Condobolin Public School leaders Tamera Kirby, Bede Leighton and Taya Donovan lead the official opening of NAIDOC week celebrations at the educational facility on Monday, 19 July.

Students welcomed Ms Amanda Coe to conduct an Acknowledgement of Country and Mrs Packham gave the Welcome to Country in Wiradjuri and English.

All students Kindergarten to Year Six then participated in a cleansing welcome Smoking Ceremony.

“Thank you to Otis Knight Williams, Amanda Coe and Mrs Packham for sharing time and knowledge to make the start of NAIDOC week at Condobolin Public School extra special,” a post on the Condobolin Public School Facebook Page read.

The NAIDOC theme for 2021 is Heal Country! NAIDOC 2021 invites the nation to embrace First Nations’ cultural knowledge and understanding of Country as part of Australia’s national heritage and equally respect the culture and values of Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders as they do the cultures and values of all Australians.

NAIDOC celebrations are an opportunity for all Australians to come together to celebrate the rich history, diverse cultures and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the oldest continuing cultures on the planet.