NAIDOC Observance

This week we have observed the celebration of NAIDOC Week which begins on Sunday 5 July.

At Dominic we have acknowledged this with a Year 3-10 gathering ceremony to celebrate the history, spirituality, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Our K-2 students have undertaken curriculum based work on this theme.

Origins of NAIDOC
NAIDOC emerged out of the 1920s when Australia's Aboriginal peoples were fighting for recognition of their basic human rights – their right to make choices for themselves, their rights to be treated equally, their rights to be citizens of this country – their rights to be properly educated. Later Aboriginal people had to wage campaigns to have both their custodial relationship and ownership of lands recognised.

This year the NAIDOC theme, 'We All Stand on Sacred Ground' highlights Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people's strong spiritual and cultural connection to land and sea. The theme is another opportunity to pay respects to country; honour those who work tirelessly on preserving land, sea and culture and to share the stories of many sites of significance and sacred places across Australia.

Dominic College has the great good fortune of having a significant number of Aboriginal families and their children here as part of our College community. We take great pride in these students and their families who represent a living thread of one of the most incredible and rich cultures known in the world. We give thanks for the extraordinary spirit of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, and we pray that we will all honour our land as sacred, holy and part of God's creation.

You can see photos from the assembly on our gallery: NAIDOC observance.

Ms Beth Gilligan – Dominic College Principal