Uniting to promote reconciliation message

Published on 24 June 2021

The Gannawarra will celebrate Reconciliation this July with a walk through the streets of Kerang and festivities at the Sir John Gorton Library.

Gannawarra Shire Council, Northern District Community Health, Mallee District Aboriginal Services and the Kerang Elders Group have united to host a morning of events on Monday, 5 July.

As part of the celebrations, residents will gather at 10am for a flag raising ceremony outside the Kerang Council Chambers in Victoria Street, before walking to the Sir John Gorton Library for a morning of festivities.

“Unfortunately the COVID-19 circuit breaker period meant the planned Reconciliation Week Walk was cancelled, however residents are encouraged to help support next month’s event, which coincides with NAIDOC Week,” Mayor Charlie Gillingham said.

“Held annually each July, NAIDOC Week celebrates the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, with this year’s theme being ‘Heal Country!’

“This year’s theme is a call to action for all of us to continue to seek greater protections for our lands, our waters, our sacred sites and our cultural heritage from exploitation, desecration, and destruction.”

Celebrations will begin at 10am with a flag raising ceremony outside the Kerang Council Chambers in Victoria Street, before participants walk to the Sir John Gorton Library via Wellington, Fitzroy, Scoresby, Nolan and Shadforth streets.

Events occurring at Kerang’s library precinct will begin at 10.30am with a Welcome to Country, Smoking Ceremony, Story Time session, and a Question and Answer session with local Elders, facilitated by local youth Indigenous group Tyipen Kwe.

Northern District Community Health Chief Executive Officer, Mandy Hutchinson said that the children from the local youth program Tyipen Kwe – meaning ‘happy friends’ - are once again looking forward to being involved in the event and sharing culture with the wider community.

“The children are proud of their local Aboriginal culture and will be participating in a Question and Answer session with local Elders as part of the event,” Ms Hutchinson said.

“Supporting the next generation of young Aboriginal children to be culturally strong strengthens the whole community and we look forward to continuing to build Reconciliation through arts, dance, story, language and song at public recognition events, such as Reconciliation Week activities.”

The official event will be followed by morning tea which will include damper made by Mallee District Aboriginal Service and the children involved in Twipen Kwe.

Mallee District Aboriginal Service Health Promotion Worker, Toni Webster said that damper, otherwise known as bush bread or seedcake, is a European term that refers to bread made by traditional owners for many thousands of years.

“Bush bread was made by crushing a variety of native seeds, and sometimes nuts and roots, into a dough and then baking the dough in the coals of a fire,” Ms Webster said.

“While native seeds would be hard to source these days, those attending the Reconciliation event will be able to taste bush bread made in an open fire using as close to an indigenous recipe as we can.”

For more information regarding the Kerang NAIDOC and Reconciliation Week celebrations, please visit www.gsc.vic.gov.au/events