Celebrating the History, Culture and Achievements of First Nations Peoples

Across our Diocese, school communities celebrated National Aboriginals and Islanders Day Observance Committee (NAIDOC) Week. (Weeks 9 - 10)

School communities across the Diocese celebrated NAIDOC Week, a fantastic opportunity for students to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrating the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth. 

The theme this year is ‘For our Elders.’ Across every generation, our Elders have played, and continue to play, an important role and hold a prominent place in our community and families. They are cultural knowledge holders, trailblazers, nurturers, advocates, teachers, survivors, leaders, hard workers and our loved ones.

Our schools paid respect in many ways, such as moving liturgies, fun games, enlightening cultural activities, colourful and inspiring handmade collaborative artworks, to shared meals with delicious First Nations recipes with locally sourced ingredients.

At Brooms Head, students from St Joseph’s Primary School, Maclean, actively engaged in various activities that fostered a greater understanding and appreciation of Indigenous culture. Dreamtime story-telling captivated their imaginations while clay-making allowed them to explore their creativity. They also enthusiastically participated in indigenous games, immersing themselves in the vibrant traditions. The highlight of the day was the cultural dancing session, where McAuley Catholic College, Grafton, students showcased their talent and celebrated the legacy of their elders.

Below are a gallery of images from across the Diocese.