. Robert contributed not only to the cover and layout design but also illustrated for some of the poetry pieces in the book.

He continues to work with both mainstream and Indigenous businesses throughout Australia with his graphic design and illustrations. Art and Design have taken him to areas he could only have dreamt of. He looks forward to continuing in this field of work that he loves and respects.

Robert Paul Designs

(Artwork by Robert Paul Designs)

TOWNSVILLENAIDOCEVENTS

NationalAboriginesandIslandersDayObservanceCommittee

OtherNAIDOCeventswillbeadvertisedonourwebsite&theTownsvilleNAIDOCFacebookpage

Jazzine Barracks, North Ward Free community breakfast at 8.30am followed by formalities and entertainment

Tickets:

Location: The Ville Resort- Casino Time: 10:30am to 3pm

Registration:

Location: Riverway Precinct Time:11:30amto4pm

Family Fun Day with entertainment, exhibitor and food stalls

Location: Oonoonba Community Hall Time: 9am to 11:30am

Free event for Elders with limited seating To confirm your attendance please email fsmallwood79@hotmail com

Time:10am

Assemble at 9:30am at the roundabout of Hinchinbrook Drive & Thuringowa Drive (beside Kirwan High School).

Messy Play in the Park NAIDOC Week Celebration

9am - 11am

Monday 10 July 2023

Charles Moroney Park, Kelso

Increase your child’s confidence and develop their fine and gross motor skills by exploring fun, sensory and creative Messy Play.

For more information, visit:

ForourElders.

Take a look around the room

Now tell me what do you see? Note the number of missing Elders

Many have departed but have left their legacy.

Matriarchs, Patriarchs, the heads of family Disciplinarians, trail blazers, fighting for equality. Elders have been activists and have paved the way for all, With strength and tenacity never giving up, even when they fall.

Look into an Elders eyes and you will vaguely see, Some have sadness, some have pain – a distant memory. Segregation, forced removal, loss of culture, land and family Not recognised, couldn’t vote, not able to live freely.

Some served in wars and others on stations Elders toiled away each day. They experienced hard and atrocious times, Treated unfairly and denied their pay.

We look to Elders for comfort, For guidance knowledge and care Their encouragement and words of wisdom They keep us in their prayers.

Elders have seen changes, Over the many years, The invention of mobile phones and electric cars And endless choice of beers!

They’ve been our teachers and advisors, doctor and a judge Strong willed, stubborn, a bit over the top, and at times wont even budge! But, if you’ve done wrong and think of having a sook, Don’t bother moaning and groaning - cause they’ll give you ‘that look’.

One last thing I want you to know, Honour, celebrate and respect them – before they all go. Applaud them, acknowledge them and simply be impressed, Our Elders are irreplaceable and because of them our lives have been richly blessed.

Poem by the Townsville NAIDOC Committee

2023 TOWNSVILLE NAIDOC BOOKLET

To view a digital copy of the 2023 Townsville NAIDOC Booklet please scan the below QR Code with the camera on your phone.

Please feel free to download a copy and share the link with your networks.

2023 TOWNSVILLE NAIDOC EVENTS SURVEY

Please take a moment to complete the 2023 Townsville NAIDOC Events Survey.

You can access the survey by scanning the below QR Code with the camera on your phone.

Your feedback will help ensure future Townsville NAIDOC events continue to get better each year.

We hope you enjoyed Townsville NAIDOC Week 2023! Please continue celebrating NAIDOC Week by supporting NAIDOC Week events beinig held by local organisations across Townsville.

We would like to thank and acknowledge our dedicated volunteers who generously give their time and energy, we appreciate all you do to make the NAIDOC Week events such a deadly time for everyone!

TOWNSVILLE NAIDOC COMMITTEE 2023

Eddie Savage

Topsy Mola

Jeanette Wyles

Chantelle Bongers

Letitia Murgha

Lionel Lenoy

Francesca Savage

Fiona Smallwood

Dorothy Savage

Esther Tambo

Donnah Bobbert

Jennifer Lenoy