Blue Mountains News

Celebrations will begin with a NAIDOC Week Opening Community Event, held at the Blue Mountains Theatre and Community Hub in Springwood, from midday on Sunday 7 July.

There will be a Welcome and Smoking Ceremony with Uncle Lex, a performance by the Wagana Dancers, NAIDOC-themed Storytime and pop-up library, weaving and facepainting.

Savour a delicious free lunch showcasing native ingredients including pepperberry, crocodile, kangaroo, wattleseed and saltbush, followed by a free screening of the family movieBran Nue Dae in the theatre.

The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flags will be raised at Carrington Place, Katoomba, at 10am Monday 8 July. This event will also include a Welcome and Smoking Ceremony.

There will be free entry to the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre from 6 July, and then throughout NAIDOC Week to 14 July. Don’t miss the First Nations’ exhibitionsNgurra Bayala (Country Speaks) and Fire Within.

A NAIDOC Week Community Day will close out the celebrations. From 10am, Saturday 13 July, in partnership with the Blue Mountains Aboriginal Culture and Resource Centre, the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre will host drop-in weaving workshops, a community art project and more.

NAIDOC Week is held across Australia in July each year to celebrate the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. The 2024 NAIDOC theme is ‘Keep the fire burning! Blak, Loud and Proud’,recognising the unyielding spirit of First Nations' communities and inviting all to stand in solidarity.

Blue Mountains Mayor, Cr Mark Greenhill, said, “NAIDOC Week provides an opportunity for all of us to learn about and reflect on First Nations Dharug and Gundungurra cultures and histories and participate in the celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.

“We can be proud of Australia’s black history, where people thrived for millennia, enjoying a prosperous and self-determined life based on sophisticated systems and deep understandings of the world.

“I encourage everyone in the Blue Mountains to be curious and open-minded to First Nations’ perspectives and experiences. A simple way to do this is to take advantage of the free entry to the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre this NAIDOC Week and experience both theNgurra Bayala (Country Speaks) and Fire Within exhibitions.”

Ngurra Bayala (Country speaks) is co-curated with Dharug artist and curator Leanne Tobin and celebrates the video work of seven female First Nations artists.Fire Within is a Blue Mountains Aboriginal Culture and Resource Centre NAIDOC exhibition and is a celebration of resilience, strength and solidarity.

To learn more about NAIDOC Week in the Blue Mountains and to book your free tickets to the lunch and film screening on Sunday 7 July, visit here