NAIDOC Week 2024: Celebrations of First Nations culture and history begin at Wellington Square

Hundreds of people are expected to celebrate First Nations culture and history at the launch of 2024 NAIDOC Week in Boorloo/Perth on Sunday at Wellington Square.

The official opening ceremony will feature performances by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists and performers, including traditional dancing and music.

Eventgoers will be invited to experience culture through community stalls selling art, food, clothes from Indigenous-owned businesses.

The opening ceremony will run from noon until 4pm, warming up the week-long festivities.

The national celebration kicked off Saturday night with the National NAIDOC Awards in Tarndanya (Adelaide).

Singer Jessica Mauboy headlined the live awards ceremony, which was hosted by Noongar woman and journalist Narelda Jacobs, Tiwi Islander and actor Rob Collins and Ydinji woman and comedian Steph Tisdell.

This year’s theme ‘Keep the Fire Burning! Blak, Loud and Proud’ honours the enduring strength and vitality of First Nations culture.

WA’s Kim Collard — a Balladong and Wadjuk Elder of the Noongar Nation — won Male Elder of the Year for a raft of achievements including establishing successful businesses that have created job opportunities for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people and for founding the The Bibbulmun Fund.

Mr Collard’s charity has raised more than $1.4 million for nearly 20 charities that support Indigenous people in a range of areas.

Another WA winner was Noongar man and boxer Alex Winwood from Bunbury who was awarded Sportsperson of the Year.

Mr Winwood, 27, has competed at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo and the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Gija woman from the Kimberley region, Naarah, won the Creative Talent Award.

Naarah is a popular Instagram and TikTok creator, producing videos about First Nations identity and culture, and has won accolades for her theatre project Broadway but Blak, a cabaret concert from an Indigenous perspective.

Other winners included Alick Tipoti — Caring for Country and Culture Award, Aunty Millie Ingram — Female Elder of the Year, Tui Nolan — Innovation Award, Aunty Dulcie Flower — Lifetime Achievement Award, Aunty Muriel Bamblett — Person of the Year, Dante Rodrigues — Youth of the Year.

The Warlpiri Education and Training Trust also took out the Education Award.

NAIDOC committee co-chair Dr Aunty Lynette Riley said the finalists showcased Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander excellence.

“When I think back to the first calls to arms by our old people to challenge the Centennial Celebrations and to let the world know we have survived and held our ground for sovereignty in this Country, I know they knew the struggles were just starting and would continue for many generations,” Aunty Riley said.

“The people who have been nominated and recognised as finalists in all our NAIDOC categories, epitomise the ongoing fight for rights and demonstrate our ongoing excellence. I am in awe of all our people’s strengths, perseverance and congratulate them all for ‘Keeping the Fires Burning’”.

NAIDOC Week, which began in 1975, provides an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories and participate in celebrations of the oldest, continuous living cultures on earth.

NAIDOC Week will run until July 14 with events across Australia to celebrate First Nations people and culture.