Celebrating Indigenous Australia 2010

The Australian Embassy is proud to mark a week-long celebration of Australian Indigenous culture from 4-11 July 2010, highlighted by the opening of a photographic exhibition by one of Australia’s most prominent Aboriginal photographic artists, Wayne Quilliam.

Every year Australia celebrates NAIDOC (National Aboriginal and Islanders’ Day Observance Committee) Week as a way of promoting greater understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and their culture. It is also a celebration of their people’s contributions to modern Australia. This year celebrates the theme of “Unsung Heroes” acknowledging those who have made a significant but humble contribution to their community behind the scenes.

Contact between Australian Indigenous people and Indonesians dates back to the sixteenth century when Makassan traders and fishermen first visited northern Australia. They traded frequently and this interaction is still recorded and celebrated today in the music and dance of the Indigenous northern language groups.

To share these and other stories, the Australian Embassy will be hosting a number of activities. It will present a photographic exhibition by Wayne Quilliam at Galeri Foto Jurnalistik Antara, opening 5 July and running until 18 July. Screenings of a short animated film series “The Dreaming Stories” will run from 5-11 July at Miniapolis, Plaza Indonesia and Traditional Australian Indigenous Games will be delivered by Robert Hyatt, State Coordinator of the Indigenous Sport Program, Victoria from 7-8 July. Miniapolis will also host an Indigenous Australia Cultural Week for children with cooking demonstrations, traditional storytelling and an art workshop on 11 July.

This celebration also commemorates the Australian Parliament’s historic formal apology in 2008 to the Stolen Generations: those Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders who were forcibly removed from their families and communities through the actions of past governments. It was a profound moment in Australia’s history, opening a new chapter towards reconciliation and righting the wrongs of the past. Wayne Quilliam was the Australian Government’s official photographer for this event.

The Australian Government is committed to working together with Indigenous Australians to overcome the challenges and areas of disadvantage that remain. In recent years there has been considerable progress towards improving the lives of Indigenous Australians in the areas of life expectancy, health, education and employment.

Media Enquiries:
Sanchi Davis (Cultural Attache) tel. (021) 2550 5260 hp. 0811 936 302