NAIDOC Week 2023

Traditions on display at NAIDOC celebration

The history, culture and achievements of the City of Logan’s First Nations residents will be celebrated next month.

The Logan NAIDOC Family Fun Day will run from 9am to 2.30pm on Tuesday, July 4 at the Kingston Butter Factory (KBF) Cultural Precinct.

The day, hosted by the Logan District Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Corporation for Elders, will feature a Welcome to Country and smoking and flag-raising ceremonies.

It will mark NAIDOC Week which runs from Sunday, July 2 until Sunday, July 9.

Lifestyle Chair Councillor Tony Hall said the community would come together through the Logan NAIDOC Family Fun Day to recognise and celebrate the City of Logan’s rich Indigenous heritage.

“I encourage people to join in and experience all the great activities on offer such as yarning circles with the elders and didgeridoo-making workshops,” Cr Hall said.

“This year’s event is focused on the city’s elders as across every generation they play an important role in our community as cultural knowledge holders, trailblazers, advocates, teachers and leaders.”

Division 2 Councillor Teresa Lane said NAIDOC Week was a special annual celebration in the City of Logan.

“The Logan District Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Corporation for Elders has worked hard to pull together a special program of celebration which I know will be enjoyed by everyone,” Cr Lane said.

“Again, KBF will be the place to be for anyone who wants to be part of the day and we look forward to seeing everyone there.”

A key element of the Logan NAIDOC Family Fun Day is a free live entertainment program featuring traditional and modern performances on the KBF stage.

The program also features information stalls, a free barbecue lunch, activities for children, traditional foods for sale, a damper-making competition and a traditional weaving session.

Free train travel will operate to and from the event.

Visit NAIDOC 2023 For Our Elders – LoganARTS to obtain your free train ticket which you need to be ready to show on the train.

There will also be the following bus service stops:

• 8.30am – Pick up Behind Logan Entertainment Centre (pink stop)
• Pick up/Drop off at Logan Central Bus Station (orange stop)
• Pick Up/Drop off at Kingston Road at Edith Street – Stop ID 310613 (red stop)
• Pick Up/Drop off at Kingston Butter Factory Bus Bays (green stop)
• Pick Up/Drop off Behind Logan Entertainment Centre (pink stop)

The full program for the event can also be found on the Logan Arts website  – Home – LoganARTS

Information is also available from the Logan District Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Corporation for Elders’ Facebook page.

Logan Libraries will also celebrate NAIDOC Week with The Spirit of the Dreaming school holiday show.

Indigenous dreamtime stories will be shared through storytelling, puppetry, song and dance.

Author, artist, performer and Yamatji Noongar storyteller Aunty Rhonda Collard-Spratt and author Jacki Ferro will bring to life their new book Old Nana Quokka.

Performances will be held on Wednesday, July 5 from 11am to 11.45am at Logan Central Library and between 2pm and 2.45pm at Logan Hyperdome Library.

Bookings are recommended and can be made at loglib.org/schoolhols

Indigenous language educator Robert Ah Wing will present new Our languages workshops at Logan Libraries from July to celebrate the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.

A different Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander language will be explored during each monthly workshop.

The first session will be from 6pm to 7.30pm on Tuesday, July 18 at Logan Central Library and bookings can be made on loganlibraries.org/whats-on/