From 27 May to 3 June, Hobsons Bay City Council will host programs for National Reconciliation Week (NRW) to encourage Australians to learn how people can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.
The program will include exhibitions of NRW posters, a special performance by local musician James Henry, artist Aretha Brown’s Wominjeka flags flying at gateways, and library workshops for primary school students.
Mayor of Hobsons Bay, Peter Hemphill, said this year’s theme for National Reconciliation Week is ‘Be Brave. Make Change.’
“It’s a challenge to all Australians— individuals, families, communities, organisations and government—to Be Brave and tackle the unfinished business of reconciliation so we can Make Change for the benefit of all Australians,” Mayor Hemphill said.
“Council’s Reconciliation Week events aim to raise awareness in the broader community about what reconciliation means to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and how we can all create an inclusive and empowered community, in line with the vision outlined in our Reconciliation Action Plan.”
NRW commemorates two significant milestones in the reconciliation journey; the 1967 referendum to remove clauses in the Australian Constitution that discriminated against Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, and the historic 1992 High Court Mabo ruling to recognise that Indigenous Australians and Torres Strait Islander peoples’ rights over their lands survived British colonisation.
A History in Posters
The first exhibition in the program takes place from 17 May to 22 June in Williamstown Library, and from 17 May until 30 June in Hobsons Bay Civic Centre Altona during opening hours.
This program teaches the history of National Reconciliation Week through years of NRW posters, an inspiring set of works that span activism and celebration.
The posters’ diverse designs mark the journey of all Australians to discover their shared histories, cultures and achievements.
Music performance by James Henry
Local singer-songwriter, James Henry, will be playing acoustic song covers at the exhibition foyer at the Civic Centre in Altona on 1 June from 1.30pm to 2pm.
Be Brave, Make Change: A Reconciliation Week Celebration
Local grade four, five and six classes have been invited to participate in hands-on workshops that explore the library’s First Nations collection.
Events will take place in the week commencing 30 May 2022, across multiple library branches.
Womindjeka Gateway Flags
During NRW, flags designed by an artist, Aretha Brown, emblazoned with ‘Womindjeka’, will be installed at the gateway flagpole sites in Melbourne Road (Spotswood), Millers Road (Brooklyn), Kororoit Creek Road (Altona) and Queen Street (Altona Meadows).
Looking ahead to NAIDOC Week in July
Renowned Aboriginal singer/songwriter, Kutcha Edwards, will take to the stage on 6 July 7.30pm at the Williamstown Town Hall to perform Circling Time.
Circling Time is a celebration of the thoughtful music channelled from Mr Edwards’ resilience, as well as a sombre reminder of damage done that has not dissipated and still resonates in the lives of Indigenous Australians people.
