On Tuesday, 5 July the Galari Bila Waga Dhaanys danced at RSL LifeCare Condobolin.
“What was heart-warming were the smiles of the residents and the dancers themselves,” Marion Wighton Packham wrote on the Galari Bila Waga Dhaanys Facebook Page.
“This NAIDOC week creating safe spaces for conversations, sharing, imparting knowledge, coming together and ensuring we are all wrapped up in the loving embrace of community and culture.
“It is an honour to dance and especially for Elders.
“Mrs Ferguson, Mrs Nicols, Aunty Robyn and Aunty Denice were amongst the few residents we chatted with after the event.
“Gilari Bila Waga Dhaanys always giving back to their community.
“Thank you to staff who made us feel welcome.”
NAIDOC Week is a chance to come together and celebrate the histories, cultures and achievements of First Nations people in Australia. NAIDOC stands for National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee. NAIDOC Week is important as it’s an opportunity for learning, connection and community.
Each year NAIDOC will choose a theme to build the celebrations around. In 2022 that theme is Get Up! Stand Up! Show Up! It’s focused on supporting and securing institutional, structural, collaborative and cooperative reforms.
NAIDOC Week is a chance to celebrate and learn about First Nations Peoples — their histories, cultures and achievements. It’s a chance to celebrate First Nations Peoples of Australia, a chance to highlight challenges that need addressing, a chance to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories, and a chance to engage with amazing cultures that are thousands of years old.

Image Credits: Marion Wighton Packham.