The leadership and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women will be celebrated through art, music and food at a free event for Sydneysiders of all ages.
The City of Sydney’s annual NAIDOC in the City event, held from 10am–2pm on Saturday 14 July in Hyde Park, is a celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and their continued importance.
This year’s NAIDOC Week theme ‘Because of her, we can!’ celebrates the contributions that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women have made to our nation’s communities, families and history.
“This year’s theme celebrates the generations of resilient and inspiring Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who are role models in our community,” Lord Mayor Clover Moore said.
“Some of the most recognisable First Nations women have called Sydney home and we thank the many strong and proud Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women who have made this city what it is today.
“NAIDOC in the City is being held on a weekend for the first time, so this is a great opportunity to bring the kids along to experience the world’s oldest living cultures.”
A highlight of this year’s event is an art gallery that celebrates the strength and diversity of Aboriginal women, curated by Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative and APY Art Centre Collective.
"As NSW’s most enduring Aboriginal Artists Co-operative, we pay tribute to the strength and resistance of Aboriginal women in Australia at this year’s NAIDOC in the City event,” said Kyra Kum-Sing, Emerging Curator, Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative.
“Aboriginal women continue to build our family bloodlines, traditional practices and cultural laws for the survival of Aboriginal peoples in Australia. The selected artworks feature female artists from across New South Wales Aboriginal Language groups."
Sharon Adamson, of Tjala Arts, said: “The APY Gallery is a platform for emerging Indigenous Artists from the APY Lands to connect with a wide audience outside of our remote communities. We’re proud to be working alongside Boomalli at NAIDOC in the City to present a showcase of emerging female artists under the theme ‘Because of her, we can!’”.
“We have watched, listened and learned from our grandmothers and mothers – now it is our turn to share old stories in new ways.”
Youngsters will be kept busy with a range of fun outdoor activities, from sport, dance and art workshops to Nawi (canoe) making, face painting and weaving.
The giant earth oven will be fired up once again, offering a delicious feast for everyone, while musicians and dancers perform live on stage.
There will also be a range of market stalls showcasing arts and crafts, gourmet food and information.
The event is part of NAIDOC Week, from 8–15 July. NAIDOC Week is a time for everyone to celebrate and enjoy Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.
The City of Sydney has also contributed $40,000 in sponsorship to this year’s National NAIDOC Awards Ceremony. The event is coordinated by the National NAIDOC Committee and celebrates significant achievements by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals and groups. This year it is in Sydney on Friday 13 July at the International Convention Centre in Darling Harbour.
NAIDOC in the City
When: 10am to 2pm, Saturday 14 July
Where: Hyde Park, Sydney
Cost: Free
Highlights:
- Watch live music and dance performances on the main stage, including Electric Fields, Mission Songs Project, Sue Ray and Muggera dancers.
- Wander through the art gallery – curated by Boomalli Aboriginal Artists Co-operative and APY Art Centre Collective – and see works by established and emerging female artists. Pictures by Sydney-based photographer Barbara McGrady will be on display. Check out the stunning new artwork by local Aboriginal artist Shannon Foster that features on the City’s street banners flying during NAIDOC Week and beyond.
- Enjoy a feast from the earth oven – a traditional method of cooking in an earth oven pit, using hot rocks and natural materials to seal in the heat and slow cook food for hours. Learn how to make tasty lemon myrtle biscuits and barbecue kangaroo fillet with cooking guru Aunty Beryl Van-Oploo. Sample mouth-watering bites from a range of food stalls throughout the day.
- Keep the kids busy these school holidays by visiting the kids’ zone, which includes dance, storytelling, canoe making, art and weaving workshops as well as zoo animals and face painting. Sporting activities include Indigenous games, soccer, netball, hockey and AFL.
- Explore the market stalls selling art, craft, jewellery, clothes and gourmet produce.
- Visit the cultural hub to learn about the City of Sydney’s Eora Journey and borrow books from the library’s Koori collection. Explore exhibits from ANTaR, the Art Gallery of NSW, the Australian Museum, the NSW Aboriginal Land Council, UTS, the University of Sydney’s Healing Our Spirit Worldwide, Tranby National Indigenous Adult Education and Training, the Australian Film Television & Radio School, Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences, the State Library of NSW, UNSW, the National Film and Sound Archive and the Indigenous Youth Climate Action Network.
For more information visit whatson.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au/posts/your-guide-to-naidoc-in-the-city
NAIDOC in the City is produced by 33creative.com.au
For media inquiries or images, please contact Roxanne Macara, Senior Media Advisor. Phone 0438 554 640 or email rmacara@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
For interviews with Lord Mayor Clover Moore, please contact Anusha Muller. Phone 0408 494 545 or email amuller@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
- NAIDOC 2018 artwork 1.25 MB