An organiser of the second Ngulla NAIDOC Festival is already eager for next year’s event following a successful day on Friday.
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The annual event highlighting local Indigenous culture on the Civic Centre Lawns was well attended, Ulladulla Local Aboriginal Land Council chair Paul Keith said.
As there was no gate, it was hard to put a number on the amount of attendees. However, Mr Keith said he thought there were more festival-goers than last year.
“As the chair of the lands council, I’m so happy with the effort and especially pleased with the participation of the local community,” Mr Keith said.
“People were great, the entertainment was fantastic. The kids were just awesome. It was great to see community services proud to support.”
The NAIDOC week theme, Because of Her We Can, was showcased through women taking prominent roles at the event.
Deb Sturgeon, who wore a traditional possum cloak designed and created by 14 Indigenous women at a camp in Kioloa, led the Welcome to Country before year 4 girls from Ulladulla Public School danced to Michelle McBride’s song named after the NAIDOC week theme.
Ulladulla High School students Joseph Stewart, Jayden Perry and Riley Nolan added to the reflective atmosphere of the opening, providing background music with their didgeridoos, as the Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islands and Australian flags were raised behind them.
The boys then led the ceremony to a separate stage area where Ulladulla Primary School students performed two pieces. Following the girls’ dance, a large group of students then performed their NAIDOC rap.
The hook of the song, sung by the students, paid tribute to Paul Kelly and Kev Carmody’s From Little Things Big Things Grow, which was based on the story of the Gurindji strike in the Northern Territory.
Mr Keith praised Ulladulla Local Aboriginal Land Council project manager Leanne Barford for her “tireless” efforts organising the festival.
“Leanne put most of it together … she did a great job,” he said.
“The rest of the Land Council was fantastic. I can’t wait until next year.”